Bronze distributor gear question...
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
Bronze distributor gear question...
Hi all, I have a question for the members that have used bronze gears in the past... How long did the gear normally last or how often did you replace it? I installed a bronze gear last spring when I put the engine in my car and it has noticable wear with relatively little use (~200 miles).
I know that Comp Cams has a much better gear out now for roller cams, but I can't use it
After I bought my bronze gear I found that my Mallory Unilite distributor has the crosspin for the gear drilled .050 offset. This was a PITA because I now had to drill a crosshole into my new gear to accommodate this and still get the relation to the teeth correct.
I would just buy a different distributor to get rid of the crosshole problem, but it drives my mechanical tachometer so I'd have to replace the tach also
I know that Comp Cams has a much better gear out now for roller cams, but I can't use it
After I bought my bronze gear I found that my Mallory Unilite distributor has the crosspin for the gear drilled .050 offset. This was a PITA because I now had to drill a crosshole into my new gear to accommodate this and still get the relation to the teeth correct. I would just buy a different distributor to get rid of the crosshole problem, but it drives my mechanical tachometer so I'd have to replace the tach also
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by SmokedTires
This was a PITA because I now had to drill a crosshole into my new gear to accommodate this and still get the relation to the teeth correct.
RACE ON!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,025
Likes: 1
From: Billings MT
Hey Mike, I would take CFI-EFI's suggestion.
I have nothing but praise for the Comp polymer distributor gear, and I have plenty to say about disrtributor gear problems! You may remember you may not but after 2 cams, and 5 distributor gears the polymer gear was the answer to my woes.
The gear pattern on the cam was bad from what I could figure was a hardness incompatibility with a MSD (and melonized GM) distributor gears. Comp said the polymer would "wear to fit" the bad pattern on the cam gear and then it would stop wearing.
I was a little weary at the thought of chewing up a $100 distributor gear in 15 minutes, but I was out of choices. So, I installed it, let it run for 20 minutes, checked it and I saw light scuffing of the teeth. I thought it would be gone in 100 miles of driving. I checked it at 60 miles, just a little more scuffed. Now I am at close to 3000 miles and the scuff marks haven't changed one bit, not a single sign of wear beyond the initial "wear to fit."
I can't say i'm that happy about COMP CAMS however, a straight answer is pretty tough to get out of them.
Good Luck! (I'll reply to your IM when I get a chance BTW)
I have nothing but praise for the Comp polymer distributor gear, and I have plenty to say about disrtributor gear problems! You may remember you may not but after 2 cams, and 5 distributor gears the polymer gear was the answer to my woes.
The gear pattern on the cam was bad from what I could figure was a hardness incompatibility with a MSD (and melonized GM) distributor gears. Comp said the polymer would "wear to fit" the bad pattern on the cam gear and then it would stop wearing.
I was a little weary at the thought of chewing up a $100 distributor gear in 15 minutes, but I was out of choices. So, I installed it, let it run for 20 minutes, checked it and I saw light scuffing of the teeth. I thought it would be gone in 100 miles of driving. I checked it at 60 miles, just a little more scuffed. Now I am at close to 3000 miles and the scuff marks haven't changed one bit, not a single sign of wear beyond the initial "wear to fit."
I can't say i'm that happy about COMP CAMS however, a straight answer is pretty tough to get out of them.
Good Luck! (I'll reply to your IM when I get a chance BTW)
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,562
Likes: 9
From: B'Ville NY
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05
I do remember the problems you had with gears and the frustration you had. I like the idea of redrilling the shaft on centerline and installing a poly gear, that's a great idea! Thanks
