As I attempted to remove the gear on the press, this thing just fell apart. What was the gear made out off back 55? Thanks Jorge
fiber... you have to support it properly. Make a tube with an inner diameter slightly larger than the front bearing journal on the cam, and support that tube as you press the camshaft down through the gear hub and thrust washer. The washer is made of cast iron, and will snap into pieces if not properly supported by the tool you made.
100% true and if you are replacing it with an aluminum gear make sure you follow the procedure of the gear manufacturer. You cannot replace the gear properly without removing the cam from the engine!
I would imagine the make of engine might matter . My 55 Desoto has an iron gear in it,, it looks original ,,,,but it could have been replaced many moons ago ? Tommy
Well...since you neglected to mention the brand..!! Details matter... Aluminum Celeron (like fiber board) (yours !) Cast iron Mike
I bought a 1923 Ford T that was rebuilt in the late 50s that had a MDF cam gear, it was suppose to be quieter. It had failed and bits and chunks were everywhere
Yes the motor is all apart. I noticed the chipped areas on the gear and of course decided to change it. It's just that after all the reading I've done on the motor and tear down and so on, not once did I come across the material the gear was made off. Interesting to say the least. Thanks for the info Jorge
one of those things that some of us learned in our youth...I first replaced one on the neighbor's panel truck when I was about 16. I removed the cam and the remains of the gear, and it went to a machine shop to get pressed off, and the new gear pressed on. Chevy used fiber gears in the cars, and aluminum gears in the trucks, mostly. On a 235 if the gear breaks when it's running, the engine might lock up, since there are notches in the camshaft to clear the crankshaft, and they get out of phase when the gear goes away. More than you ever wanted to know, I expect.
We used to change fiber gears all the time when I worked for Buick without pulling the cam lifters or anything but the front cover. The secret sauce we used to make the gears slip on easy was GM EOS. Seems it has a super high crush strength. Just used a freeze plug installer to knock it on (light taps) so you can get a straight shot. An air hammer removed them easily. Never knocked the plug out of the back of the cam journal either.
Ford had those aluminum gears with nylon or plastic teeth covers that were bad to break off when they got old and hard. If you were lucky, the motor would run rough but not jump time. If you were unlucky, it would either jump time or pieces would end up in the oil pump, locking it up.
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