I'm having a hard time deciding if I should replace my distributor gear or not. The wear is not bad, picture attached... but I have a new cam and that might change things?
The problem is, I don't know what material my cam is... it's the elgin e-293-s, a reproduction 261 cam popular on this forum. It and the previous cam both have casting marks, but does that alone mean they're cast iron?
The only replacement gears I've found marketed for the 235 so far are listed as 'steel' Or would I be better off finding NOS cast iron gears? Any other gears that work, like from a v8 ? I heard that 'melonized' gears will work on any cam... but haven't found anywhere to get one.
Summit Racing, Speedway Motors and many others carry all types of distributor gears.ðŸ›
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the only ones they market for and L6 engine are aluminum/bronze... doesn't sound great
They have some 'melonized' gears for the V8 with the correct shaft diameter (.489-.491"), 13 tooth count even looks right... but I'm not sure if it's the correct pitch/diameter for the 235 cam? https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-10456413
The distributor gear for a 6 cylinder HEI distributor will work, or the point-type distributor gear from a 194/230/250/292 should fit. The early cam from the 216 and splash-oiler 235 is steel, and it requires a different gear than the later model cast iron cams. I'm pretty sure the Elgin cam is cast iron. Summit Racing, JEGS, and possibly some other racing parts places will have a bronze gear available that duplicates the 250/292 gear. They claim it's "for racing only", but I've never seen one fail in street use. A bronze gear should work with either a cast iron or forged steel cam.
Edit: Aluminum bronze is an extremely tough material- - - - -it will dull a high speed steel cutting bit in a lathe. I use it for making bushings in high stress areas like for piston pins. Jerry
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I'm kind of tempted to keep it too, however the replacement gear from an HEI distirbutor is only 15 bucks... marketed as 'steel' I'll assume non-hardened.
My distributor is a delco remy 1112403 The original vacuum diaphragm even works!
The gears I have replaced in the past are gears that are worn pretty near a knife edge. Those gears on your distributor are in good shape.
Also keep in mind that the gear is pinned on the shaft when it was made. Not a big deal, but you will have to grind off the head, knock it through, and source a replacement roll pin.
The 2403 distributor entered service for the 55 model year and was used up through 63. The gear for the 2403 on a cast camshaft is 1929578. The earlier gear for the steel cam motors is 1865180.
The 1929578 gear comes up on eBay with some regularity so if you want a new gear and can hold out, you might find one there. I am certain there are other gears, as noted in the prior posts, that might be candidates. Back in the early 80s, when vertex was still in blue bell pa, I bought a rebuilt vertex for one of my 235 motors. They used a distributor gear for something, only had to redrill the pin hole so likely other gears can be made to work.
