Sheared dist. gear

[Tim Brewer]

While crusing around last night, I nailed it really hard in second gear. As soon as I let off, it backfires out of both pipes and died. I thought it would have something to with the dist., so after I pulled it it was obvious the rollpin had sheared through the gear. My question is; I have two pins, a zinc coated silver one and a black one. I believe the black one is hardened and is the one I want but I want to be sure. So which one do I use?

Thanks,
Tim

[rblong]

Tim, I found a pic I took of mine I took while rebuilding and it had silver roll pin (on MSD). I thought all steel roll pins were hardenned?

Bruce

[Michael C Henry]

You want a true roll pin .It looks like sheet metal rolled up ( many layers) the pins that are one layer are spring pins. MSD handles roll pins . I bought five at a time. I Got tired of looking around. More than likely you tested that pin prevoiusly ,like a cold start and it didn't completely break then . I can shear my pin when cold if I use too much throttle when oil is still cold. If you enlarge the hole for a larger pin you weaken the shaft it's self. Look at it as a built in safety. Guys go to larger pins and something stoppes the oil pump .trhe engine continues to run twisting the drive shaft up. next thing the bearings are in trouble. Ask Brent mills. As it is aa original pin shears . the engine quits running instantly. Less if any damage that way. It takes about an hour for me to remove the distributor replace the pin ,get the engine with #1 up on tdc compression stroke. . set the distributor get a timing light and set perscicely. I was warned when I bought this car by the previous owner to let the oil warm up to a minimum of 140° before getting carried away with the throttle. The thing to worry about is that broken little piece of pin that is in the pan now. That is what magnetic pan plugs are for I guess.

[JBCOBRA]

Same thing happened to me. Broke down right in front of a Police Station. The car wasn't even legal yet. LOL
Sheared that pin. The pin that sheared was 1/8. So I dilled it and put in a 3/16 pin. No problems since.
JB
All the pin was still there too. Got lucky on that.

[Tim Brewer]

Thanks guys. I ended up double pinning (annother pin 180 deg. from the original one). I read some threads from a 385 forum that said that was the hot setup with the 460. Got everything back together and fired her up in the garage today.
Tim