Cam gear???

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by Woodie, Dec 24, 2004.

  1. Woodie

    Woodie Well-Known Member

    Got my TA timing cover to day and what a piece of art. But my cam gear is warn alittle bit. It ate a distribuitor gear last week. Am I looking at a cam??? I hope not, my wife is pissed :af: that I had to get a TA cover. Any ideas, goes back togeather tommarow, with a new ta steel gear.

    Michael
     
  2. UTAH GS

    UTAH GS Well-Known Member

    Cam Gear

    Shouldnt really need it, that gear on the cam is hard! The dist gear is softer and usually takes the most abuse. BTW what is your oil pressure like? Too much spring tention and you could be doing it again soon. BTDT! :laugh:
     
  3. Woodie

    Woodie Well-Known Member

    Erl pressure was 12-15 at idle and 45-50 at speed 55-60 (and HOT).

    Got the new TA catalog, and was starting to shop for cams... What a pain.

    Thanks Michael
     
  4. Ken Peace

    Ken Peace SLOW PAY 455

    Wife vs. car is a delicate issue. Wife better win, or you loose. Me too on the whole oil pressure/Buick thing. Did you install a dist gear oiler in the front cover? They're gold. A little copper tube goes a long way toward cooling and lubing the gear much better than stock setup. I know TA probably said you shouldn't need one. In the real world, I did. Good advice about using a stock oil pump blowoff spring, too. Merry Christmas from Ohio.
     
  5. redbuick

    redbuick Well-Known Member

    Well if your cam gear gets worn out then the cam must be replaced, not a good thing. I have seen wear on cams after motors are rebuilt, seems funny the stock ones last forever.
    I have seen wear on stock type setups as well as with the HP oil pump, the safe thing is IMHO is go with a alum-bronze dist gear for about $35 last time I checked. This can be replaced very easy as our gears slide on and are not pressed and held on with a 1/8" roll or split pin. Good luck....
     
  6. Woodie

    Woodie Well-Known Member

    The cam gear is not worn out but there is a little wear. I have a bronze gear and a steel one from TA. Should I not run the steel gear? I thought that bronze gears were for strip only??? :Do No:

    Merry Christmas

    Michael
     
  7. UTAH GS

    UTAH GS Well-Known Member

    cam gear

    Lets start at the beginning...what type of dist gear wore? Bronze or Steel?

    You should be able to view the cam gear and determine if its still usable.

    Mark
     
  8. Ken Peace

    Ken Peace SLOW PAY 455

    I don't run anything that is designed to create metal silt in an engine as a bronze gear does. You will find the silt in you oil pump on teardown. Can't be good for it. Bronze gears don't last but a season. A lasting fix using a steel gear and an oiler is my choice when using a stock type distributor-driven oil pump. Is there another oil pump set up? I am trying some crazy stuff in an attempt to find out.
     
  9. Martian

    Martian Well-Known Member

    Michael, from my experience, if an iron distributor gear was damaged the cam gear has suffered a similar fate. If it is, chances are any type of dist gear ( iron, bronze, or composite) will be short lived. I'd recommend replacing the gear on the camshaft (yes it requires some machine work) with a good one,saves a lot of $$ and is easier on the wife! Good luck! Jay
     
  10. Woodie

    Woodie Well-Known Member

    Jay, replace the cam gear??? Would it not be cheaper to replace the cam????

    Michael
     
  11. Martian

    Martian Well-Known Member

    Michael, I know most BBB flat tappet cams run somewhere around $150 and then throw in a set of good lifters at $80 or so and you just knocked $250 in the head. I've been able to make the repair for about $50 but I don't know what another shops may charge as I do a lot of stuff for Buick guys for less cause I've been there. Use to have to wait MONTHS for parts from Kenne Bell. Jay
     

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