HiPo timing chain cover

1st Official Post
    • Official Post

    There are a number of versions of the 289 timing cover but none specific to the Hipo.

    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

    I was 99% sure. But I also read that a HiPo has a narrow timing chain, which is counter to performance engine that use double rollers. Not sure why that would be. So much BS out there. I've known the basic differences for 50 years like heads, distributor, balancer, main caps, rods and exhaust manifolds. I never knew about the hatchet and 30 oz imbalance until digging into it with this new project. I've never seen one and had one real HiPo motor 40 years ago. But I never took it apart.

    Is there one page or site that shows all these pieces in detail?

    Bob Mannel's online book subscription is the best single source of details of all 1962-69 small Ford V8 engines except 1969 Boss 302.

    Home of the Ford Small Block V8 – Mustang and Ford Small Block V8, 1962-1969

    The way Ford designed the HP289 engine in 1962 was good enough to go racing in all kinds of racing in multiple countries for years to come. The object was last long enough to win and not maximum power. Shelby American would blueprinted a near stock engine for endurance racing that would go as many as forty racing hours before a rebuild and then be ready to go again.

    Dan

    One more question, as I didn't get the book yet. With the HiPo 30 oz imbalance, did it have a different # flywheel? Or was a std part# just drilled out to the needed balance?

    Engineering number (a.k.a. casting number) of the raw casting, no. One engineering casting design determined the master molds used to make the raw casting. My understanding is that everyday castings were selected, inspected for defects, a small area was ground, and a hardness test was performed in the area just ground. If the part passed the requirements for becoming a HP289 part they received a orange paint mark and were machined as a HP289 part.

    Be aware that ground down areas and a mark that looks like a hardness tester made it can be faked, as can the paint color code.

    Dan

    Edited 2 times, last by Dan Case (October 5, 2025 at 3:49 PM).

    To the specific question, the 289 HiPo damper is imbalanced to 24.5 ounce-inches. The hatchet is imbalanced to 5.9 ounce-inches. Combined, the imbalance is 30.4 ounce-inches. The flywheel was imbalanced to 30.4 ounce-inches on the opposite side as the damper/hatchet. Flywheels in 1963/64 will have the orange paint and a circle C stamped along the perimeter. 1965 and up did not have the circle C, but did have the hardness indentation.

    Timing chain covers were the same between 289 and 289 HiPo. However, the 289 HiPo was designed for the silent chain. The problem with the roller chain is that it takes up the room for the hatchet, so it can't be used. If the 289 HiPo damper is retained, the engine is imbalanced by 5.9 ounce-inches. There is no practical way to correct this, so best not to use the roller chain on a 289 HiPo.

    So one more question after downloading the 289 book and reading. They speak of a special bottom timing chain gear. Is this still available for use with the hatchet? Anyone have a part# that will get the right timing chain set for a HiPo?

    New old stock Ford parts and sometimes used Ford parts are offered on eBay®. There is a thread that follows offerings for crank timing gears on this site. Cloyes® sold new replacement parts through at least 2008 but I do not know if they still do.

    Cloyes brand service replacements I have used:

    S350 Camshaft Sprocket

    S351 Crankshaft Sprocket

    C358 Timing Chain

    Appendix I in Bob's book itemizes engine part applications and numbers for them.

    Dan

    I picked this up from a guy that I bought something else from and just mentioned that I was looking for HiPo stuff. $80 for all of it.

    The content cannot be displayed because you do not have authorisation to view this content.

    Edited 2 times, last by PITT40 (November 11, 2025 at 9:45 PM).

    Quote from C6ZZKGT

    I will take it, I am sending you an email.

    It is also probable that you are only showing these parts to us that you made a good deal on. The camshaft retainer plate and spacer are for the early Hipo 289. They only work with the early camshaft sprocket which is before change level 7.

    -Fred-

    -

    Sorry, I think you misunderstood me. I got all of it for $80. I'm not trying to sell them.

    So I have seen nothing noting a "change level 7" about the sprocket. What is different about what is pictured and what I need for a 65? Will this sprocket work? https://www.ebay.com/itm/126919344568

    • Official Post

    The camshaft retainer plate and spacer are for the early Hipo 289. They only work with the early camshaft sprocket which is before change level 7.

    The change level is on your engine tag. Change levels of engines are Fords way of noting changes in ther build. If you have Bob Mannels book, the information is in there. It depends on your production date as to when change level 7 kicks in. The better date is your engine assembly date stamped on the left hand rib of the block casting behind your timing cover. This is easily visible.

    If you call me, I can talk you through this. My number is in the email that I sent you.

    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

    Fred:


    Did you click the ebay link in my previous post? Is that the early or later style cam sprocket in the ebay ad? I have the book but couldn't find that. It's hard to search in PDF form because each chapter is a separate file.

    • Official Post
    Quote from PITT40

    Fred:


    Did you click the ebay link in my previous post? Is that the early or later style cam sprocket in the ebay ad? I have the book but couldn't find that. It's hard to search in PDF form because each chapter is a separate file.

    That is the late style which is NOT compatible with what you bought. You have my number so please call me. I will steer you through the book to find this information.

    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

    What is the number for the early pre L7 cam sprocket?

Participate now!

Don’t have an account yet? Register yourself now and be a part of our community!

Register Yourself Login