Chain drives

Rotation of camshafts in
an engine may be by gears or by chain
turned by the main crank. The
disadvantage of using gears is
difficulty in alignment, lubrication and
disadvantage to wear from foreign
materials as well as their increased
cost.The disadvantage of chains is the
requirement for tensioning and their
finite
life.
Although
for
large
installations this can be very long.
Wear on the chain pins,
bushes as well as the chain sprockets
can all lead to a slackening off of the
chain. This can lead to 'slap' and
changing of cam timing.This alters the
leads of the fuel p[umps and exhaust
valves.. The degree of angular

displacement by checked using a manufacturer supplied poker gauge.

Chain damage occurs if the chain is too tight or too slack and the
result is fatigue cracking of the links. If the tension is too tight, then this adds to
the working stress of the chain. Insufficient tension leads to 'slap' with resultant
damage to chain and rubbing strips. Vertical misalignment of the sprockets
means rubbing at the side plates resulting in reduction of thickness and possible
failure.

Chain stretch and hence reduction in tension can be accounted for by

movement of a tensioning wheel. The tension usually being checked by
movement to and fro at the centre of the longest free length.
Max. is about 1 chain pitch.
Recommended limit on stretch is about 1.5 to 2%, if max.
movement of the tensioned is reached before the chain has reached its max.
stretch then a pair of links may be removed. When max. stretch is reached, or if
the chain shows signs of damage then the chain should be replaced.
The simplest method is to break the old chain and attach the new
chain to it. The engine is then turned and as the old chain is paid off, the new
chain can be paid in. This maintains approximately the correct timing, the tension
of the chain can then be set.
Final adjustment of the timing can be made following manufacturers
instructions, this generally means turning the engine until No1 is at top dead,
then checking by us of pointer gauges the position of the cam.
The cam drive is adjustable and can be slackened off, by hydraulic
means on large modern engines, the section of cams can then be turned relative
to the crankshaft angle and the timing restored.
The chains are lubricated by the injection of a jey of oil between the chain wheels
and the chain rollers just before the rollers are about to engage the wheel.
Thereby an oil cushion is formed to dampen the impact

A question asked by an examiner was to explain the polygon of forces with

respect to chain drive. This refers to the forces acting on the chain links as
they pass over the chain wheel
Some of these forces are; Bending moment on the link as it travels
around the sprocket
Stress changes on the link as it passes from the driving side to the driven
Tensioning of the chain dependent on the number of links between the
sprockets varying i.e. related to the pitch

Centrifugal forces acting on the links