Delco Remy 635B Gear Set

[ElGranadaT]

Greetings -

New problem for the day -

The pin for the Cam to Distributor gear sheered- and the gears are badly worn.

I am now trying to find a source for the distributor and cam gear set for a DELCO REMY 635B -

Snyders and Langs only carry Bosch and Atwater Kent- and none of those look like the gears off my engine.

The CAM gear is 11 tooth helical - with a major diameter of 1.250 in and an i.d. of ~ 0.553
The DISTRIBUTOR gear is also 11 tooth helical with a major diameter of 0.965 and an i.d. of ~ 0.483

SEE IMAGES

Any and all help is greatly appreciated -

Thanks!

Marty

[Dan McEachern]

A Delco 635B distributor is for a late '20s Chevrolet. Did someone adapt that distributor head into a Model T drive plate? Post a picture of your complete assembly. From the wear on your gear teeth, those gears were not meshing correctly as the cross bearing suggests that they were never a set- just something close that someone managed to cram together. Those are certainly not the correct gears for the Delco clip on distributor that was a common T accessory. Post of a picture of your complete setup!

[ElGranadaT]

Yes. A company called Klaxton ( yup... the guys who also sold alarm bells) Bundled the chevy distributor into a kit for model Ts.

Langs still sells the installation pamphlet ...(which I have)

see https://www.modeltford.com/item/DR1.aspx

It worked and there are a few posts on this forum from people with them.

You can get caps, rotors, points and condensers from Brillman.

[Dan Hatch]

Looks like the gears I was hunting too. Never found any. Let me know if you find something.
https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=13909

[ElGranadaT]

THANK YOU DAN for your link! -

The Gear image with the keyway looks like the CAM gear - with 11 teeth, left hand crossed type -
any clues where that gear came from? Was it from a JEEP ?

For the DISTRIBUTOR - I now believe that Delco Remy reused the distributor gear that came with the Chevy 635B distributor -
The replacement for that appears to be here... at least it looks like the one off my distributor... Seems to make sense they
would reuse it- rather than throw it away and make a new one -
see:
https://pertronixbrands.com/products/pe ... istributor

[ElGranadaT]

Quick update-

Thanks again one and all for your help with this-

Dan -

You were exactly right- this entire distributor conversion was a total hack job from the get go- It was a miracle it ran in the first place-
Unfortunately - My last effort ended in disappointment- Since I couldn't find replacement gears - I tried cleaning up what I had and carefully resetting, all but no matter what I did the timing kept slipping backwards about 30 degrees each rotation- In frustration, I decided to cut open the assembly to see the gears mesh and alignment. That's when I found that the distributor gear was barely engaged with the cam helical gear all along. SEE IMAGE

Now for the new dilemma-
Seems al our standard suppliers- (Chaffin -Snyder's- Lang's and Texas T) have discontinued conversion kits?

Anyone have a lead on a used kit from a salvaged car?

otherwise- I heard of a conversion for a distributor-less system that uses a cam position sensor- a small processor- and individual coils for each plug- like a modern car-

Any and all help is greatly appreciated

[Craig Leach]

Hi Martin,
For future refference try leaving the drive pin out & the nut loose on the cam enough that the cam gear will spin freely. Then test the gear
mesh by spinning the distributer shaft both directions to figure out the lash. I like distributers that have a plug in them so you can see the
gears.
Craig.

[ElGranadaT]

Hi Martin,
For future refference try leaving the drive pin out & the nut loose on the cam enough that the cam gear will spin freely. Then test the gear
mesh by spinning the distributer shaft both directions to figure out the lash. I like distributers that have a plug in them so you can see the
gears.
Craig.

"Hi Craig" - Funny you should say that- that is what I did... agree 100% about having an inspection plug -

[ElGranadaT]

I gather from reading some of the posts that reference centrifugal auto timing advance distributors modified to fit the T are temperamental -
May be manual advance seems to be the simplest solution for now? Any opinions?

[Craig Leach]

Hi Martin,
I have picked up a couple of my distributers because the previous owner got frustrated with them. I convert them to a solid cam & hook to the
timer lever. Besides I like total control if my timing, I don't think a certrifugal advance will retard enough for long hills when you need it most.
What is the rest of the distributer look like? I have made some Frankenstine distributers using different drives & distributers.
Craig.

[ElGranadaT]

well - the fun just keeps coming -

Today's update: 7/26/2023

The DELCO REMY Distributor had moved to the growing pile of spare parts -
I Bought a new Texas T distributor kit from CHAFFINS GARAGE ( a great supplier!!! ) and got it in 2 days - with a tons of help and support.

Regrettably - A NEW PROBLEM !

