I'm building a hot street 464 and finally have the short block buttoned up. Oil pan, front cover, harmonic balancer installed. I didn't use the shallow head bolts on the cam gear, but a taller cap screw from ARP with blue thread lock. So...of course now that its all together, I'm concerned the factory bolts are a "shallow head" design to provide clearance behind the cover or some other reason I don't know. I don't think the ARP fasteners I used even extend beyond the front of the cam gear. But this has become a "wake me up" issue for some reason and I'm contemplating pulling the cover off!! Advice very much appreciated! Oh...and its a double roller chain and gear set. Thanks.
You can look through the distributor hole and. Maybe see it. I know. You can with one of those flexible inspection cameras.
Jim, The thin head bolts are for fuel pump arm clearance.. with a double roller chain, you need to slide the pump forward a touch anyway, and there is then typically no issue with the thicker head bolts. You should be fine. You can eaily check... grease up the side of the fuel pump arm nearest to the engine.. install the pump, turn it over one rev, and pull the pump and inspect the grease, make sure it's not wiped off. With an electric pump, no issues at all. JW