Changing a distributor gear

[Dylan71Bronco]

Anyone have any experience changing a distributor gear?

It was VERY difficult to get the original gear off using heat, a three jaw puller and a hammer.

My question (after seeing the difficulty of removal) is how am I supposed to get the new gear back onto the distributor shaft?

Are their any tricks, or should this be done by a shop with a press?

I'm also worried about lining up the holes for the roll pin.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Dylan

[Bronco Brian]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

Don't think it is tha hard. no help never done it. But make SURE you get the right replacment gear. Cast if Cast and Steel if Steel.

[Delta 4 Wheel]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

Heat up the gear and put the distributor shaft in the freezer over night. Should slide right on.

[welndmn]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

I Had to heat and press my bronze gear on mine.

[Daddy4zack]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

What are you looking for? I have about every distributor ever made in my garage..

[Efibroncoman]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

New distributor gears usually only have a hole in one side... you press the new gear on and drill a new hole through the shaft, then press the roll pin in. Obviously you do not want to do this more than once because with too many holes in your distributor shaft it could break(swiss cheese).

[Dylan71Bronco]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

I just need a cast iron gear for an MSD billet distributor. I'm pretty positive it's the same shaft diameter as duraspark. Their about $16. I'll probably hit up Bell and Gaines in Modesto tomorrow to see if they have it in stock and to find out how much they'd charge to install it.

I like the freezer/heat idea. If I end up ordering the part online, I'll give that a try for sure.

[Efibroncoman]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

I ordered an MSD Cast gear through Kragen Auto parts for like $13... But that was before O'really(you don't have it in stock?) did the hostile takeover and screwed them all up!

[ProudPapa]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

What are you looking for? I have about every distributor ever made in my garage..

I can confirm this!

[71BRONCO71]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

Heat up the gear and put the distributor shaft in the freezer over night. Should slide right on.

Thats how I do my ujoints

[ripcityracing]

Re: Changing a distributor gear

I have changed distributor gears in all honesty close to 50 times. THe High Volume oil pumps I ran in my race cars would kill the bronze gears so I had to change them every 3-4 races nights. I didnt use any heat or freezer, just drive the roll pin out, with the dist. upside down hook the old gear around over the workbench and give a good series of raps on the shaft. You need to support the dist "brains" part and the shaft so no damage happens to them and dont screw up the end on the shaft you are hammering on as that drives the oil pump shaft. Once the gear comes off you put the new one on with a with a appropriatly sized socket and hammer making sure to align the roll pin holes as you cannot turn the gear once it is on to align them. You may have to drill a new in one side of the gear but I dont remember ever having to drill in the shaft as they always had holes already, I always ran a full length roll pin that went thru both sides of the gear and the shaft? I use MSD bronze gears but Ford motorsports came out with a composite gear that is supposed to work on all camshaft types and not wear out as fast as the others. I have a new one here and it looks like plastic, is super light and looks like it would break in a second but thats the look of Kevlar as well and that stops bullets.