Bronze vs. steel distributor gear fo billet hydraulic roller cam???

351stang · 03-05-2009, 12:56 PM

For those of you running steel billet hydraulic roller cams, did you go with a bronze or steel distributor gear? I have heard that the bronze gears will wear out quickly(relatively speaking), but also that if a steel gear goes out, good-bye engine due to the steel chips being harder than the bronze, and would do more damage to the engine than bronze. I am not sure what to run for a daily driver car. Thanks

gotstang · 03-05-2009, 01:50 PM

I don't know about steel gears "going out", there are roller cammed Crown Vics out there with 330k miles on them with the stock disty...sure gear failure has been known to happen, but it's not all that common. As far as I'm aware, all bronze gears are designed to wear out with use and everything I've ever heard suggests that they wear out in a hurry too, might last 15k miles tops. I'm going steel myself since there's no good reason I can really find to do otherwise.

monkeystash · 03-05-2009, 08:43 PM

I'd go with a steel gear too, just like the factory used on many roller motors. Another option would be the new composite gear.

amorrow02 · 03-05-2009, 09:11 PM

I was in the same boat couple weeks ago, trying to determine which gear to use, and nearly everyone (including my engine builder) recommended going with a steel gear for my Comp Cams hydraulic-roller cam.

Maxum96 · 03-05-2009, 11:19 PM

I guess I'm lucky. I have a Comp Cams solid roller and you can use a stock distributor gear with it.

351stang · 03-06-2009, 01:02 AM

Well, I talked to the engine builder finally, and he wants to run a bronze gear, because one of Comp's engineers told him with the billet cams a good bronze will go 70K plus, and is less of a threat to the motor being damaged, should the gear hash, as opposed to steel. However, before Crane went down, I see that they did offer a steel gear for their billet cams. I guess it's a matter of personal preference. Thanks people

Stroked66 · 03-06-2009, 09:53 PM

Bronze and composites are sacrificial drive gears.

If you have a roller cam, you should be running a hardened steel gear!

Maxum, I don't care what crane says, you best check that thing after the first 6,000 miles, then at least once a year after that and make sure it's not wearing through. Roller cams are made of hardened steel so they need a hardened dizy gear.

351stang · 03-06-2009, 11:20 PM

I finally talked to a Comp Cams techline guy who seemed to know what he was talking about. He stated: NEVER run a melanized steel gear with a steel billet cam--one should ONLY use either a sacrificial bronze or polymer, which won't last very long. In the case of bronze, about 3 to 4K miles, and with the polymer, about 10 to 15K miles. With the "austempered ductile iron" cams, one can run a melanized steel gear, such as the one Ford Racing makes. So, having purchased a custom ground billet steel cam from Comp, I am stuck with running the bronze or polymer. I am not happy about it. The only thing that makes me wonder about possibly using a steel distributor gear with a billet steel cam, is that Crane offered(before they went down)a steel dist.gear to go with their steel billet cams. Now, I thought all billet steel used to make these cams was #1050, so why not use a steel gear on a Comp billet? But the tech guy was adamant about NOT doing so. Are there forum members who have used a steel disty gear on a billet steel cam with no incident

Thanks, I am stumped.

Maxum96 · 03-06-2009, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stroked66

Maxum, I don't care what crane says, you best check that thing after the first 6,000 miles, then at least once a year after that and make sure it's not wearing through. Roller cams are made of hardened steel so they need a hardened dizy gear.

I think you're a little confused. I never said anything about Crane . I have a Comp Cam. From Comp Cams website. This is my cam,

http://www.compcams.com/Cam_Specs/Ca...?csid=920&sb=2

351stang · 03-06-2009, 11:36 PM

Maxum, I bet you have an austempered ductile iron cam,which is why you can run the stock iron gear.

monkeystash · 03-07-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 351stang

I finally talked to a Comp Cams techline guy who seemed to know what he was talking about. He stated: NEVER run a melanized steel gear with a steel billet cam--one should ONLY use either a sacrificial bronze or polymer, which won't last very long.

Hmmmm, how does a factory hydraulic roller cam differ from a aftermarket hydraulic roller cam? The OEMs have used steel gears on hydraulic roller cams for decades now with no issues. I'm not arguing, just wondering what the difference is

MSD also sells distributors specifically for 5.0 and 5.8 roller motors, and they have steel gears. What gives

351stang · 03-07-2009, 10:23 PM

well, the guy was pretty firm about it, and kept emphasizing that I should have gotten an austempered ductile iron cam. But, I see your point about the MSD distributors. I figured that since I bought the cam from Comp, they oughtta know what is applicable, and what isn't.

amorrow02 · 03-07-2009, 10:33 PM

That's strange, as techs from Comp-Cams, DSS (builder of my engine), and MSD all told me to use a steel gear for my 35-491-8 Comp-Cams hydraulic roller.

351stang · 03-07-2009, 11:21 PM

amorrow02, is your cam an austempered ductile iron hydraulic roller, or is it made out of billet steel. Comp told me most of the hydraulic rollers they sell to street rodders are austempered ductile iron, metalurgical composition-wise. They said you can run a steel gear with those.

amorrow02 · 03-07-2009, 11:32 PM

Oh, so maybe mine isn't billet; that could explain it. I didn't see where they specified the material on Comp-Cams' website, so I figured most of their camshafts were the same.

I honestly don't know which it is, as the cam was sent directly to DSS and assembled in the engine. And I haven't been able to find much info on the cam, as not many run it since it's ground specifically for Weber 48 IDA carbs.

Glad this was brought up...I may call again just to be certain before I drop the dizzy in!