worn distributor gear
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
worn distributor gear
Close examination of the used distributor has revealed excessive gear wear.
It looks as though the cam gear is removing material from the dist. gear.
This motor is freshly machined and balanced. I am concerned about further gear wear sending metal into the oil system if ran.
Original roller cam was inspected by my machine shop and approved for re-use; therefore, was re-used. 1989 l98 motor.
What dist. gear should be used when replaced.
Where should one purchase said gear.
Thank you in advance for any help.
It looks as though the cam gear is removing material from the dist. gear.
This motor is freshly machined and balanced. I am concerned about further gear wear sending metal into the oil system if ran.
Original roller cam was inspected by my machine shop and approved for re-use; therefore, was re-used. 1989 l98 motor.
What dist. gear should be used when replaced.
Where should one purchase said gear.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
My first question is why aren't you using the gear that is already mated to the cam your using?? Getting a used cam to mate with a new gear can be a problem and can cause excessive gear wear like your experiencing..My suggestion is if you can't use the distributor gear that was originally used for the cam, get a composite gear and you never have to worry again. Composite gears are more expensive, but they have almost no wear and cause no wear on the cam gear.......
....WW
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-12200/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-94402/
....WWhttp://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-12200/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-94402/
Last edited by WW7; Oct 20, 2011 at 08:27 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,157
Likes: 554
From: Glenbeulah Wi
Buy the gear from the dealer or any parts store. If the used distributor gear was not the same gear that used with the used cam you are using you should always replace it with a new gear. The wear patterns will not be the same and the gear on the distributor will wear out quickly.
Did you use a stock oil pump on your rebuild or a high pressure high volume pump? The added load of a high pressure high volume pump can put excessive pressure on the distributor gear causing it to wear out quickly. If you are running a high volume high pressure pump there is a quick cheap fix that can eliminate your problem by adding a small oil groove in the distributor that will supply the gear with additional oil flow and keep it from wearing out.
The trick works well, I had this problem and was wearing out gears every 5000 miles, after the modification 50,000 plus miles and still counting.
Check out this link.
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...fication_tech/
Did you use a stock oil pump on your rebuild or a high pressure high volume pump? The added load of a high pressure high volume pump can put excessive pressure on the distributor gear causing it to wear out quickly. If you are running a high volume high pressure pump there is a quick cheap fix that can eliminate your problem by adding a small oil groove in the distributor that will supply the gear with additional oil flow and keep it from wearing out.
The trick works well, I had this problem and was wearing out gears every 5000 miles, after the modification 50,000 plus miles and still counting.
Check out this link.
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/e...fication_tech/
Last edited by bjankuski; Oct 20, 2011 at 08:35 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
My first question is why aren't you using the gear that is already mated to the cam your using?? Getting a used cam to mate with a new gear can be a problem and can cause excessive gear wear like your experiencing..My suggestion is if you can't use the distributor gear that was originally used for the cam, get a composite gear and you never have to worry again. Composite gears are more expensive, but they have almost no wear and cause no wear on the cam gear...........WW
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-12200/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-94402/
....WWhttp://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-12200/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HRS-94402/
If present wear is simply the mating of the two parts then maybe there is no need for wory. Wear seems excessive to me though.
I plan to install the same dist. back onto the same cam and check for any dist shaft rotation movement when installed. If there is no play I will probably install permanantly and run the distributor.
If I find play I will replace gear.
Can I use a bronze gear with my roller cam?
Composite gear seems a little pricey to me for just a gear. 115.00 and up.
thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
You have to match the distributor gear with the material that the cam gear is made of.. You use a bronze distributor gear only for a billet cam.. If you have a steel or cast iron gear on your cam you have to use the gear material that they specify.. You always want the distributor gear to be just under the hardness or softer then the cam gear to stop from wearing out the cam gear...If you have any doubt what to use, get in touch with the cam manufactor.They will know what to use.....You also have to be carefull because some cams have a gear that is pressed on, which is not always the same material that the cam is made of...Distributor gears always have the most wear in the center of the gear, not at the edges. To tell if the gear is well worn check to see if the gear tooth is worn alot more in the center then on the outward edge of the teeth...WW
.You also have to be carefull because some cams have a gear that is pressed on, which is not always the same material that the cam is made of...Distributor gears always have the most wear in the center of the gear, not at the edges. To tell if the gear is well worn check to see if the gear tooth is worn alot more in the center then on the outward edge of the teeth...WW
Last edited by WW7; Nov 5, 2011 at 08:50 AM.
