Pros and cons for gear-drive timing set
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 85
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From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Pros and cons for gear-drive timing set
Just wondering if anyone is running any of the popular gear drive timing sets available from Jete Jackson or Edelbrock. I know they're probaly overkill but I can't get over the blower whine they make. Are there any drawbacks by using these, horsepower reductions etc.
Thanks, Marc
Thanks, Marc
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
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From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
I run the P. J. "quiet" drive on my small block...tho some say they transmit harmonics to the valve train, cause global warming, kill baby seals, contribute to male patern baldness etc. etc.
I'll be the first to admit a quality chain drive is more than reliable, but hey, I'm a street rodder at heart and the sights and sounds that go with it make it all the more
I'll be the first to admit a quality chain drive is more than reliable, but hey, I'm a street rodder at heart and the sights and sounds that go with it make it all the more
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Corey_68
It's a novelty for a week, after that you'll HATE it.
Give me a double roller chain anytime.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,642
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Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
I have the gear drive in the mustang and like Corey after week I wish I never put it in. Also sometimes they can be difficult to install.
Give me a double roller chain anytime.
Give me a double roller chain anytime.
forgot to add, i will not buy another one. if I knew how I would put my double roller back in.
anyone want a gear drive? put in my roller and we can work something out.
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Safety Car
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From: WAY DEEP INSIDE AMERICO,YES YOU LIVE HERE TO!! TX
Originally Posted by Wrencher
Ran a Pete Jackson dual idler in my '64 GTO.
pro: great gear whine!
con: terrible gear whine!
Some days I loved it, but it got old really fast...
pro: great gear whine!
con: terrible gear whine!
Some days I loved it, but it got old really fast...
100%
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 3,746
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From: Boston North MA
Not for me
I drove a vette with one while I was buying. The owner claimed he always got questions about wether he had a blower hiding under the hood. I think the question was more like "what the heck is wrong with your engine?" Sounds very weird.
Cons = weird noise
Pros = ??? anything ? I guess I've never broken a timing chain...
Cons = weird noise
Pros = ??? anything ? I guess I've never broken a timing chain...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 5,642
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i remember and article by david vizard saying they are useless except in high output race motors where there are no idlers and the engine turns backward. you need a special cam, i think he said some stock cars do this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,507
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From: Little Rock AR
I had one many years ago back before Pete Jackson had a choice of quiet or loud. Not a big deal but all it does is sound like you are out of power steering fluid.
I heard one at the track a few years ago and I am glad I did not use one in my engines since the first one. It just screams "hey, I got an extra $100 so I thought this would be cool". Almost like ricers with lots of stickers. Well maybe not quite THAT bad but about as useful.
I used a GM all steel gear set and chain from the HD parts book this last time. What else would you ever need? JMO
-Mark.
I heard one at the track a few years ago and I am glad I did not use one in my engines since the first one. It just screams "hey, I got an extra $100 so I thought this would be cool". Almost like ricers with lots of stickers. Well maybe not quite THAT bad but about as useful.
I used a GM all steel gear set and chain from the HD parts book this last time. What else would you ever need? JMO
-Mark.
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Great thoughts from everyone, appreciate the comments. You all are right once I thought about it. I was just remembering back to my earlier years when one of my friends let me drive his 35 Chevy Master Coupe equiped with gear drive. On that car it worked with the whole image of the car but like Stingr69 said it would be like the ricers and there fast stickers. I'd rather use that $ 100 bucks towards a new set of cylinder heads. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
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I can't remember if it was Vizard or Yunick that talked about how they were useful around 7k + rpm because one of them did a test where they had a clear (maybe plexiglass) timing cover and at that speed, the chain would jump gears and looked like it was about to rip apart.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,508
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From: Wisconsin
One of the problems I hear about is it can cause about 4 degrees of timing change. That's fine for alcohol motors as they aren't as sensitive to timing, but that is kinda a big change for a gas engine. That's why I wouldn't run it. If you the two gear, no idler setup it'd be better. You'd need a reverse rotation cam and distributor. Probably something with the oil pump as well. The came could probably be custom ground, and their are some big blocks that had a reverse rotation distributor for some reason, and those can be used in a small block. It's possible to piece it together, but it's really not necessary.
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 133
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From: Kaysville Utah
Something that nobody has mentioned is the fact that the noise produced by that wonderful whine will make a knock sensor go nuts. If you have or plan on using a fuel injection setup you do not want a gear drive cam.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
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From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Use a roller timing set on the street. Gear drive transfers harmonics to the valvetrain. If gear drive was a good idea on the street would have been using it on the street for many years. The best gear drive is 2 which requires a reverse rotation cam. GM even offered a 2 gear rev. setup w/ the coated gear for the L-88 !
Another thing to note is that the Chevy chain is very short compared to an OHC setup.
"I can see no reason to use a gear drive in any sort of high-performance street engine." Smokey Yunick
Another thing to note is that the Chevy chain is very short compared to an OHC setup.
"I can see no reason to use a gear drive in any sort of high-performance street engine." Smokey Yunick
