392 Ci Ford Racing - Distributor Gear Wear Out

[KaraKedi]

Hi everyone,
We swaped existing 289 CI stock engine with 392 CI Ford Racing 1 year ago.
Engine is: http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=9278

Each 1000 miles we have to change distributor gear (bronze one), because wear out. Distributor is MSD (8584). we are driving only as a street not for racing!

Is it normal or a problem?
If it is a problem, how can we solve?

Regards,
Musa

 

[armand67Fstback]

Karakedi, I will be going from a junkyard 302 to a 408W soon. I am sure you are very happy with the jump in power with the 392.

I ended up going with a Ford Racing Polymer gear although my engine is not done my engine builder says he has installed them with good results. I bought mine at CJ Pony Parts but Summit and Jeg's should have them also.

 

[Hack]

I would use a steel distributor gear with a roller cam. That's what Ford did in their production cars. Don't use the cast iron, it's for hydraulic flat tappet cams. I'm not sure why you are using bronze. It's soft and will wear out. I suppose the bits of bronze in the oiling system are not as harmful as bits of a harder material would be.

The ad in your link doesn't say whether an oil pump came with the engine or not. If the engine uses standard bearing clearances you should use a standard volume oil pump. If the bearing clearances are set loosely you will want high volume. If you run a high volume oil pump it will load the distributor gear more heavily and wear it out sooner. That could be part of the reason.

Another possibility is that the gear is dragging on the block (possibly the MSD distributor puts the gear in the wrong position). Did you check to make sure that the gear position on the distributor is ok?

 

[horse sence]

if your oil pressure is above 55 psi it will wear out a bronze gear use a steal gear
make sure it is the new style and not for the older motor as the gear pitch is differant
i would also change oil and filter to remove particles of brass