Distributor gear wear
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Safety Car
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Distributor gear wear
I was just looking at Crane's website, and saw the following statement:
This worries me, because I have a Melling high-volume oil pump in my new engine. I've spent a lot of time and money to make sure this new engine is right, and now this! :mad
Should I be worried? What are your opinions?
The main cause for distributor gear wear is the use of high volume or high-pressure oil pumps. We don’t recommend the use of these types of oil pumps. If you do run these types of oil pumps, you can expect short life of the cam and distributor gears, especially for low speed running, in street type applications
Should I be worried? What are your opinions?
Le Mans Master
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From: delmont pa
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Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
if you file a groove in the bottom ring of your distributor housing to allow pressureize oil to squirt on the gear interface you should not have a problem. a groove about .030 deep and .030 wide should do the trick or drill a .030 hole. :chevy
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Distributor gear wear (clem zahrobsky)
I agree with clem. I run a high volumn high pressure pump and feel better seeing normal oil pressure at 60 plus and idle hot around 45-50. Beside filing a groove to oil the gear and make sure you file it where it will spray on the gear , I also drill a 1/8th hole through the pressure spot on the distributor to oil the bushing and prevent wear. The distributor passes through the pressure oil gallary between the lifters and this is where I drill the 1/8th hole for lubrication.
Le Mans Master
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From: delmont pa
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Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
send me your e mail addy and i will scan you a sketch
Thanks for the info! :cheers:
Does anyone have pictures of these modifications? I want to be extra sure this is done correctly.
Does anyone have pictures of these modifications? I want to be extra sure this is done correctly.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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Re: Distributor gear wear (clem zahrobsky)
Got it! For others who may be wondering too, here is the modification:
Now, I think I understand this. First, this only applies to a cast iron dist.. If it isn't, then I need to stop.
Next, I should pick one of the modifications, the .030 hole, or .030 X .030 Notch? I will go with the .030 drilled hole. Should this hole be drilled at an angle, towards the gears? Or, straight up and down?
The oil hole shown, is this already present in the cast dist.?
Again, thanks for your help! This is what makes the forum so great :cheers: :cheers:
[Modified by shotgun_000, 5:15 PM 11/23/2002]
Now, I think I understand this. First, this only applies to a cast iron dist.. If it isn't, then I need to stop.
Next, I should pick one of the modifications, the .030 hole, or .030 X .030 Notch? I will go with the .030 drilled hole. Should this hole be drilled at an angle, towards the gears? Or, straight up and down?
The oil hole shown, is this already present in the cast dist.?
Again, thanks for your help! This is what makes the forum so great :cheers: :cheers:
[Modified by shotgun_000, 5:15 PM 11/23/2002]
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Le Mans Master
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From: delmont pa
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Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
the hole to oil the shaft can only be done in the cast iron dist. because of different construction of the aluminum dist. filing the notch is the easiest to do and it can be done with either cast iron or aluminum dist. make sure the oil hole or notch is located on the side that the cam is located. the hole that is already in the dist housing is above the dist bushing and drilling the hole were shown in the sketch will pressure oil the shaft where the bushing is located.:chevy
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 7:54 PM 11/23/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 7:56 PM 11/23/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 7:54 PM 11/23/2002]
[Modified by clem zahrobsky, 7:56 PM 11/23/2002]
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: No link, No dupe
Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
Boy, this gets more and more confusing. I just went to Melling's website, and they say the opposite of Crane. Read #3 on this link:
http://www.melling.com/highvol.html
More info:
http://www.melling.com/engoil.html
I probably will still do the modification; I can't see that it would hurt anything. Very weird how two reputable companies offer contrasting views.
:cheers:
http://www.melling.com/highvol.html
More info:
http://www.melling.com/engoil.html
I probably will still do the modification; I can't see that it would hurt anything. Very weird how two reputable companies offer contrasting views.
:cheers:
Race Director
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
This is getting confussing to me and I feel I know what I am doing. First the crove filed on the outside of the distributor being aluminum or cast iron is to lubricate the cam gear. The oil hole drilled in the housing is to lube the lower bushing, it has nothing to do with the filed housing. I DO BOTH. I want both to survive so I file the knotch and drill the hole.
The only caution is filed the knotch in a location that will lube the cam gear. To file it on the back side away from the gear is a waste. With the distributor installed and the motor timed mark the side facing the cam, pull the distributor and file,cut a groove about .030 deep , .030 wide on the machined lower sealing lip. One grove no more and drill a 1/8 hole into the bushing and reinstall the distributor.
The only caution is filed the knotch in a location that will lube the cam gear. To file it on the back side away from the gear is a waste. With the distributor installed and the motor timed mark the side facing the cam, pull the distributor and file,cut a groove about .030 deep , .030 wide on the machined lower sealing lip. One grove no more and drill a 1/8 hole into the bushing and reinstall the distributor.
Safety Car
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From: Charles Town WV
Re: Distributor gear wear (shotgun_000)
The think I've seen cause the most distributor gear wear is people running stock distributor gears with a hardened steel roller cam. Most roller cams come with instructions telling you to replace your gear with a melonized gear. If I remember correctly they are heat treated to work with harder metal.
I suppose if you were running at 6000 RPM on the highway every time you went out that would make the oil pump a factor, but I'm not convinced it's an issue in normal daily driving. My 68 camaro has a factory distributor (with pertronix) and a high volume oil pump, and a crane cam fwiw. I've had all sorts of issues on that engine, but the one thing I *haven't* had issues with are the bearings or distributor. I built it in 93, so it's coming up on 10 years with that oil pump.
I don't know how much worry I'd put into this.
I suppose if you were running at 6000 RPM on the highway every time you went out that would make the oil pump a factor, but I'm not convinced it's an issue in normal daily driving. My 68 camaro has a factory distributor (with pertronix) and a high volume oil pump, and a crane cam fwiw. I've had all sorts of issues on that engine, but the one thing I *haven't* had issues with are the bearings or distributor. I built it in 93, so it's coming up on 10 years with that oil pump.
I don't know how much worry I'd put into this.
