Worn Distributor Gear
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 389
Likes: 7
From: Cliffwood Beach NJ
It retards timing (steady rpm) and increases spark scatter.
Worn gear was discovered due to a manifold change, wonder how long it would have taken to figure out.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,022
Likes: 2,265
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Interestingly, often a high gear timing retard works to increase MPH.
You're probably getting erratic timing if it's worn that much. You can see it on a timing light as marks bounce around everywhere.
Cut a .030 slot in the dist housing to provide oil directly to the gear when you install the new one.
JIM
You're probably getting erratic timing if it's worn that much. You can see it on a timing light as marks bounce around everywhere.
Cut a .030 slot in the dist housing to provide oil directly to the gear when you install the new one.
JIM
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 14,345
Likes: 4
From: Hartselle AL
St. Jude Donor '09
Are you sure it is the actual gear teeth that are worn? On my old dist. the spacer bushings/shims wore allowing the shaft to move up and down. That could effect the timing and mine was chewing up the cap and rotor.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Worn gear teeth (either component) allow backlash [slop] into the gear mesh. Thus, the timing can wander a bit. If the wear is consistent between all teeth, timing will not drift as long as engine RPM are increasing due to the gears maintaining mesh on the 'drive' side of the gear teeth. But, when RPM begins to decrease, the gear teeth separate (due to the wear on them) and the timing shifts. Any steady speed will show the timing to be erratic as the gear teeth move [back-and-forth] between 'coast' and 'drive' side of the teeth. Keep in mind that the distributor gear is relatively small in diameter, so wear in the gear translates to timing error pretty quickly.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 389
Likes: 7
From: Cliffwood Beach NJ
results from the track today....
Ran best of 12.20 which is the best we have seen in awhile, with a top speed 116.26, which is the highest this year.
Guess timing is everything.
Ran best of 12.20 which is the best we have seen in awhile, with a top speed 116.26, which is the highest this year.
Guess timing is everything.
