Decision point: CAM gear change or not.

[Deerejeep]

Well the AMC 360 was rebuilt and the shop dragged their feet forever and the had a sudden inspiration to button everything up without contacting me and replacing the CAM gear.


While I'm not even close to needing to install it, I have purchased a D.U.I HEI distributor. The real deal $$$ from summit

There is a reason I had a shop rebuild, I have no experience Inside an engine. So my question:

A) pull off the harmonic balancer, drop oil pan, pull off cover and install a new gear. (Never done this)

B) pull the gear off the DUI and replace it with the assumed original gear from the engine before rebuild. (Never done this)

Here are some pics of the original distributor gear.










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[Purple77CJ7]

I was always told to keep the cam and distributor gear as a pair. I would use your old distributor gear on the new distributor and not open the engine up. I did the same when I replace my distributor with a new one, used old drive gear. If the distributor gear was buggered up then you would have no choice, but to open the engine and change the cam gear. From the pictures of the gear, it looks ok to me.

 

[Deerejeep]

I was always told to keep the cam and distributor gear as a pair. I would use your old distributor gear on the new distributor and not open the engine up. I did the same when I replace my distributor with a new one, used old drive gear. If the distributor gear was buggered up then you would have no choice, but to open the engine and change the cam gear. From the pictures of the gear, it looks ok to me.

Thanks for the advice. How do you pull off that gear?


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[Purple77CJ7]

Punch out the roll pin and it should slide off. You might have to pry it off alittle bit. I have not had to use a puller. They usually are not on super tight. Do the same on your new distributor and swap the gears out. Hope everything will match up on the new one. It should.

 

[Deerejeep]

Punch out the roll pin and it should slide off. You might have to pry it off alittle bit. I have not had to use a puller. They usually are not on super tight. Do the same on your new distributor and swap the gears out. Hope everything will match up on the new one. It should.

Appreciate the advice. I finally had a chance to spend time getting this done. I took the advice and beat out the old gear. Easy, took off the gear on the DUI, easy. Then installed the old gear on the DUI. It took 4 attempts to get it on. It kept not fully lining up to go all the way through.

I used a C-clamp, hammer, a couple screws and I cutoff the end a screw driver to bang it in.

Here is a picture of the original gear (left) and the DUI gear (right) appears to be the same to me.



The final product.





Thanks!




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[Purple77CJ7]

If you look at your original distributor gear picture the gear is next to the body of the distributor. Your final picture shows the gear away from the body of the distributor. If it is installed that way the gears won't mesh. Unless I'm looking wrong I think the gear needs to be flipped over.

 

[Deerejeep]

If you look at your original distributor gear picture the gear is next to the body of the distributor. Your final picture shows the gear away from the body of the distributor. If it is installed that way the gears won't mesh. Unless I'm looking wrong I think the gear needs to be flipped over.

Holy Sh!&. You're right. I did not drop in in to check. Every picture I see on the net has it flipped as you suggest. Re-do..

It's going to be a long rebuild if I keep doing this. But hey, it's my first. Appreciate the help.


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[Purple77CJ7]

Building on Jeeps has been a learning experience for probably everyone on this forum. I know it sure has been for me! So don't worry about it. Just take your time.

 

[Hedgehog]

I was looking and looking at your picture and it just didn't seem right for some reason.

I did the same thing with my DUI. The old gear came off easily enough and went on easily. I almost forgot to install the washer between the distributor body and the gear ..... or was that leave it off ..... I can't remember now, but there was something about the washer that I had to redo on mine. I haven'y got a lot of miles on mine yet, ~600, but everything seems to be working properly.

 

[Deerejeep]

I was looking and looking at your picture and it just didn't seem right for some reason.

I did the same thing with my DUI. The old gear came off easily enough and went on easily. I almost forgot to install the washer between the distributor body and the gear ..... or was that leave it off ..... I can't remember now, but there was something about the washer that I had to redo on mine. I haven'y got a lot of miles on mine yet, ~600, but everything seems to be working properly.

Yeah I got that washer back on this go round. The pin is just jacking with me staying lined up all the way through (gear/body/body/gear) for some reason it gets misaligned before I can pound it through the gear on the other side. I must have banged it in and out about 25 times..... Taking a break before I loss grip on the hammer and it accidentally goes flying into the yard


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[Hedgehog]

next time hold the dist, shaft while gently tapping the pin in. Roll pins also have a direction they want to be installed in. If your mechanical at all you need to buy a proper roll pin punch set. if you hit a roll pin with the wrong tool the pin will expand and bind. With the correct tool they only take light tapping to get them to slide out. A set of punches are well worth the money and you won't bugger up your project either. ...... not a put down, I've been there many .... too many times myself.

 

[Deerejeep]

next time hold the dist, shaft while gently tapping the pin in. Roll pins also have a direction they want to be installed in. If your mechanical at all you need to buy a proper roll pin punch set. if you hit a roll pin with the wrong tool the pin will expand and bind. With the correct tool they only take light tapping to get them to slide out. A set of punches are well worth the money and you won't bugger up your project either. ...... not a put down, I've been there many .... too many times myself.

Learning everyday and Hedge, I appreciate the information. I picked up a 12 pack of assorted roll pins from autozone. Guess what? 0/12 for the correct size. But I do believe your correct and ice buggered up the 2 pins that I have. Punch set will be ordered too. Heck, more tools, sure!


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[Hedgehog]

I got my pin set many years ago they range from 1/16" to about 5/16". Once you have a set like this they pay for themselves in a hurry. Besides they don't take up much room. While your at it pick up a small machinist hammer and a brass drift.

 

[Deerejeep]

3/16"x 3/4" is the correct size but not easy found here. Luckily DUI, is kind enough to just drop a couple in an envelope for me.


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