Distributor gear

Hivolt5.0

Senior Member
I have a question concerning the distributor gear for a 302. I'm putting a 302/AOD from an '89 Grand Marquis into a '48 F4. The engine was obviously originally fuel injected but I plan on running a carb. I assume I'll also need to change the ignition system since the fuel injected motor would have utilized a TFI module on the distributor. I would think converting it to a duraspark ignition would be appropriate. However, looking at the lifters it is a roller cam and from my Fox body Mustang days, I seem to remember that a cast iron distributor gear can NOT be used on a roller cam. Is this true?
 
I put a 302 from an 86 crown in my 81 and changedthe dist, without a problem.it was an efi engine and a roller block but I was told it didn't have a roller cam.
 
If it has oem roller lifters, with an oem steel cam, then it came with a steel dist. gear. That is what I always believed until I bought a custom ground roller cam for a 302 from Comp Cams.
The cam they sent was cast iron, not steel. I got on the phone and they assured me that even though it was not steel, the stock roller lifters and steel dist. gear would be fine. I said B.S., they said it would work, that was 30,000 miles ago and it works great and there is no wear on the steel dist. gear.
Just the same, on the '89 Merc motor, I would use the steel dist. gear
 

Attachments

  • '54 Engine & AC 007 (Medium).jpg
    '54 Engine & AC 007 (Medium).jpg
    95.7 KB · Views: 15
Thanks guys for the input. Sounds like I just need to make sure I have steel gear on the distributor and I should be good.
 
Back
Top