Crank gear to idler gear play.

Just dropped in a new crank in to a TFX block and I am concerened about the play between the crank gear and idler gear. I have .010 play between the gears. I have tried 2 different idler posts and 2 different idler gears and I get the same reading. I think the crank gear is the problem but it is brand new. Do they make different crank gear sizes to take out this play? I have not put the cam in yet and do not know if when the cam is installed with the gear drive if this will deflect the idler gear to make more contact in to the crank gear. But I have never seen this much play on any other Tfx blocks I have built in the past.
Thanks for your input,
Greg Sereda:

 

Greg

They do make undersized crank gears for when you need to line bore the block. Check it against one of your old ones to be sure.

"Dig a hole"

Scott

 

I checked the crank gear against other crank gears I have and they are the same size. I installed the cam and also have .011 play between the idler gear and the cam gear drive. I dont think that .011 is that big a problem but now when you add up the play between the top to bottom I have .022 play in total. I spoke to Alan Johnson and RCD and they have not seen this before. Has any one seen this amount of play in their gear drive before and would this affect the stability of the timing?
Thanks for any input.
Greg

 

It will screw with you ignition timing in a big way. You need to get rid of the play in the gears. Casale Engineering in Santa Fe Springs, Ca. makes over/undersize gears to compensate for line bored blocks.

 

If all the idler gears are the same and you still have play I would think that your idlers are worn out, you have the same play in both the crank and cam it's the only thing that makes sense??