I used to soak the primary chain in my BSA for a half hour before installing it during a rebuild

 

Yep. Been there and done that with the old school chain/2 gear setups. Also, putting the lifters in a container of oil and "pumping them up" before installing.
Ahh. The good ole V8 days of the 60's and 70's.

 

That would work but my after market chain that p.o. put in has FIVE colored links. And when I rotate the engine by hand they never line up again. That is the reason for this stupid question.
Scorangehhr

 

So. Based on your description in post #1, you have 3 marked links. One of those links is bordered on each side with black colored links. I'm just going to assume that one is the one that goes to the crank. Try that. If it's not correct then the other 2 would be nowhere close.

Based on the info we've given you, you shouldn't have any trouble lining it back up.

An FYI. Never attempt to rotate the engine backwards while doing this work.

 

I have a kit a it just has the black links to line up with the marks on the sprockets

 

Crank

 

Cam sprockets

 

You described "three black links one is flanked on either side by a copper link". That is 3 with one marked special?

Or, is the copy & paste from post #1 wrong?

 

To my understanding, it takes MANY revolutions before all the marks line up again. I agree, it seems like you're overthinking it. Mathematically, the mark on the crankshaft might be at about 4:30 o'clock position.

 

Let's see. 23 teeth on the crank gear, 46 on each of the cam gears, about 72 links on the chain............?????????
Heck, I never was good at those kind of math questions.
23x3=69. 72-69=3. 72 divided by 3= 24. So 24 full crank revolutions until all the marks line back up..................................I think