SBC Distributor gear - Page 2

Jeff Niceswanger · 11-22-2013, 11:47 AM

I was told years ago to take the pipe plugs out of the back of the block, at the cam oil galleries and " center" the distributor to the 2 cast collars on the bottom of the distributor. This will put the gear of the distributor in the middle of the camshaft gear ,so it is centered...Wife's tale or the truth?... Alan. ?

Ed Wright · 11-22-2013, 11:49 AM

Dang Bobby! You have five years on me. LOL

Mike Taylor 3601 · 11-22-2013, 02:06 PM

Jeff,
That method could get in ballpark, but oil galleys,oil groove on dist. are'nt really located that close,to where I would use them that way.
Usaully I will place dist by checking the way the gears mesh together,I want them running where it meshes close to center on dist gear teeth and feel just a little bit of lash between gears.
You can check pattern on gears with grease or gear marking compound if need to
Mike Taylor 3601

njk53 · 11-22-2013, 02:57 PM

Make sure the bushings in the distributor aren't worn which will cause the shaft to wobble around and cause gear wear. We had the same problem with premature wear on the gear. In our case it was the gear itself..

HandOverFist · 11-22-2013, 04:04 PM

I may be misinformed, but I thought the bronze distributor gears were for roller cams only.

Mike Taylor 3601 · 11-23-2013, 10:17 AM

Bronze must be used on billet geared roller cams,but can also be used on cast and ductile iron cores.
Can't use cast or steel gear(regular) on billet though,there are rollers that have gears on them that can have regular gear ran on them,those cams can be identified,if you look @ cam you will see where on rear bearing journal and gear are made separately and then installed on cam.
In the last few years they have came out with a few different gears materials,I have'nt tried any of them,I have just stuck with bronze,have good service with them so have'nt looked else where.
In case some don't know MSD maybe some others also have gears that are available oversizes,that will reduce backlash if needed.
Mike Taylor 3601

Con6tY5efs · 11-26-2013, 01:32 AM

the higher the pressure the more load on gear

11-22-2013, 11:47 AM	#11
Jeff Niceswanger Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 893 Likes: 681 Liked 1,030 Times in 368 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear I was told years ago to take the pipe plugs out of the back of the block, at the cam oil galleries and " center" the distributor to the 2 cast collars on the bottom of the distributor. This will put the gear of the distributor in the middle of the camshaft gear ,so it is centered...Wife's tale or the truth?... Alan. ? __________________ Jeff Niceswanger 3740 SS Last edited by Jeff Niceswanger; 11-22-2013 at 11:51 AM.

11-22-2013, 11:49 AM	#12
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 390 Times in 170 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear Dang Bobby! You have five years on me. LOL __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

11-22-2013, 02:06 PM	#13
Mike Taylor 3601 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somerset,Ky Posts: 1,371 Likes: 352 Liked 304 Times in 102 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear Jeff, That method could get in ballpark, but oil galleys,oil groove on dist. are'nt really located that close,to where I would use them that way. Usaully I will place dist by checking the way the gears mesh together,I want them running where it meshes close to center on dist gear teeth and feel just a little bit of lash between gears. You can check pattern on gears with grease or gear marking compound if need to Mike Taylor 3601 Last edited by Mike Taylor 3601; 11-22-2013 at 02:08 PM. Reason: addtion

11-22-2013, 02:57 PM	#14
njk53 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: East China, MI Posts: 504 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear Make sure the bushings in the distributor aren't worn which will cause the shaft to wobble around and cause gear wear. We had the same problem with premature wear on the gear. In our case it was the gear itself.. __________________ Nelson Kowal Stock 345

11-22-2013, 04:04 PM	#15
HandOverFist VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Gulf Breeze, FL Posts: 1,651 Likes: 8 Liked 33 Times in 16 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear I may be misinformed, but I thought the bronze distributor gears were for roller cams only. __________________ Rich Taylor I/SA - 321

11-23-2013, 10:17 AM	#16
Mike Taylor 3601 VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Somerset,Ky Posts: 1,371 Likes: 352 Liked 304 Times in 102 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear Bronze must be used on billet geared roller cams,but can also be used on cast and ductile iron cores. Can't use cast or steel gear(regular) on billet though,there are rollers that have gears on them that can have regular gear ran on them,those cams can be identified,if you look @ cam you will see where on rear bearing journal and gear are made separately and then installed on cam. In the last few years they have came out with a few different gears materials,I have'nt tried any of them,I have just stuck with bronze,have good service with them so have'nt looked else where. In case some don't know MSD maybe some others also have gears that are available oversizes,that will reduce backlash if needed. Mike Taylor 3601

11-26-2013, 01:32 AM	#17
Con6tY5efs Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 5 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: SBC Distributor gear the higher the pressure the more load on gear