The Texas T cam gear from the kit uses a 9/16-18 thread - FORD stock cams all had that thread- (see image)
BUT... Miraculously- at one point in my T's life -the camshaft thread shrunk from a 9/16-18 down to a 1/2-20 thread...
most likely this was done by the creative individual who 'adapted' the engine for the Delco Remy distributor -

So, the new cam gear will not thread on- it's too loose.

Corrective actions - OPTIONS ???

OPTION 1
Change the entire Cam ? really would like to avoid that - aside from costs - (MIN $400.00 new) complexity- the existing cam was working fine - and bushings, lifters, etc... are all worn in well -

OPTION 2
thread adapter / reducer?
Regrettably, the the gap between the threads now is maybe 0.0015 in. and nothing on the market exists-

OPTION 3 -
Helicoil the gear to a 1/2-20 thread -
the new gear does not have much material between the inside threads and the gears min. but a Heli coil for the 1/2-20 on the cam could work -
the PROBLEM is - its hardened steel - the taps for Heli-coils is not a STANDARD thread- it's a STI (Screw Thread Insert) tool - and my guess is the
hardened gear will win in a battle with the STI tap -

OPTION 4
turn down the camshaft to a smaller thread and fit a OEM thread reducer?
again - hardened steel - and it just weakens the cam even more-

OPTION 5
Somehow Get the gear spec's from Texas T's OEM - and then somehow find a BLANK unhardened gear to match - (Boston gear) with the same dimensions, pitch, angle etc... and bore and tap a 1/2-20 thread to fit? - And then harden it??? Complicated - costly- and getting that exact spec is highly unlikely- but worth trying

OPTION 6
return the Texas T kit - and get experimental - and try a solid state electronic timer - (SEE https://modeltitimer.com/) and try to work it out with modern coils - but those are close to $500 each for just the sensor!

OPTION 7
return the Texas T kit- and replace all with a standard cam position sensor - and buzz box coils- I would need to go with a buzz box that mounts on the engine - since I closed up the holes in the firewall -

OPTION 8

???

[Craig Leach]

Hi Martin,
This is not as bad as you think, not good but? A American Bosch drive has a spacer, gear & nut for the cam gear, the size of the nut would be insequencial. You have been lucky enough to pick up a Texas T distributer that I'm sure can be returned if purechased from a vender. Or
tradeded if not. A nice Amreican Bosch just sold on the forum last week. Like I said I put together some Frankenstine distributers that I run.

IMG_2685.jpg (22.27 KiB) Viewed 2835 times

This is a example of what can be done it's a American Bosch drive with a 009 Bosch distributer
with a adapter & mechanical advance shaft made for it. Some Thomas cam gears used a special collared nut that could be made to fit 1/2-20
also. Some Atwater Kent drive gears are held with a nut also, I havea A-K model H converted to a timer elivator with a Stulz distributer on top.
I'm sure there will be plenty of suggestions come up if not feel free to email me & we'll throw some ideas out there.
Craig.
Sorry about the sideways pic some day i'll figgure out how to correct that

[ElGranadaT]

Hi Martin,
This is not as bad as you think, not good but? A American Bosch drive has a spacer, gear & nut for the cam gear, the size of the nut would be insequencial. You have been lucky enough to pick up a Texas T distributer that I'm sure can be returned if purechased from a vender. Or
tradeded if not. A nice Amreican Bosch just sold on the forum last week. Like I said I put together some Frankenstine distributers that I run.
IMG_2685.jpg This is a example of what can be done it's a American Bosch drive with a 009 Bosch distributer
with a adapter & mechanical advance shaft made for it. Some Thomas cam gears used a special collared nut that could be made to fit 1/2-20
also. Some Atwater Kent drive gears are held with a nut also, I havea A-K model H converted to a timer elivator with a Stulz distributer on top.
I'm sure there will be plenty of suggestions come up if not feel free to email me & we'll throw some ideas out there.
Craig.
Sorry about the sideways pic some day i'll figgure out how to correct that

"Hi Craig, Thank you for the very sound advice - It's much appreciated. Can you point me to where I might find a Thomas cam gear that could be made to fit a 1/2-20 ?

this car came from Argentina- and lived a long life. When I got it, it had a 50's Mercedes Benz generator - 30's Ford tractor water pump- a Hacked 36 Chevy Delco Remy distributor- and a radiator from God knows where and a left front door cut with a can opener --- It was a miracle I got it running in the first place - but moving on...

