Dist question

Mustang Pilot · Dec 17, 2003

I am building a 1986 GT not exactly stock. I have a 347 stroker with carb. and I am using the Duraspark II ign. and distributor. I am not really up on Mustangs or Fords since I have not touched one since 1970 so things have changed. I know this is a roller motor (HO) and I just found it should have a steel distributor gear. My question, I have not pulled it out yet but does a 1985 Duraspark II OEM distributor have a cast or steel gear. I am changing all over to MSD but I wonder if the OEM is cast how many miles would one have to drive before damage is done? Would it damage the cam gear or the distributor gear or both? I am worried.
Thanks

85347 · Jan 4, 2004

If its an H.O. it should be a steel gear due to the H.O. cam.Make sure its steel and not cast or the cam drive gear will eat the distirbutor gear and all the metal will end up in the motor.Check part numbers closely.Do a search here and the Carbed Mustang list for distributor gear.

Mustang Pilot said:
I am building a 1986 GT not exactly stock. I have a 347 stroker with carb. and I am using the Duraspark II ign. and distributor. I am not really up on Mustangs or Fords since I have not touched one since 1970 so things have changed. I know this is a roller motor (HO) and I just found it should have a steel distributor gear. My question, I have not pulled it out yet but does a 1985 Duraspark II OEM distributor have a cast or steel gear. I am changing all over to MSD but I wonder if the OEM is cast how many miles would one have to drive before damage is done? Would it damage the cam gear or the distributor gear or both? I am worried.
Thanks

hllon4whls · Jan 4, 2004

85347 said:
If its an H.O. it should be a steel gear due to the H.O. cam.Make sure its steel and not cast or the cam drive gear will eat the distirbutor gear and all the metal will end up in the motor.Check part numbers closely.Do a search here and the Carbed Mustang list for distributor gear.

YUP. If the donor motor had a factory roller, it should have the right gear!

ashford · Jan 5, 2004

also the tfi dist. used a shorter oil pump shaft. the duraspark will catch about a 1/4 inch of it

Mustang Pilot · Jan 5, 2004

Thanks for the help but can I ask another ?

85347 said:
If its an H.O. it should be a steel gear due to the H.O. cam.Make sure its steel and not cast or the cam drive gear will eat the distirbutor gear and all the metal will end up in the motor.Check part numbers closely.Do a search here and the Carbed Mustang list for distributor gear.

I knew I needed a steel gear because of the roller cam. I really wanted to know, if a cast iron dist gear was used, would it also hurt the cam dist drive gear? I know the dist gear will get eaten. I orignally installed an OEM reman Duraspart II dist. for a 1985 HO. It was supposed to have a steel gear so I never verified. I found after 500 miles that it has a cast gear. I checked and Advance Auto Parts did not have the dist I needed so the idiot at the counter gave me a dist for a truck 302. It had a cast gear. I guess he thought it looked the same so oh well. I do not want to yank the cam but I need to know if it could have damaged the cam because I am going back to Advance and make them eat all the repairs. Can anyone tell me if the cam would have been damaged too? I tried to look thru the dist hole but my less than perfect vision just can't get a good enough look.
Thanks

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