distributor gear failure-update

[Slide]

Well, after after my gear failed within 20min of break in I believe I know the cause. I wound up taking the motor down to a bare block for another and better cleaning. Don't trust a shop to clean the oil galleries unless you watch them! sad. That made for all new bearings but not the cause of the gear failure. I got a new cam and distributor gear noticed that upon reassembly the distributor would slip into place under it's own weight when the pump shaft lined up. the previous one needed a mild push to engage. Burnishing those gears may have helped. The failed gear was also lubed with ARP assembly lube-very slick but thinner than the ford cam lube that came with the new cam and lifters. The failed gears looked clean and dry when removed. I think the combo of tight gears and thin lube was deadly. Anyway, the new break in went smoothly the gears look perfect and and several other problems were corrected and I can now put this motor together in my sleep. But I don't want to do it again real soon!

[ERA535]

What combination of distributor and camshaft are you using?

In other words - Are you using an MSD distributor and a CompCams Roller Cam?

[Slide]

Iam using a Ford flat tappet hydraulic A351 cam and lifters and a ford duraspark 2 distributor. Before and after. Kept the same distributor just had a new gear installed. No incompatability such as steel cam and iron gear.