The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Timing gear question

Since I've never dug into the guts of my 64's 292, I'm wondering about the timing gear....I'm also wondering cuz it won't start. It has gas to the carb, which leaves spark and compression. (as a general rule.)

Anyway, I'll go out in the cold and recheck to see if the distributor's turning in a bit...and that should tell me if the timing gear's gone. And if it does turn, I spose that leaves the HEI module, the pickup coil in the distributor and the coil..and of course I spose I otta make sure that I have power to the distributor.

But on the timing gear thing. Did the 292s use the fiber gears like the 230s and 250s? Do they have a habit of shearing teeth off in cold weather like some other fiber gears I've run into?

I can't say that I'm crazy about the idea of havin to replace the gear (I spose I'd do the water pump at the same time) in the middle of winter...but I spose we does what we has to.

Thanks,

It,s very unlikely to be the timing gears. The
cam gear is aluminum & they are very tough. I take
it you have HEI. Its, probably the module & it is
the easiest to replace. If not it may be the
pickup coil. You have to pull the dist. to replace
it.

The info about the cam gear is REAL good stuff to know. Thank you.

Yes, I have an HEI distributor (with about 2000 miles since I installed it) and an Accel Supercoil. I agree...it could very well be the module...or the pickup (I hope not) or the coil or...

Hey Ray

Put a normal dist in and jury rig a coil see if it runs

It doesn't really have to run good to tell you the HEI Thinggy is shot just start

I'm not sure I still have the old points distributor. Most of the stuff I've got hangin around is smallblock V8 stuff. But I bought a module this morning and I'll slap it in there and see what happens. I'll also look around for the old dizzy and coil.

Ray
(also gonna have to have the old plug wires. Hmmm..)

Well, I don't have to swap dizzys. It was the module. I swapped that out in about 5 minutes (I was workin slow), jumped in the cab, pumped the gas a coupla times and it fired on the first crank.

YAY!!!

So the ol' Ugly Truck is on the road again...now all I have to do is get it past the state safety inspection and pay the ransom for another year's tags.

Now, do yourself a favor and pitch that Accel coil as far as you can throw it (preferrably into a river) before you burn out another module. The primary winding resistance of the hotrod coil is so low it acts like a dead short on coil turn-on, and fries the power transistors. The stock coil develops at least 50,000 volts, and a good clean spark plug only needs 10,000 V. to fire it.
Jerry

I'd love to run a stock coil. But I can't find a coil cover. I didn't spend a lotta time searching in junkyards, but none of the parts houses I checked had one.

However, if the winding resistance is that low, maybe I better look harder.

The original-equipment Delco module has a current limiter built in that will last a little longer with a low-resistance coil, but even those will be a short-life situation. A lot of the aftermarket modules, even the high-quality ones like Blue Streak, don't have the limiter circuitry, and they will over-current and overheat.

The coil cover won't be available in the average parts store, but you might find one at an AC-Delco parts distributor. Good luck!
Jerry

This is why breaker point ignition will live forever and ever Amen!!!
Boo