Hey fellas
My 91 Formula 350TPI has a problem. The car has been running badly and I found out why. I pulled the distributor and the new Bronze gear is getting chewed up which also means the motor won't keep time. I had the motor rebuilt last summer and had a Crane 2032 cam installed with 1.6 ratio roller tip rockers. The bronze gear is .490 for OEM Dist. When I took the Dist. out the gear would move from side-side like the clacker of a bell. That aint good I know, but WHY???? And more importantly do you think the cam is FUBAR?? The Dist gear wasn't that bad but it wasn't pretty either. I definitely need some help with this one.

krazydiver
BROKE 91 Formula 350TPI

 

the bronze should wear long before the steel in the cam does. i wouldn't worry too much about the cam but would about the etal chips in the oil and why the gear did that.

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1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

Thanks Man! I sure hope the cam is not messed up. Do you or anyone else have any ideas as to
why the Dist. gear did that. I appreciate it.

krazydiver
Broke 91 Formula 350TPI

 

You probably already got an answer. The bronze gear is designed to wear and will generally only last 500-1000 miles. It is designed for a solid roller, not a hydraulic roller if this is what you have. The gear is designed to fail and keep the cam shaft gear intact. The material that wears off and goes into the motor will not hurt anything, nor will the bronze gear hurt the cam gear. If this is a hydraulic roller check with the cam manufacture and see what gear they call for. Chances are it will call for a GM melonized gear, for the stock shaft these will be available through an GM performance shop as well as the cam manufactures. If you have not figured it out by now I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Joe
MSD tech

 

MSD is right (imagine that!) For a typical street hyd roller cam, since it is basically made out of the same materials as a factory cam, use a factory gear.

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