Reply to "Distributor & Drive Gear"

The gear material compatible with the camshaft is dependent upon the material the camshaft's core was made from. I would like to point-out that the 5.0 HO Mustang engines had roller cams, yet were equipped with a standard distributor gear, not bronze. Some steel roller cam cores are indeed compatible with steel distributor gears, that's why Crane makes them, and that's why Ford Performance Parts sells them. Crane's steel gears are definitely compatible with Crane's roller cams. I believe the Comp Cams hydraulic roller cams are compatible with the standard factory distributor gears, right? Forum member Bdud had a roller cam put in his Pantera's engine, the mechanic insisted it had to have a bronze gear, apparently whatever material the core was made from, it was not compatible with standard gears OR steel gears.

For my money I would never install a bronze gear, for both the wear rate, and due to the fine bronze particles they pollute the engine with. That's why I instruct folks, when they order a custom roller cam, to insist on a core that is either compatible with standard gears OR commercially available steel gears.

quote:

Originally posted by forestg:

... Just to stir things up some more you can use a polymer gear on all cams ...

I don't know anything about them Forest, I would love to learn. I have lived my lifetime with hundreds of experiences of finding "hot rod (SEMA) parts" being pieces of s#!t. Please don't hold it against me if I am hesitant to embrace something new. I am open minded, all I ask is for honest, non-mocking information.

So to those of you who have information about them (not just Forest) I welcome your comments.

Are they a short-lived part, or can they be used in a high mileage daily driver?
Are they tough & reliable, or have people had failures with them?
Do they sluff-off particles & pollute the engine with them?

Those would be my concerns. I won't use them myself, or recommend them to others, until these questions are answered. Waddaya guys know about them?