Going to be installing a Pete Jackson Gear Drive for roller cams. What do you guys think?

Also going with the XE 224/230 on a 112LSA, Accel 300+ Ignition, and Comp R Lifters. Should have everything paid for and installed by mid May. Keep you guys updated with some pics and a sound clip once the gear drive goes in.

 

AFAIK you'll have trouble with the knock sensor picking up the gear drive as a false knock. And you'll loose a little horsepower over a regular roller timing chain.

 

Aren't those super noisy? Some one did run some thing like what your talking about. I always hear that engine will pick it up as knock.

 

It cant pick up knock if you delte it using LT1 Edit.

So you think you loose HP over a double roller? Explain please...

 

When I rebuilt the engine in the drag car I asked the guy at the machine shop that builds engines for race cars only and he said to stay away from the gear drive because it transfers crankshaft vibrations to the cam shaft and to go with a high quality double roller chain. Unless you are going to be building a race only high horsepower engine I would put a timing chain on it.

Ian

 

No, you won't lose power to a double roller. Anyone who's actually dyno tested a gear-drive vs chain will tell you the same thing. "Camshaft harmonics".... seems reasonable but I've never seen anything to prove it or show a power loss. The dual-idlers do eat a tiny bit more power than the single-idler jobs but even that is negligable.
Also, many companies (Pete Jackson included) make a "quiet" gear drive. Don't know how difficult it'd be to get one on an LT..... that's the real issue as far as I'm concerned.

-Mindgame

 

Shoulnt be a problem. You would have to grind down the timing cover just like a double roller.

Quiet If Im putting a gear drive on you better be ablle to hear it in Iowa from Texas!

 

The point in running a gear drive is stability at high rpm. If "noise" is what you want then yeah, you can have that too. Never been my purpose in running one though.



-Mindgame

 

They sound bitchin, but there will be timing cover clearance issues (grind it), and you will want to get rid of that knock sensor of yours. Plus with such a weenie cam (sorry), there is no need to feel so paranoid about timing differences.

Get it for the sound and problems it brings with it, or else get a double roller and be done with it.

The quiet gear drive has been done, I believe it was a 96 TA but I forget who it was exactly, he is or was on this site at some time, and yes it still makes noise. He removed it after a few months.

 

Instead of a gear drive ever thought of running a belt drive? They work pretty good.. Don't have one on an LT-1 but we have one on a 434 and it works geat.. never had a problem

 

Smokey has stated before which gear drives dont have harmonic effect on the valvetrain, I think it was the 3 gear setup but I dont recall for certain. A belt drive is an idea, but would be pricey.

 

It's a form of rice. Sounds "cool" but if anything, decreases performance. Kind of like those CO2 canisters people set up to simulate nitrous systems.

Seems like a retarded idea to me. But just IMHO (you did ask "waht do you guys think").

Rich Krause

 

Yep, I like the sound, but there is no reason to run one and more trouble than its "worth." Now if you had a car doing 200 in the quarter, then those guys are bitchy about timing changes.

 

ditto not worth it. and that little of a cam who cares

 

Mind posting some proof to that claim Rich?

I've used them and haven't seen any evidence of "decreased performance".
I can also post a response by Warren Johnson on the subject but I'd like to hear your theory first.

Thanks.

-Mindgame