We had a solid gear set option on the Pontiac big blocks, to replace the chain. Never tried it myself. It did increase the engine noise, I'd heard... I was too busy trying to get the piece of rope that served as the rear main crank seal, to quit dripping oil onto Mom's driveway...... Compared to pulling the water pump, aluminum housing and timing chain, Ferrari belts are EASY!! The Gulf Coast tap water always dissolved the aluminum of the cover behind the pump, letting water right into the oil section of the block. Those 400CI motors were firebreathers, the largest set of valves touched each other, edge to edge.
Simply incorrect. The belt is under more tension from the crank (the driver) too the pulleys (the driven) that the crank is pulling around. From the last pulley that it turns back to the crank it is "not under tension". This is why you adjust the tensioners to take up this slack, and that is why the tensioner is always positioned after the last driven pulley and before the driver. Without the tensioner they (belt or chain) would behave just like a m/c chain that drives the rear wheel and flap about. Pete
Don't know of anyone who has done it but I would be most interested if it can be done. But at what cost?
