Big block timing cover, for serious cam thrust?

Years ago i went to a geardrive to control cam walk. I was using a standard type timing cover and thrust button. The cam actually distorted the cover and was running so far out it almost crashed adjoining lobes into the next lifters. It took a lot of pressure to do that .
After battling many rocker bearing failures for years i am forced to try another stock type cover and chain in hopes that that will eliminate harmonics that may be destroying my rockers. Does anyone make a renforced cover, or has anyone come up with a solution to this problem? I don't want to spend 1250 for a belt drive. My race budget is real tight right now.

I’ve used the cast aluminum Indy covers for years with zero issues

I have seen people put a wedge between the timing cover and water pump...

ATI offers a whim that Summit stock if your damper needs spaced out.

Sounds like there is a issue with the lifter bore angles not being correct causing to much pushing by the roller lifters trying to force the cams forward Very common on BB Chevy motors, not so much on BB Mopars or 426 hemi motors

Years ago I welded a spacer that butted against the water pump hsg. Worked fine.

I've put a lot of Indy cast covers on roller cam big blocks,I mean a lot...I have all manner of water pump spacers for pulley alignment and cam buttons.
I'm not a big fan of a welded button on the back of the water pump housing to support the timing cover,I sure it could work given enough tinkering.
It's what ever you have the time for I guess...

Sure, I've been making billet covers for the past 20 years that solve that problem: http://arengineering.com/products/timing-chain-cover/

Just curious why you are not considering a belt drive???

He said because of price.

Missed that last sentence, but they are out there in the secondary market. I have purchased three in the last year that way, and if you have an issue with cam thrust Jesel also offers a solution for that with their belt drive with their zero thrust cam adapters. Been there done that.

It's a beautiful piece, too.

I had to do that very thing once. I believe the force was coming from the oil drive. I welded a nut on the back of the waterpump and had a bolt in it to run agains the timing cover. Roller bearing thrust button. The timing would swing wildly as it pushed forward, essentially turning the distributor location as it moved forward.

I think I might have sold you a slightly used Jesel belt once or twice! I used to buy them for my dyno engines and then sell them once the testing was done since most people weren't interesting in buying a pump gas engine with a Jesel belt drive. If I was running a serious race engine I'd use a belt drive. Lots of advantages with the belt drive including the super nice setup for camshaft endplay as well as the ease of indexing the cam.

Ok, I never seen this before tonight but i found this,

Mopar Chrysler BB 383 440 Aluminum Removable Cam Plate Timing Chain Cover


Joe

It's chinese rubbish, I wouldn't touch it myself

Get the one that Andy sells, it is a nice cover.

I started welding 1/8 plate on my stock covers

Look into the distributor gear hole alignment. If the drilling on the hole is off it causes gear misalignment that can make them walk something fierce. Todd

We welded a plate like that on our OE cover,
it butts against the pump housing perfectly.

We used the thrust button with a bearing.

Joe

So this is actual first hand experience from using THIS product, correct ?!?!?

Budget. This last redo ate mine!

Engine builder friend of mine had 440 on the dyno and was struggling with the timing. While working with the distributor and the engine running he noticed the timing cover was bowing in and out. Called me and asked for help. I told him I only run the AREngineering billet covers with roller cams. He had no more timing cover deflection with AndyF's product.

Whats the big deal with a stop on the cover that touches the pump housing? Not hard. Measure the space and put a piece of material there, done.
Doug

They aren’t that expensive guys. Probably cheaper places to get them possibly without shipping

https://www.manciniracing.com/incaaltico.html

http://store.440source.com/Fabricated-Aluminum-Timing-Cover/productinfo/200-1089/

Here's a pic of our 505 where we welded a 1/8" circle to the cover.
Slight interference fit to the pump housing.

Easy, inexpensive and effective.

Joe

Thanks all. Looks like a stock steel cover reinforced and a button will work well. I don't want to put any pressure against the electric waterpump.

If an aluminum cover works, certainly the water pump is stiff enough.
Doug

I remember a situation that we ran into at work several times over the years was the solid roller cams we were using were pushing forward wreaking havoc on the cam thrust bearing and also chewing up the bronze distributor gears and what we found out that it was group of the cam cores that we got were bad, they messed up when they machined the gear on cam itself causing alot of headache and expense for us as well as the racers. These engines were 450-470 large cubic inch based small block chevy engines.

I've used a couple of these on flat tappet builds. The bolt holes and especially the dowel holes don't always line up the seal correctly. I've had to drill out the dowel holes and install the damper and then bolt the cover down. And sometimes the the oil pan surface of the timing cover isn't parallel with the block pan rails. All stuff you can work around for the price.

Doug, you are probably right. But i have backed my [censored] into a buzzsaw to often to take even small risks.

A friend's customer supplied one for an engine, similar experience to the 440 source unit mentioned already.

I'd rather spend a little extra and buy something that fits and support my local manufacturing base wherever possible. A part like a timing cover, I would just machine myself.