It also depends on the cam specs. A stock cam can run reasonably well as long as nothing hits (valves and pistons). The problem gets a lot worse when the timing chain is worn enough to skip and the distributor timing ends up about 15-20 degrees less than normal at the same time.
I had that happen on a 350 Chevy powered '77 Ventura. I was on my way back from Florida, and heard the engine lose power in Tennessee. I stopped for gas in Kentucky, and could barely get it started again. So I kept it running the rest of the way home. It would not start after that, until it was repaired.
Vikki 1969 Goldenrod Yellow / black 400 convertible numbers matching
