1 tuff z Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 i acquired this cam sprocket with a 'box' of z parts that i purchased awhile ago. what i know person in the military purchased some cool z parts while stationed in japan brought parts back to install on z purchased in the states some of the parts in the box; new timing set, hks lightweight flywheel, mallory ignition and dizzy, new rocker arms & keepers, used timing chain & cam gear [help id this one-first pic], new adjustable cam gear [shown in pic] odd cam gear has 8 holes around it vs. 4 holes, weighs about 16oz vs. stock about 24oz. so, who makes it and is it a rare part? first pic shows the lightweight, 2nd shows the stock look & weight adjustable cam gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xnke Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 The 8 hole cam sprocket isn't anything real special, there are quite a few aftermarket ones that are like that currently. As far as the weight reduction goes, that's great, but will it hold up? (I'm very interested, as I have three of these gears, one of which is brand new, part of the timing set i just got.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noddle Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I believe that this one has a 'off centered' piece that fits in the larger hole to finely time the cam. it's a bit hard to explain, but the bit that fits into the larger hole has a hole in it, and depending on what "one" you put into it, it advances or retards the cam timing # 1 already one in it.. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 tuff z Posted August 27, 2009 Author Share Posted August 27, 2009 noddle, my question wasn't the one you referenced but the other 'lightweight'. that off centered piece [bushing] is removeable and can go in either hole and rotates within the hole to provide the adjustability. I believe that this one has a 'off centered' piece that fits in the larger hole to finely time the cam. it's a bit hard to explain, but the bit that fits into the larger hole has a hole in it, and depending on what "one" you put into it, it advances or retards the cam timing # 1 already one in it.. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted August 27, 2009 Administrators Share Posted August 27, 2009 The 8 hole cam sprocket isn't anything real special, there are quite a few aftermarket ones that are like that currently. As far as the weight reduction goes, that's great, but will it hold up? (I'm very interested, as I have three of these gears, one of which is brand new, part of the timing set i just got.) Now seeing it in picture, it is the common after-market OE replacement gear, have a few old ones in my parts bins as well, seem to wear just fine, no issues. That style typically has an undercut groove in the perimeter, back side, (I incorrectly labeled it on the front side in this picture), with a couple/few holes drilled out of those grooves tot eh region between the two rows of chain, centrifugal chain lubrication. Little pin hole oiling port in the front of the #1 cam tower feeds that groove as well as the oil run-out from the front of the cam journal/tower. Never thought to weigh one though, interesting to see the stock Nissan gear weighs 1/2 again more than after-market version. (Thin flashing line in the 4 slots makes me think it might a casting vs a forging.) Thanks for the pics David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Earlier Sprockets are Cast Steel. Later Sprockets are a sintered metal composition, and are lighter. GM did this with some parts in the late 70's while I lived in Michigan, we had a GM Engineer come fuming about the gears from our shop not holding up. Shop foreman took the gear, held it in his hand, then dashed it onto the ground. SHATTERED! Just looked and said "Ain't our gear, we machine from XXX Steel, that's a powdered metal composition gear from somebody else!" GM guy was shocked. Haven't heard that the Nissan Sintered Metal shatters or anything like that, but the old JDM Crowd tended to hoard the very early gears, and preferred them for 'modification' into adjustable units. They seemed to think they lasted longer and were a more durable item. Oh, and that offset-pin gear was a made-in-the-USA item. I can't recall the company that made those, but it's constructed out of an earlier cam gear. Not Dial-In-Cam but a similar name. It may be the same company who made the same style offset bushings for Chevy Cam Timing Sets in the 70's and 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-ya Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 This one is a cast aftermarket sprocket: This is a Nissan OEM sprocket: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 tuff z Posted August 28, 2009 Author Share Posted August 28, 2009 pete, then the oem sprocket [8 holes] is the lighter/better of the two? btw, the bd race car is looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-ya Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Hey Dave, I think the OEM ones are better. The aftermarket cast ones seem cheap and not as precision as the OEM ones. Not sure if a difference in weight really makes a difference. I'm concerned more with accurate cam timing with the aftermarket sprockets rather than weight. Yup, the old Bad Dog is enduring another season of dual driver track days. Suspension setup is great. Still needs more power... Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 Okay, now, Pete, Tony, and Paul all seem to be saying things that are somewhat at variance here on this.... My brother and I noticed the difference between the two cam gears a few months back, and given the selection of cam gears available I believe he used the lighter one of the two. We didn't think too much of the difference at the time, but now I want to compare them to other L-series and even some old U-series cam gears and see what we have to see. If the cast cam gear pictured above, with the Off-Centering Cam Adjusting Magic Bushing of Wonder is in fact a cast aftermarket piece, then what does tonyd's "early cast steel" piece look like? I would have simply said "earlier" and "later" with the heavier and lighter gears, respectively, and given that statement about a 60% likeliehood of being correct... but I would have wagered highly that one was earlier and one later and both OEM. I wasn't around and doing regular maintenance on chain-drive OHC vehicles in the 70s and 80s, but I was under the impression something like a cam gear was going to be an OEM only part, and that the commonality of things like that in the corner parts counter was a thing of the last 15-20 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Early gears that are nissan OEM are cast steel, and likely 'smoother' than the one in the photo here. the later ones which are sintered can be seen in the machined areas, compared to the earlier cast steel gears. If you've seen sintered metal machined surfaces, compared to to cast you can see it plain as day. If I was at the house, and not in Oz, I could pick and photo what I'm talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noddle Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 If I was at the house, and not in Oz, I could pick and photo what I'm talking about. I hope you are enjoying yourself and the weather nice, since it still nasty in Tassie. Have you found any nice goodies to take back with you ? Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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