I was super careful to photograph and save everything but I think I lost the distributor cross shaft gear button. I'm also confused because I readthat the distributor housing has to be drilled/modified to accept a button. The hardened gear grings away atthe the ralatively soft housing until the mesh between the main shaft gear and the cross gear get out of whack and them WHAM - you eat up gears. My housing has not been drilled.
looks like a button:


button is gone (I think):


cross gear:


I ordered a new one that should arrive any day - I'm sure it will make sense when I see it but the part about modifying the housing to accept one has me guessing. Is that a button in the top picture? Does my tach gear look normal? Anything look fishy?

Sorry for the all the detailed questions - this is all very new to me.

Thanks,
Brian

 

What you're seeing is housing wear from the cross-shaft gear. The plastic button wasn't used in your distributor originally.

You are correct about the potential for ruining the tach drive gears though. I would fill the worn "moat" depression with epoxy. When you get the new button, you will see how to install it. You'll have to drill a small shallow hole in the center of the housing worn spot.