I will be converting my 5 speed 91 RS to Carb and being as these cars have roller cams I think I need to remove the distributor drive gear from existing distributor and put it on the HEI I plan on installing. Can someone please confirm? Getting conflicting data.

Thanks,
JP

 

Not that I ever heard of.

 

Why swapping to carb? You'll not gain any performance and loose gas mileage.

 

Going to a 4:10 gear with posi so mileage is not factor and I like the sound of 4 barrel carb. Already have a stock TBI 305 Formula and stock TPI 350 Formula and this one a play toy. Already got headers, and 3" exhaust coming and just want to use up the 305 until I get the 400 sbc ready for install.

Any thoughts on these Ebay HEI aftermarket distributors for $50? I really like original GM HEI first.

 

Not sure about a $50 ebay dizzy. Just about every auto parts store carries Accel dizzy on the shelf for $125 or less - and no shipping, no hassle returns, no waiting.

 

I know for different type of cams there are different distributor gears (the metal differs with different cams). But I'm not sure what goes with what tho.. :S

 

I would use the gear that goes with the cam

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showpo...64&postcount=5

 

I bought a mallory for my flat tappet cam, and I'm not sure but I think it comes with the right gear already on it..
Just watch out that you get the ground wire under the screw, I already burnt a hole in my coil cap.

 

Flat tappet cams don't need the special melonized gear

 

Billet roller cams need a bronze gear. Factory roller cams are still only cast cams so a normal distributor gear will work.

There are different sized shafts for different distributors. 0.500" and 0.491". If you're going to swap the gears, make sure you have the proper sized gear.

 

AlkyIROC That cleared this up. Very much appreciated. A basic GM HEI will be fine. Thanks!
JP

 

OK - so is it the gear that's grinding away at the cam, or the cam grinding away at the gear?

 

The camshaft drives the distributor and oil pump. Bronze gears are softer than the steel cam and are designed to wear out. The cost of a gear is much less than the cost of a camshaft. The camshaft in my car is $400. I wouldn't be too happy if the drive gear on the cam wore out because of a hard metal distributor gear.

There are some billet roller cams with a different drive gear pressed onto them to use a normal distributor gear.

 

If one does not know what type of cam he has (i bought the car like this) then which distributor gear would you recommend? Steel? Bronze? Melanite? Thnx!

 

I disagree with this statement, not all factory roller cams are cast. The stock cam I took out of my 92 LB9 was definitely billet and thus would have used the mellonized gear.