77 distributor gear steel or iron?

[22213evl]

what is the best way to tell what kind of gear my dizzy has?
I have been chasing ing problems for about a month now new coil,cap,rotor,tested the ign box. so now I'm thinking of getting a new dizzy and they have steel or iron option for the gear it is a 77 wit stock ign parts

 

[trailpsycho]

I believe most flat tappet cams require a cast iron gear and the roller cams use a steel gear. Someone else can confirm that but I am fairly confident thats correct...barring some individual manufacturer rquiring something special for their cam.

 

[22213evl]

I was told the motor was a roller moter but have never had the top end off
po said it was a 89 tbird engine is there a simple way to tell?

 

[Broncobowsher]

You will need to look at a lifter to know what you need. Can't remember if you can peek in that direction through the distributor hole or not. But pulling a valve cover and peeking down the hole might tell you, if not measure a pushrod. Roller lifter will have signifiently shorter pushrods then a flat tappet lifter.

It should be a roller cam, but you never know what someone might have done in the past.

 

[trailpsycho]

What kind of "problems"? Not trying to freak you out...but if you were running that motor with a roller cam with your stock dizzy, you may have more problems than you think. How does the dizzy gear look? You may want to check your oil and filter it...its possible you have toasted the cam and thats why you are having problems. I hope not.

Not trying to make you paranoid or freak you out, but it has happened to others before. Give us some more info on what happened, when and the history on the engine install and other changes up to when you started having problems. Crossing my fingers for you buddy and hoping I jumped to the wrong conclusion...

 

[4x4x289]

I was told that a cast gear will likely have some textured "cast" surfaces still remaining on it, such as on the collar near the pin or on the gear end; as opposed to a steel gear which is all machined.

 

[22213evl]

What kind of "problems"? Not trying to freak you out...but if you were running that motor with a roller cam with your stock dizzy, you may have more problems than you think. How does the dizzy gear look? You may want to check your oil and filter it...its possible you have toasted the cam and thats why you are having problems. I hope not.

Not trying to make you paranoid or freak you out, but it has happened to others before. Give us some more info on what happened, when and the history on the engine install and other changes up to when you started having problems. Crossing my fingers for you buddy and hoping I jumped to the wrong conclusion...

I hope so too
the motor came with the truck in 07 and up until recently I've had no prob with it.

 

[22213evl]

this is what i'm working with

 

[DirtDonk]

Just for reference evl, you should be asking your parts guy for an '89 distributor. Not a '77 anymore, since the engine is no longer original.
Don't know about the engine experts herre, but I can't tell anything by the pics. They can probably tell you where to look for block numbers and such to tell. I'm guessing though, that a visual inspection of a specific valvetrain components is the only for-sure way.

The good news is that it's worked for this long at least. Like Trailpsycho said though, I'm curious too just what went wrong to make you change distributors. Sounds like you may be having some running issues?

4x4x289 is correct. A cast-iron gear looks a bit rough around the edges with just the machined surfaces being smooth. A steel gear is much more finely turned out. Bronze gears have a goldish look to them and look, well, bronze!

What is the condition of your current gear? Can you tell from this description what type you have? If the rest of your distributor is in good shape, you can just replace the electronics inside if you want to go that way.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[22213evl]

someone pls check out pic #4 in the above post I can't figure out how this part is removed thanks

 

[DirtDonk]

Yeah, I saw that reference in the pic, but can't for the life of me remember how they come out. Of course, it's "easy". I just can't recall how easy.
You will have to remove the reluctor (little round finger thingy in the center) by gently prying up on it with two screwdrivers and catching the roll-pin(s) that fall out.

And it'll have to un-clip from the vacuum advance arm, but after that, I'm drawing a blank.

Paul

 

[bax]

someone pls check out pic #4 in the above post I can't figure out how this part is removed thanks

I guess you want to change that part? it's the magnetic pickup. they dont go bad that often but here is how you replace them. Pull dist. Take off the shaft retaining hub and dist gear. Pull shaft up thru the case and remove it. Replace part and reassemble.

 

[bax]

what is the best way to tell what kind of gear my dizzy has?
I have been chasing ing problems for about a month now new coil,cap,rotor,tested the ign box. so now I'm thinking of getting a new dizzy and they have steel or iron option for the gear it is a 77 wit stock ign parts

What problems are you having?

