melonized gear

blykins · #1 (**permalink**) 11-05-2019, 02:42 AM

I’m saying use the gear that I posted up above and never worry about it again.

Melonized will not last!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plastic will not last!!!!!!!! Bronze, as you have seen, will not last!!!!!!

Listen to an engine builder who’s responsible if distributor gears fail after 2000 miles. Put a stinkin steel gear on that distributor!

Remember when you pulled the distributor out and said it looked fine and I told you it was very worn? Now you're seeing the teeth are sharp. I'm not talking to just to hear myself speak, I'm trying to help you out here.

Some gears are drilled for a 3/16" pin. Some are drilled for an 1/8" pin. The MSD default pin size is 1/8". Also, the gear should be a press fit, not loose. There is also a dimension that needs to be held, from the distributor gear to the flange. Don't assume that you can line the holes back up and put the pin in. Each gear is made differently, so you hold the dimension and not pay attention to the holes. If you look online for your MSD 8578 instruction manual, it will show you the dimension you have to hold: 3.995-4.005" with the end play taken out.

If you want to send your distributor to me, I will correctly install the right gear and send it back to you.

Sawdust · #2 (**permalink**) 11-05-2019, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blykins

I’m saying use the gear that I posted up above and never worry about it again.

Melonized will not last!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plastic will not last!!!!!!!! Bronze, as you have seen, will not last!!!!!!

Listen to an engine builder who’s responsible if distributor gears fail after 2000 miles. Put a stinkin steel gear on that distributor!

Remember when you pulled the distributor out and said it looked fine and I told you it was very worn? Now you're seeing the teeth are sharp. I'm not talking to just to hear myself speak, I'm trying to help you out here.

Some gears are drilled for a 3/16" pin. Some are drilled for an 1/8" pin. The MSD default pin size is 1/8". Also, the gear should be a press fit, not loose. There is also a dimension that needs to be held, from the distributor gear to the flange. Don't assume that you can line the holes back up and put the pin in. Each gear is made differently, so you hold the dimension and not pay attention to the holes. If you look online for your MSD 8578 instruction manual, it will show you the dimension you have to hold: 3.995-4.005" with the end play taken out.

If you want to send your distributor to me, I will correctly install the right gear and send it back to you.

Can't get any better customer service than that! Awesome Brent!

patrickt · #3 (**permalink**) 11-07-2019, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blykins

Melonized will not last!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plastic will not last!!!!!!!! Bronze, as you have seen, will not last!!!!!!

Hmmm, what about hard rubber?

hauss · #4 (**permalink**) 11-07-2019, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Hmmm, what about hard rubber?

Lots of controversy on this subject, even called msd and comp. No straight answers. Going to go with blykins suggestions he is a builder to my knowledge . I will just have to keep a close eye on things for a while. I considered hard rubber but I am already using brass and want something to last more than 1500 miles.

patrickt · #5 (**permalink**) 11-08-2019, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hauss

I considered hard rubber but...

If hard rubber won't do it, paper maché is your next best option.

hauss · #6 (**permalink**) 11-08-2019, 07:17 AM

Oh I get it you were being funny! I thought I was being polite because you did not say composite .

patrickt · #7 (**permalink**) 11-08-2019, 07:49 AM

Having read pretty much everything blykins has written over the last 20 years on this forum, and the FE forums, I can tell you that his engine advice is quite pragmatic. Theoretical engine discussions are fun, but if I had a mind to buy an engine building shop, I'd put him in charge of the engineer/build side of it.

hauss · #8 (**permalink**) 11-10-2019, 08:20 PM

One more thing when I shut off motor and restarted it would drop back to 10*.

blykins · #9 (**permalink**) 11-11-2019, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Having read pretty much everything blykins has written over the last 20 years on this forum, and the FE forums, I can tell you that his engine advice is quite pragmatic. Theoretical engine discussions are fun, but if I had a mind to buy an engine building shop, I'd put him in charge of the engineer/build side of it.

You couldn't afford me.