Mopar Muscle Association UK

OK after cleaning and painting the rebuild gets underway with the crank, mains, pistons big ends and Jessel drive back plate.
A few pics which speak for themselves

Bump More pics

Bob, can you explain that plate mate? Heard of Jessel but don't know what its all about. Whats behind it? Timing gears n chain?

Clivey wrote:Bob, can you explain that plate mate? Heard of Jessel but don't know what its all about. Whats behind it? Timing gears n chain?

nothing behind it clive, it gets a top n bottom sprocket and a toothed belt just like a good old cortina ohc, and they say thats the dogs drive system amazin int it,

Hey Dunc , after reading that ole Bob might rip it off & go stock chain drive.

Brutus wrote:Hey Dunc , after reading that ole Bob might rip it off & go stock chain drive.

true though int it, its the dogs Bananarama! to have a JESSEL BELT DRIVE for your mega hp v8, and old fords n vauxhalls had em for about 80hp mtrs in the late sixties,

Hi Clivey,
There are three options when it comes to transferring drive from the crankshaft to the camshaft.
Most commonly is two sprockets and a twin roller chain just like a bike.
For racing to maintain a more accurate drive and crank cam relationship at higher revs and in the case of the Jessel system some fine adjustment.
Secondly you can fit a gear train just like on the old Colchester lathes like Adam on his 605 but they tend to be noisey.
Finally you can fit a Jessel sytem which conists of two toothed sprockets and a ribbed belt similar to any modern overhead driven belt camshaft.
I will post some more pics as we go and will try to show how to dial the cam in.

Bob when dialing the cam in with a jesel, never turn the crank backwards keep it rotating the correct way otherwise it appears like the timing is all over the shop with the lash in the belt, we're not the only ones to have questioned theis with jesel, we got talking to Andy Frost about them he did the same thing and sent his back for a replacement, they did replace it and he had the same problem, after speaking to them again they said "your not turning it backwards are you"? The instructions can be missleading

Not sure what you're saying Marc...........whether jessel drive or stock timing sets , you have to back the crank up in order to set/check the intake/ex open close events @ .050" , problems arise when the crank is'nt backed up enough to take the slop out the timing sets , .100 being the minimum , if you're setting the valve timing @ intake centre line there's no reason to back the crank up unless you overshot the ICL , in which case you could back it up as long as you take the slack up (.100).

When degreeing valve events @ ICL only , there's no way of checking the cam has been ground as per card , the same applies when joining the dots............. got no info on this cam in the 545 appart from the lobe sep figure , from this we can work out the valve events @ .050 , although we have no card to check the grind specs.


The good thing regards the better quality timing sets is the ability to adjust valve timing @ the track , don't get that with the vauxhall/cortina set up.

The good thing regards the better quality timing sets is the ability to adjust valve timing @ the track , don't get that with the vauxhall/cortina set up.

just buy one off them vernier adjust top pulleys on a pinto,

I know what yer sayin Dunc.

Another advantage on this timing set is you can degree the intake centre line @ the lifter cup without the need to fit the heads , once the heads are buttoned up & the valve gear on you can finally set the ICL @ retainer via the adjuster on the cam gear, taking into account any deflection in the valve train , normally around 3 to 4* , i take it we all set the valve timing @ the retainer zero lash?

Anyhows , gotta get back to me day job , got a boiler to repair.

Brutus wrote:I know what yer sayin Dunc.

Another advantage on this timing set is you can degree the intake centre line @ the lifter cup without the need to fit the heads , once the heads are buttoned up & the valve gear on you can finally set the ICL @ retainer via the adjuster on the cam gear, taking into account any deflection in the valve train , normally around 3 to 4* , i take it we all set the valve timing @ the retainer zero lash?

Anyhows , gotta get back to me day job , got a boiler to repair.

get the dollars in brutal

Brutus wrote:Not sure what you're saying Marc...........whether jessel drive or stock timing sets , you have to back the crank up in order to set/check the intake/ex open close events @ .050" , problems arise when the crank is'nt backed up enough to take the slop out the timing sets , .100 being the minimum , if you're setting the valve timing @ intake centre line there's no reason to back the crank up unless you overshot the ICL , in which case you could back it up as long as you take the slack up (.100).

When degreeing valve events @ ICL only , there's no way of checking the cam has been ground as per card , the same applies when joining the dots............. got no info on this cam in the 545 appart from the lobe sep figure , from this we can work out the valve events @ .050 , although we have no card to check the grind specs.


The good thing regards the better quality timing sets is the ability to adjust valve timing @ the track , don't get that with the vauxhall/cortina set up.

When we set the 493 up with the Jesel we tried doing it by backing up the crank, you have to rotate all the way round to -.050 from where you were, not rock it back the .050, Ad give my dad a call he'll explain it to you better

Marc , you must of had other issues , the belt drive is no different then a stock chain , maybe the spider gear was loose? , once the slack is taken up on the belt/chain don't matter which way you spin it.

Already got this motor set up near the mark , that belt drive is spot on either way (using degree wheel) , had more slack with the the gear set on the 605" , no probs whatsoever.

Thanks for the heads up , interesting to know.

Like i say Ad we had the issue as did Andy Frost, and i've just got back from pub with my mate who works at EDA and he says you should never bump the motor backwards, especially not with a Jesel belt drive,