It is very possible you have the wrong set. Can you get the gears on without the chain? I've done several timing gears and never had any problems getting them to go on. Can you take some pictures of what is going on?

I don't recall having any problems the few times I have done this. I rebuilt the engine in my sister'* Pontiac; that was a while ago, and don't recall a problem. Nor the Ford engine, or Mum'* car. It is not like I have never done it before.

Yes, the cam gear and the crank gear slid on fine and the timing marks are very close. I can try (my camera'* flash is broken) to take a photo of the gears in place but won't be able to show a photo of trying to put the gears in place since I don't have a helper.

Put the new gears next to the old gears and make sure they are the same. I kind of wonder if the chain is wrong.

Yes, I put the gears together and they looked the same as far as I could tell. I was thinking that the keyway may be off but I couldn't tell if it was. The photo is not the best in the world but is all I can do until I get a new camera. Not sure if it will tell anything or not.

Looks about right. Just odd that it wont go on.

I've had an issue a couple of times. Mostly with double width chains though. Because they don't flex as much. Take a small ball peen hammer and tap the keyways to ensure both are fully seated.

Slide your crank gear on all but abotu 3/8" or so.. to make the chain sit parallel to the block when you hold the cam gear in place. Then hold a light against the block to shine light by the keyway behind the cam gear. You'll see if your key is lined up perfectly or not. Usually there'* some slight adjustment required. Get the cam gear to start a little and then use the cam bolt to pull the cam forward again if it'* pushed back too far.

Also try moving the crank gear slightly to help facilitate the chain being straight as you install the cam gear.

Thanks for the tip. I decided to take the *.A. Gear set back and ordered a Cloyes set. I was reading at a high performance forum that some had had problems with the *.A. Gear including one that said he got a gear that the hole was off-centred and some thought that the chains were lower quality. It will take a few days for the new set to arrive and with free shipping and no tax it is only going to be about $5.00 higher. I will post after trying the Cloyes set.

I have my new Cloyes gear set. I tested to make sure the gears would slide onto the shafts and that the dots align up with each other. I am still having some difficulty in getting the gears and chain to go on. I got the gears to align correctly and the chain in place but the chain seemed very tight and I could not get the cam gear to slid on, I put the cam bolt in place and finger tighten it and checked the alignment, both dots were together. The chain seems very tight to me. If I do manage to get the gear in place, the chain will be even tighter. I thought about using the cam bolt to help push the gear on; however, was not sure this was a good idea. I know the old chain had stretched a lot; there was play in the pins and between the links. Should the new chain be as tight as it seems to me; how much ... dang, can not think of the term, how much should the chain deflect when I push on it as the damper would push on it?

The new set is not going to go in place without some kind of force being applied, the chain is just too tight.

All the chains I put on had some play.

What I would like to know is that on a 3800 engine around the year of my car, 1993, should I have to drive or force the cam gear into position with the timing chain in position around both gears, crank and cam? If not, then something is wrong and I don't know what it is. This is the second timing gear set I have purchased.