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| | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 | I wanted to follow up on a question I have regarding the correct distrubtor shaft gear for use in my 1954 chevy engine. From information I have found the cam in 53 and early 54s were forged steel with a narrow dist drive gear. Early 54s were changed to a cast camshaft with a wide drive gear of about 1/2". Now I have been able to tell that the cam I have is the later 54 cast cam with the wide dist drive gear. Now my question is the distributor I purchased for my 54 - is the dist drive gear material any different based on the cam I am using? Seems the gear to be used on the forged cam is very hard and the gear used on the cast cam is of a softer material. Is there any way to tell wich gear I have or does it really matter?? I have ataached a photo of my dist if that helps. Sorry if it does not show up since I have not posted a photo before. http://s852.photobucket.com/albums/ab81/chevyguy54/Thanks, John Lanning | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 | I have an Identification chart on my Blog. Type D with one groove is most common. BLOG LINK
See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet! My Blog | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 | Hi Dave!
Well you cannot believe how many times I have referred to your blog and reference material. The information found there is what prompted my questions. Actually I could not identify any of the rings you referred to on my dist gear. I was able to take a small file and scratch the surface but it was not easy.
Just not sure if I am making too big of a deal about this gear/metal thing or not..
john | | | | | Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 554 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 554 | You are definitely not making to big a deal about the gear/metal thing. Getting it wrong will result in failure. If you have the cast iron cam it will take the beating. Dave's information has been a terrific resource for many of us.
Chuck | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 | John, the rings can be very shallow. Another way I can identify the gears is: Gears for steel cams are hard and a file will hardly touch, Gears for cast cams can easily be filed.
Tim, the Puget Sound link is a presentation I did for my local VCCA club.
See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet! My Blog | | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,337 | One more thing John, If the gear has not ever been removed from the distributor you can identify it by the number on the points plate.
See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet! My Blog | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 38 | Well I checked the hardness of the dist gear on my new unit and indeed it can be scratched fairly easy with a file so I am assuming it is a cast gear and ok to use with my cast camshaft since the gear portion on the cam is 1/2" wide gear - telltale for a cast cam.
Interesting note, the distrubutor that came with the engine that I am not using is 1112388 dated 4A05 and had the ring or grove close to the gear like "Type "D". It seemed harder to scratch though.
Seems all is ok with using the new dist with my cam.
Thanks for everyone's input.
John | | |
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