Today, Bill Devine, from Texas T was kind enough to reply to my call for help on the cam gear. Surprisingly they machine the helical cam gears themselves and then send them out to be hardened. He said in all his years he's never heard of a camshaft with a 1/2-20 thread. He helped me a good deal with possible solutions to this... Like all problems that have multiple solutions, the task is to choose the safest, simplest, cheapest, and quickest one -

Aside from changing the camshaft, or going to a trembler coil box - Right now - The simplest solution seems to be to try and make the Texas T gear work...


welding the gear to the cam is a drastic option - but both are hardened steel' and that requires preheating - which isn't an option in the engine

SO - My Next option is to anneal just the gear to soften it up - then drill and tap it for a 1/2-20 helicoil - then reheat treat it and oil quench it with a follow up of 2 hrs in the oven - at 300 deg. f (Thank you Doug from Pacific Heat Treating in San Jose)

attached is a cartoon of a cross section of the Texas T Gear - and the current camshaft -

I'll let you all know how that goes ---

Thanks again! "

[Dan McEachern]

cut off as much of the threaded end as you can, take a Dremel or die grinder and grind out any remaining threads. slip the gear on the cam, make a thin sleeve/spacer , slip that on the nose and a narrow ½-20 nut (cut or grind a standard nut in half) and run it. There is almost no load on those gears, so there is really no chance of the drive gear slipping with the nut tight. good luck

[ElGranadaT]

Good news everyone!

The annealing, heli-coiling, and heat treating worked. All fits well and it started in just a few turns...

Thank you all once again for your terrific help and advice.

[Craig Leach]

HI Marty,
Congradulations are in order. Looks Like a job well done!
Craig.

[Scott_Conger]

Martin - a suggestion:

as suppliers and products ebb and flow, it might be in your best interest NOW to contact your supplier and buy ANOTHER gear and keep in your "stuff" for the day when you perhaps put in a new cam and find that this gear is now no longer viable as modified...how many folks wish that they had bought an extra VR from Funprojects just a few years ago??

[ElGranadaT]

Martin - a suggestion:

as suppliers and products ebb and flow, it might be in your best interest NOW to contact your supplier and buy ANOTHER gear and keep in your "stuff" for the day when you perhaps put in a new cam and find that this gear is now no longer viable as modified...how many folks wish that they had bought an extra VR from Funprojects just a few years ago??

" thanks Scott- Working on that- Texas T makes these gears themselves in large lots but they currently do not sell the gears separately" "

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

Martin - a suggestion:

as suppliers and products ebb and flow, it might be in your best interest NOW to contact your supplier and buy ANOTHER gear and keep in your "stuff" for the day when you perhaps put in a new cam and find that this gear is now no longer viable as modified...how many folks wish that they had bought an extra VR from Funprojects just a few years ago??

Rather than have another gear on hand, I'd be hunting a decent used, standard camshaft to keep on the shelf.


Martin,

For what it's worth, the threaded end of the camshaft is most likely not hardened.

[Allan]

Scott, I am not familiar with hardening processes, but I imagine all the machining is done prior to any hardening. I once tried to drill the back end of a camshaft to tap a thread so I could attach a washer to act as a thrust face. I couldn't even drill it, let alone tap a thread.

This does not explain how they reduced the diameter at the nose of this shift, and then cut a new thread The weirdest things can be found if we play around with all this lot stuff.

The thrust washer at the back end od the cam is one. Some reground cams leave little heel for the front lobe, so it can chew the back of the bearing. I solved this by cutting a piece off the back end of the cam and welding a nut onto it to take my thrust washer and bolt. Then I found out about adding a thrust washer into the front cover.

Allan from down under.








Cam

[Scott_Conger]

Alan

I agree with you from stem to stern! If I wasn't clear, my only point is that someday that existing oddball cam may be replaced and the new one WILL fit the Texas T cam gear and this present one, as altered, will no longer work. Just trying to make sure a new cam does not force the total replacement of a perfectly good distributor (is there such a thing?? HAHA!) when just the drive gear must be replaced. I certainly hope that Texas T will work with him since they say that they make the gear themselves. Frankly I would not be surprised if it wasn't an off the shelf product slightly modified. It would certainly be a great good will gesture on their part and would go a long way in helping themselves with customer relations.

just my opinion...they're going to do what they're going to do

[Craig Leach]

Scott has a good idea, if the cam was replaced because of wear or choice it would be easyer to install a drive gear with Std threads than having
to cut new threads on the replacement cam. I would quess that the threads on this cam where damaged by over tightening or cross threading.
This will work for a timer & some dissies. As far as hardening I don't believe that end of the cam is hardened. When you install a Stulz dissy you
have to drill & tap the pin hole & file a flat on the threads to accept the rotor, I don't remember it being that hard. (this will not make the cam unusablewith a timer if you make a pin to screw into the threaded hole) For those of us that have had the misfortune to never get a T engine
with a good coil ring there is such a thing as a good Distributer. That will only upset the people that are as stuborn as Henry was untill 1928 on
this subject.
Martin, sounds like you are starting out with something like I did. It's been worth every penny for me. I would love to see the can opener door
Craig.