distributor gear?

[scott h]

i got a new MSD dist. to go along with the motor rebuild, it came with a cast iron gear. I will be using a hydraulic roller cam, i think i need a different gear. Bronze? Summit sells a composite gear, anyone have any experience with it.

[Justin Upchurch]

I have the composite gear, got it from Keith Craft. I think the billet steel one is for hydraulic cams as well.

[dmiller]

you do not want to use the cast iron gear on a roller cam !

doug

[TurnpikeBoy]

And you don't really want to use a bronze gear either, at least not for prolonged street use. The bronze is too soft for extended running; MSD makes a steel gear that is made for general use with billet roller cams.

[scott h]

thanks for your help, so its steel or composite. any pro and cons i know the composites cost about twice as much.

[ralphscott]

Before you choose the composite route I'd check it out. Just a suggestion..

Ralph

[Aggressor]

I don't have a working knowldge of the composite so I would go with the steel. Another source would be to call Summit's tech line or better yet MSD 's tech support.

-Geary

[cwareham]

FWIW, I'd check the instructions for the cam you have. The hydraulic roller cam for the Edelbrock performer RPM kit (EDL 2221, I believe it's a Crane cam) recommends a cast distributor drive gear because the cam is cast:

(Page 3, near the top of the first column)

http://static.summitracing.com/globa...rformerrpm.pdf

"DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLATION & ENGINE TIMING
Note: This cam is a cast cam and requires a cast distributor drive gear."

All the best,
Chris

[pbrown]

Check with the cam maker as recommended. Steel cams use steel dizzy gears. Case iron cams use cast iron gears. The bronze and composite are okay short turm gears but not for long turn durability. And especialy not with high volume or high pressure oil pumps.

[scott h]

i was jumping the gun a little , my engine builder is ordering and installing the cam, it's not even in yet. i thought there was something particilar about roller cams that required a specific gear, it sounds like it depends in the material. is there such thing as a cast iron cam or does "cast" imply steel

[pbrown]

In general, roller cams are steel and flat tappet cams are cast iron. The distributor gear material needs to match the cam gear material.