Distributor Gear Replacement for 5.0

[dr_brewer]

Hi guys,

I'm putting a steel gear on my distributor for the 5.0 roller cam. I've removed the old gear got the new gear in place. I need to drill a new hole for the pin, but do not have a drill press. Am I safe to attempt to drill this by hand or should I find a drill press or machine shop?

Thanks for any and all help!
Dave

 

[sykanr0ng]

My opinion?
Have a machine shop do it.
It is a critical part.
A hand drill is more likely to wander.

 

[ScanmanSteven]

X2 on drill press or machine shop, that's hard steel, don't want to mess it up.

 

[sykanr0ng]

If you decide to do it yourself in a drill press start the hole with a combination centerdrill countersink, they are much stiffer and less likely to bend off the path.

If you don't have any buy some, you will wonder how you got along without them.

 

[cldonley]

Think about the cost of a mistake...makes the cost of a machine shop seem cheap. I'd take it to a machine shop.

 

[dr_brewer]

Thanks guys. I think if I had a drill press I would (maybe stupidly) try and do this myself. I contemplated this being the reason I justified buying a new tool (I wouldn't use it every day, but certainly several times a year).

Unless a drill press arrives on my doorstep, I will take it to a machine shop on Tuesday. I'm anxious to get it done.