I need a distributor gear/shaft for my 440. It has a comp solid flat tappet cam. I have a stock distributor gear from a 77 400 motor that I took apart. Would it work in my 440? Or should I get a new one? Do I want a different type of metal for my gear?

stock pump or HV. also is the bushing new? to answer your question, big block drive gears should be the same but i would use a new one.

I have not picked out a pump yet. I did upgrade the oil pickup tube to the 1/2" hemi, and the pan is 7qt. The bushing is brand new.

With a high volume pump I would not use a stock OE gear. Is the bushing aftermarket or a mopar one. The mopar ones need to sized with a special tool when they are installed. I have heard that some people use the aftermarket bushing without sizing it.

oh boy, its been 1 1/2 years since the long block was built, I think the bushing is aftermarket.

I am on the fence about the HV pump. My rod bearings have .0025 clearance and the main bearings are .003 Im running ported rpm heads. Flat tappet cam 244 intake 252 exhaust

I think I'll be fine with a standard oil pump, maybe just a washer behind the relief spring

Run it with a stock pump.

I have never had one break, but I do replace them with new ones when I rebuild an engine. If I'm just throwing something together for a stockish build, a 318 or mild cam, mild compression 440, I'll reuse the stock one.

Any reason I cant use this melling drive shaft meant for HV pumps on a stock pump? It comes with a hardened shaft and a new bushing

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mel-is-63/overview/year/1971/make/dodge/model/charger

It's not optimal, note the sharp transition between the hex and the shaft, a potential stress riser right there.

Find one like this instead

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dcc-3571071/overview/

Ok I see what you mean.

So in the description, where it says it's meant for an HV pump, does that just mean it has a hardened shaft? Or are there geometrical differences

I also dont see a slot for the distributor tip in that one

The slot is there, as for what "meant for an HV pump" means, who knows. The link I posted has a hardened tip and the gear is pinned to the shaft, doesn't get better than that.

Only time I ever broke the tip off the intermediate shaft was on one that looked like your link and guess where is broke? Right at that transition. In my case a bit of casting flash got into the pump and locked it up. Not sure any shaft would of handled that. Mind you this was in a 79 360 in the mid 90's, so it can happen when you least expect it.

A better pic

http://www.moparonlineperformance.com/product-p/p3571071_gen2.htm

Yes start with the std pump & see if it will provide enough vol (which you will see as the PSI). I think you'll be fine unless you did alot of block oiling mods/loose clearances

I like the drives with the pinned gear - cheap insurance

The last two aftermarket bushings I've bought (440 Source) and installed did not require any burnishing - the shaft slid right in.

I've used both the old OEM and the new Mopar brand Hi po with the pinned shafts in a lot of different motors over a long period of time and a lot of motors, no difference in life or performance as far as I can tell as long as the old shaft and gear are not worn or damaged If its good, use it The standard volume and pressure stock non HP pumps make 55 lbs before the oil pump bypass opens, the high volume and high pressure pumps bypass at 80 lbs, I'll bet money that the stock OEM shafts don't know the differences in resistance between all three style pumps

The one you posted is fine, the one someone else posted is for a small block.

If you choose a stock pump you can run whatever you like. An old stock one or the new one from melling you posted.

If you run a high volume pump an intermediate shaft with radiused transition to the hex is good insurance. In this link you can see the difference.

Hughes intermediate shaft

I ended up getting the MP performance for flat tappet camshafts.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dcc-3571071

I believe all BB shafts for stock style pumps, both OE and aftermarket, will interchange and fit up OK. The hi po shafts for use with high volume pump generally have hardened hex and radiused transition to the hex to take the higher load. The OE shaft has been known to let go with the HV pump.

On my setup I have .0023-.0025" clearances and full groove bearings. Glad I have the HV pump to help hot idle oil pressure.

Back to your question... sounds like a warm engine that may need HV pump so I'd get a hardened/radiused shaft for it.

Got my oil pump shaft. Is there a good post on how to install properly? does the shaft slot for the dizzy gear need to be perpendicular or parallel to the camshaft when #1 is TDC?

Im thinking this out.. The #1 needs to be on the heel of the intake & exhaust cam lobes, which I can see visually, but I cannot see where the exact TDC is and do not trust the accuracy of the stock timing tab on the timng cover. Is getting the #1 on the heel of the intake/exhaust a good enough position to drop in the oil pump shaft?

Ok I have a compression tester so I should be able to screw it in to #1, take the gauge part off, and turn the engine until the piston stops blowing air out of the cylinder on the compression stroke. Any reason this wont work? I dont have a piston stop, and want to get this done today

EDIT: Or a 14mm bolt

you can trust the timing cover enough to get things going. by looking at the lobes you can tell roughly when cylinder 1 is at TDC. then go ahead and position the crank where cylinder 1 should be firing: 15 degrees BTDC or whatever. that is close enough. time the engine correctly after it is running.

by the manual, the slot should run parallel with the camshaft, but it doesn't matter. all that matters is that when the distributor is in place, it will be firing for cylinder #1. you can set the slot parallel, then drop your distributor in, and then set the plug wire sequence based off of the tower that the rotor is now pointing at.

although i've seen in the manual where it says that the slot should be parallel to the camshaft, i've never seen where it says which tower should be cylinder 1. it does depend on the distributor, and the position of the shaft to the rotor position, which i have found to be different on different distributors.

yes, this will work, but you don't need to be super accurate on this. once you know you are at TDC for the compression stroke, you are done. line things up with the balancer and tab on the timing cover and you are good to go. time it properly after it is running.

what you need to be accurate on is a) that the tower the rotor is contacting is cylinder #1, and b) that the plug wires after that are in the correct sequence.

when i take the distributor drive gear out i:

1) make a note of the position of the slot on the gear, (usually take a picture).
2) with a sharpie, mark the distributor and the block so i can drop it back in and the timing will be close.
3) make note of which tower is cylinder #1, so i know that if i'm messing with plug wires, i get it right, and can make sure the rotor is in the right position, and also so i don't drop the distributor in 180 degrees off.

The FSM calls for aligning the slot in the drive with the camshaft, I shoot for as close as I can get it so they align( so there parelel with each other) at TDC

I was able to actually see the piston from the spark plug hole. I turned the engine back abd forth and was able to visually got it right at tdc. When I looked at my timing tab and balancer and the 0 marks lined right up perfectly. Got the distributor gear installed parallel to the cam centerline. Im golden.

:)Take your time, you can do anything any one else on here can do

I would run an HV pump with those clearances.

Im gonna stick with the standard pump for now. How do you know you need a high volume pump? Is it solely on oil pressure?

Yes, post what you get for cold and hot idle numbers & at higher RPM's.

Oil pressure, hot at idle, should tell you. I think the factory idiot light turned on around 7 psi... but I like 20 at hot idle with a fresh engine. If its low, heavier oil and/or the HV pump can help. With .0023-.0025 clearances and full groove bearings, the HV pump and 15W40 oil got me there.

I street drive mine and did not want marginal lubrication if/when stuck in traffic. For a pure racecar, may not matter a much.