REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Well, guess what? The timing gear decided to give out completely when I tried to start the car this morning. It ran, but the clatter was very loud, and it had a hard time staying on. I took off the timing gear inspection plate off and discovered what is going on. The outside laminated gear part decided to separate from the inner spindle part. Sigh, guess what I will be doing the next couple of days.

I understand about making sure things line up right, but am not sure exactly how to do it yet. I also understand about taking my time to do it right, and get another set of eyes to look at it, especially since this is my first time to do this.


I pre-ordered the necessary parts, including the gear and the tool to get the camshaft nut off. So, I am all set right?

Are there any other pieces of wisdom that could be shared as I embark on yet another adventure with my model A?

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

If you own the car long enough you will do this job again.

What I do when replacing timing gear. Is put the new one on, than wait a day before closing everything up. That way I can recheck it multiple times and confirm that it was installed properly. Paranoid maybe. You don’t want to miss sleep over this.

Don’t forget to torque it down.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Not a hard job if changing just the cam gear. If the crank is bad, then not so easy. Line the marks up correctly, easy. Clamp and tighten the gear nut, tight ! [ about 100#]. Oil it up before starting. Probably change or shim the plunger spring.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

You might consider making the timing in detention a little deeper so that when you insert the timing pin the indent feel is more noticeable. Helps with finding TDC!

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Remove the side valve cover and the oil pan so you can clean out any bits of the failed gear that have migrated around the engine and can block oil passages.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Sound advice, the metal from the failed gear has to be somewhere

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

He had a fiber gear,but stiil good to clean valve chamber and make sure main holes ar clear.

John

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

My suggestion would be to put a little white paint on the dots. Either “white out” or a toothpick dab of white or yellow on them. Sometimes it’s hard to see the crank gear mark. Remember it’s to the right of the keyway. You can use a round inspection mirror against it to help ensure all is well. This is a rather easy simple job but is important it is done properly.

In removing the old gear you can lightly tap it off and also use a thinner profiled screwdriver to pry a little between the camshaft hub and the gear to carefully dislodge. Get the new gear lined up with your marks . Remember you can rotate the camshaft however you need to by using a screwdriver in between the camshaft dowels and against the threads. It won’t hurt them.
Some come if easy, others not. Fastest change was 20 minutes and longest had an old cloyes gear with aluminum hub separated from the fiber and a pipe wrench.

If you lost teeth in the pan you should retrieve them and/or it may a prudent time to remove the pan and dipper tray for clean out. I’d the dipper tray is sludges up pull the valve cover to see if it has sludge in valve chamber as well.

All the best !
Larry Shepard

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Usually when a fiber timing gear fails whatever pieces of it fall directly down into the oil pan dipper tray.



Another piece of advice - when you put a jack under the engine jack it up just enough to hold the engine about where it usually sits. You do not want to jack it up too high as you can crack the flywheel housing. Just enough to hold the engine.


When you put the plunger and spring back in, put a little grease on it. They can be squeaky without it.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

After my fiber gear stripped in 2019, I pulled the engine to be able to do a better job of installing a new crank seal.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

I simply do not understand why this keeps coming up on the on line forums: Cam shaft nut torque- 100 ft/lbs ??? That's about double what is actually required to keep that nut tight. And if your installing a fiber gear, all you are doing crushing the hub unnecessarily. Is this published in some document? Please enlighten me!

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Dan, The 100 ft-lbs. comes from the “Red Book.” That and the 20 ft-lbs. for the oil pan bolts are among the first recommended corrections to the book. I corrected my copy to 50 ft-lbs. for the Cam shaft nut and 5 to 8 ft-lbs. for the oil pan bolts.

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Roger that, been doing tractor work the last few days in 113+ temps, lose my train of thought sometimes.
Went to take a shower just now and there was no hot water, moved to the other bathroom, wife tells me "there's hot water in our bathroom"

I was turning the knob the wrong way...
Ain't life funny

Re: REQUEST ADVICE: Changing Timing gear.
 

Be sure to lube the new gear and put some grease on the spring and plunger in the front cover.