 

[iwlbcnu]

Okay, just been thru this, a cast gear is rough, steel will have machine marks, BUT... the auto parts must use "cast" steel gears as theirs are slightly rough too, but not as bad as a cast gear. I was still scared knowing I needed a steel gear. The top part, DO NOT waste your time pulling the dizzy gear, parts dude told me that was how and WRONG!!! I removed the gear, collar, and shaft and still couldn't remove it.
the 8 tooth gear, there is a small notch in it, easily knock that roll pin down, then the gear will pull off by hand, then remove the pin, then there is a ring that you pop off then the pick up pulls off. Pretty easy once you see the parts, and can be done in the truck, I learned the hard way and busted by pick up gear.
I don't think the T bird engines were HO.

 

[trailpsycho]

First off, put the rotor back on and mark where the center of the rotor is in relation to the collar of the dizzy body (plastic removable piece). This will give you a refernece for where you want the rotor to be when you reinstall the dizzy. Next, pull the dizzy but note how as it comes out it rotates a little CC. You will want to start there and allow the unit to rotate Clockwise as it installs to reallign with your marks. Personally, if its a carbed, non TFI unit, I would replace it. It will only cost you about $50-60 for a reman unit. The best way to know what you need is to go by the PN on the base of the dizzy. A parts shop can use that number to get you the same setup. If its been in the truck that long, I can only imagine that it has/had the right gear for the cam. When you trade in your old dizzy for the new one, compare the gears.

As well, we still need details on what wrong with the way the truck runs.

Best

John

 

[22213evl]

well it started out as the truck would be running fine I would be using/abusing it and it would stall, but not all the time, very unexpectedly. then it would crank and not start. I replaced the ing tumbler about 6 mos ago and it seemed a little touchy as it would sometimes seem to not catch in the start position, a little bit a wiglin and it was ok. when the crank and no start issue happens it seems as if I go under the hood and mess with stuff (various diff things ) ing to coil wire, smack coil with wrench, touch dizzy, open hood, kick tire, curse, it would sometimes start. a few times it has not .. so I started off replacing the coil this seemed to work til I went out wheelin and it stalled. then I had the ing box tested came out ok then I replaced cap and rotor old one had some corrosion and looked well used, seemed to work. went wheelin did good for about an hour then started stallin but would restart after messing under hood ( thught it was the ing to coil wire being semi loose then it stalled and no start, pretty much took the ing swith apart and tryed everything I could think of and do in field. had to be towed home.
so this is where I'm at now I belive it's time for me to have some bronco gremlins as the truck has been running pretty good for a couple years.
Thanks for any and all the help
Tom

 

[cgbexec]

Do you have any fuel line running close to a heat source? Vapor Lock?

 

[22213evl]

Do you have any fuel line running close to a heat source? Vapor Lock?

had vapor lock issues in the past, pretty much solved them.

 

[iwlbcnu]

Carry an extra spark plug with ya, when it dies, pull a wire and see if the plug is firing. Or get a voltmeter and see if the coil still has 12v. Sounds like a loose connection somewhere to me.

 

[trailpsycho]

I was thinking vapor lock as well...you are sure you are still getting fuel when this happens, right?

If it were electrical...man, it could be alot of places. Have you checked and cleaned the connectors at the ignition module? I had some cheese-cake build up in there back in the first year of ownership that gave me fits and led to my first tow on my 2nd road trip. Bad grounds in the ignition system could be acting up as well. I am also not a fan of any of the ignition switches I have bought in the last 7-8 yrs. They are all twitchy and sketchy at best. I understand why Centech supplies one with their kit, although they are ugly and dont fit well. I have had my newest "stock" style one stick in the start position and/or just off of run before as well...gotta get jiggly with it.

My best guess would be your ignition box is on the way out. I had a similar thing happen to me ~10 yrs ago. Would run great, then mysteriously stall or quit, then a few minutes later might restart. Happened again as I was about to leave for BHM from Indy, cursed a few times, filled up and then it started so I got on I-65 headin' south...had to get gas N of Nashville, and as I exited it stalled. Never started, had it towed to a local shop and the guy demonstrated the ignition box was kaput, so replaced it and was good to go until I tore it down. The box could be fine cold, then fail as its components heat up. Its a cheap part to replace, if you dont know the age of the one currently in there AND you are sure that its definitely not vapor lock...then swap the box and keep the old one as a "back-up". If you were close I would give you my old one.

Let us know.