Re: camshaft gear/distributor gear

["walt" <amc4me@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Jeremy:I have a friend who doesn't even want his MSD distributor because he
feels there is something wrong with it.His problems mirror your's to the T.
I thought of cam thrust,but he only lost the one gear,so at first i could
get a hell of a deal on a good distrib,and send it out to MSD to have it
checked?Has anyone else had problems with the distributors,before i buy
junk?   Randy: whats your opinion? Thanks all   Walt UPSTATE N.Y.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <jmshanno@xxxxxxx>
To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 2:00 PM
Subject: camshaft gear/distributor gear


> Hello,
>
> I have found some useful information in the archives on this subject, but
I just won't be satisfied until I whine about my own problem.....
>
> I recently rebuilt a 401.  I ran it on a dyno and then put it in the car
and drove it one day before I heard a piston knock. So I pulled the motor
back apart and found a number of issues.  First, the camshaft gear that
drives the distributor gear was damn near eaten away.  There was a lot of
metal missing. The distributor gear was still in pretty good shape.  Both
gears I ordered brand new from American Parts Depot.  The distributor is a
new Mallory Unilite.  When I put the distributor in, it sure was a major
pain - really tight. I didn't think too much of it at the time.  Well it
appears that they were misaligned in some way.  Now I have major scoring on
some of my cylinders and piston skirts and the wrist pins are dang near
seized up.  Did the metal from this gear cause this?  All my bearings
actually look pretty good - a few scratches here and there, but nothing
major.  Something seems fishy......
>
> Are there any tricks for making sure these two gears are lining
up/compatible?  Should the distributor just drop into place easily?  Won't
there be non-exact and non-repeatable clearances when torquing down an
aluminum timing cover with a gasket involved?
>
> Thanks,
> Jeremy Shannon
> 1970 AMX
>
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