They're about 70-100k, if you aren't having it changed you are asking for a big bill. And I'm wondering about the Jesel Belt drives for like a SBC. Not quite the same thing.
I had a g/d in my old car and got tired of the noise, but I know I had no problems with it. The chain is a cheaper and quiet. My 2 cents.
well it was a $300 car that wasnt worth working on, just flogging. there is even less harmonics transfered with a dry belt system. Belt technology today is pretty amazing, look it up.
Ive been using a signle idler (quiet, made in Oz) gear drive on my souped up small block MoPars for years without a problem. Here's why: i. Its a known fact amonsgt MoPar small block guys that they are HARD on chains ii. Running decent valve spring pressures iii. Everytime I freshened up the short the chain would have too much play (like WAY too much) and it wasnt from line boring either. iv. never found metal shavings v. Gear drive provided easy cam timing changes vi. Hidden under stock cover vii. Has payed for itself, in fact still looks new ! Valve train harmonics won't come into it for me at 6500 rpm. Maybe at 8K they would. Gigantor, Ill be running the same gear drive on my 330 Desoto Hemi.....when you're onto a good thing....... Rat
I know we all have our views and all, but I like the "mechanical" sound of a racecar. I think straight-cut gears whether they're in a quickchange rear or a gear drive in the engine just sounds right. I don't think it's a poser's blower sound at all, it just sounds neat, and like any other car part, if you don't like it, don't use one.
Running a Jesel belt on my TT-BBC. Expensive but oh-so-bitchin! Very quiet and very, very accurate. The most stable my valve train/ignition has ever been. We spent plenty of time on the dyno with the scope hooked up recently, so if there was any fluctuation it was imperceptible to the machines. The quote I got from Jesel on the longevity is once a year I should change it because of the ramp rate of my cam. I'm good with that, I need to do an annual inspection on this monster anyway. For a daily driven street vehicle with moderate power output I could not comprehend doing anything else but a chain, single or double.
I've had a gear drive in the BBF in my '29 for 12,000 miles. No metal in the pan and no problems with it so far. Call me a redneck, but I dig the noise. -Mitcheristo
the noise has never been a problem for me(friends all have them, they sound nothing like a blower, M-22 or anything else that whines unless its another geardrive) I like how its half Chain half Gears.....you guys are going to screw my 20yr old mind up so bad.its all going to be a cost/power thing now(cheap and faster the better but no procomp haha)
Yep.....Smokey experimented all the time......and valvetrain dymanics was something he was really interested in.......he experimented big time on them (his engines). Everytime you'd buy a car from his shop.....it'd have all kindas od wierd stuff done to it....HeeHee.......He was a character....... He had a setup of timing gears, a crank gear, then a cam gear, with a idler gear in between......that was his favorite..........
I have a gear drive in my car and it seems to be lasting very well and is nice and quiet. OH what is that? You say my Studebaker came stock with a nice quiet long lasting gear drive? Along with thousands and thousands of other cars. So why do you think after market gear drives are noisey except to attract attention.
Timing gears don't last???????????????? What about the 6's that all have gears??????...... Evidently someone forget to tell Cummins, Cat, and all the heavy Equip. Guys that they don't last either............. HUM...........I Wonder>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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