# Gear drive set



## 66goatframeoff (Nov 8, 2011)

Ok so just wondering how many of you have had any experience with the timing gear drive sets from what I read they are supposed to give better timing accuracy whats the diff between noisy and quiet hear they all make noise just curious building my 400 has double roller but just thinking about it..


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

They offer no improvement over a good timing chain and are a waste of money. If you check into it, nobody who races Pontiacs or runs them for real uses a gear set. They use a chain. It's a 'bragging rights' item best left to the small block Chevy set and the O'Rielly Auto Parts isle eleven set...where they sell the chrome reflector tape and the chrome naked lady mud flaps....


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> .... best left to the small block Chevy set and the O'Rielly Auto Parts isle eleven set...where they sell the chrome reflector tape and the chrome naked lady mud flaps....


:rofl::lol::agree

Bear


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## lars (Sep 28, 2004)

:agree
Absolutely. I've actually pulled grear drives out and installed good double roller chains in their place (even on small Chevys). Although that gear whine may sound cool in the beginning, after a few hours of that crap you get really tired of it... and there's no performance improvement at all. In fact, I'll bet the parasitic drag on a gear set is higher than that of a chain, so you're likely to lose one or two horsepower.

Lars


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

If you want the whine......call BDS ! :cheers


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I seem to be whining all the time...and I'm nowhere NEAR my car!!!


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## bigalturk1 (Jul 23, 2016)

I love gear drive, it comes in quiet or noisy.
Pontiac timing chains start to wearout at 50K, like Oldsmobile V8's. (Chevy's not that bad).


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Cripes Amighty!! I guess I better quit the forums before I fire up the 455 to which I purchased, and am going to install, a noisy/whiny *Edlebrock Gear Drive*. Dang, such hate and content - I'm not feeling any love here. How do you all feel about tunnel rams - or should I not ask???? 

I guess I better not mention the chrome reflector tape and naked chromed girls on the mudflaps of my Kenworth big rig.


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## chuckha62 (Apr 5, 2010)

PJ, this is a four+ year-old thread.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

chuckha62 said:


> PJ, this is a four+ year-old thread.


Ok, so everything is cool? Gear drives are now accepted by everybody? :thumbsup:

With all the gnashing of teeth, I was afraid I was in for a Biblical stoning by my forum friends if I ever should post a video on YouTube of my engine with its gear drive whine. :lol:

Man, now I can sleep again because I was having nightmares over this. :wink2:


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## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

Ohhhh......if I only still had my ban hammer.....:smash:


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

What kind of cheese goes with the gear drive whine?


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Goat Roper said:


> What kind of cheese goes with the gear drive whine?


A sharp chedder of course. Ya, already hear that sound in my mind and the engine is still in pieces. Maybe I can post a video just like Bear has of his '69 doing that smokey burnout, but mine will bestow you with the sound of that melodic whine I look so forward to hearing. Hey, its the *ONLY* reason I decided to build a 455CI instead of the 500CI Caddy I have as both were about the same cost in rebuilding with the Caddy being a real low RPM torque monster. If someone had made a gear drive for it, my '68 Lemans would have taken a different turn in the engine bay......coupled to the TKO 5-speed & 9" rear. :yesnod:


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

PontiacJim said:


> Ok, so everything is cool? Gear drives are now accepted by everybody? :thumbsup:
> 
> With all the gnashing of teeth, I was afraid I was in for a Biblical stoning by my forum friends if I ever should post a video on YouTube of my engine with its gear drive whine. :lol:
> 
> Man, now I can sleep again because I was having nightmares over this. :wink2:


Actually, I shouldn't have said anything back then since I've got zero experience with gear drives. Considering that my engine's all apart right now, I'd love to hear the experiences from folks who have (direct experience with them.) I've got a Comp 8-way adjustable double roller in it now, but to me it sure seems a tad on the floppy side. Dunno if that's from the align honing, wear, or "something else" but I'd sure entertain a solution that gave me the adjustability and also *long term* precision.

Bear


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

I am going with the gear drive because of the "whine." keep in mind that they also make "quiet" gear drives. In my opinion, the gear drive maintains timing accuracy over a timing chain and chains eventually stretch. I would also think there might be an advantage to them when using higher valve spring pressures like those used with roller cams - again, chain stretch.

Here are two videos for comparison. Yep, they seem to make a lot of noise/whine when the hood is open/up - Video #1.

However, with the hood down, does not seem to be anything to offensive - Video #2.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Jim, I still feel the same,, gear drives are useless, but you're exempt from punishment due to your high status on this forum. Far be it for me to tell you what to run!! I'll see if I can find an old STP sticker for you to put on your 1/4 window and an 'Ass Grass or Gas: Nobody Rides For Free' license plate frame, though, as long as we're going that direction.
As for timing chain wear at 50k, that's why most of us don't run stock Pontiac chains and nylon gears.....Cloyes fills the bill nicely. Been running mine on the '67 for 90,000 miles, and it's no sloppier than it was at 10,000 miles (after that initial stretch!).


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

geeteeohguy said:


> Jim, I still feel the same,, gear drives are useless, but you're exempt from punishment due to your high status on this forum. Far be it for me to tell you what to run!! I'll see if I can find an old STP sticker for you to put on your 1/4 window and an 'Ass Grass or Gas: Nobody Rides For Free' license plate frame, though, as long as we're going that direction.
> As for timing chain wear at 50k, that's why most of us don't run stock Pontiac chains and nylon gears.....Cloyes fills the bill nicely. Been running mine on the '67 for 90,000 miles, and it's no sloppier than it was at 10,000 miles (after that initial stretch!).



LOL, just gotta have it on my engine!!! :bannana: Its not about reliability as a good double roller chain/gears is all you need. I just gotta have that annoying whine, the clacking of solid lifters, the popping from the locker posi engaging and dis-engaging, and the rumbling stuccato sound from the electric cut-outs attached to my Zoomie side pipes. Rear window louvers, Trans-Am rear spoiler center section on the trunk lid, 12" wide tires Hoosier's hanging out the jacked up rear end, custom striping, and.............are you ready for this......... a Rebel flag ala Dukes of Hazzard on the roof!! :thumbsup:

Ya buddy, I'll take the STP sticker AND the "Gas, Grass, or Ass, Nobody Rides For Free" license plate holder!!!! :yesnod: I was goin' to put it inside the car on the glove box, but a license plate holder would be cool. Going 1970's baby!!! Next will be a Pontiac powered Chevy van with the waterbed, green shag carpet,.............


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

_Next will be a Pontiac powered Chevy van with the waterbed, green shag carpet,............. _HyJackers and mudflaps with the small chrome nekkid ladies, chrome bignlittle rims with baby moons and hula girl on the dash.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Goat Roper said:


> _Next will be a Pontiac powered Chevy van with the waterbed, green shag carpet,............. _HyJackers and mudflaps with the small chrome nekkid ladies, chrome bignlittle rims with baby moons and hula girl on the dash.


Ya, baby, you got it. Cruisin' to the tunes of Sammy Johns https://www.google.com/search?q=song,+Chevy+Van&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

My favorite van was a van called the Nautilus. It had a tapered chop top, the bubble window out back on the side, and as I recall, airbrushed with scenes from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Very cool. Can't recall what the interior looked like, but they were all basically hotel rooms on wheels for all the young studs. I have the magazine somewhere in my huge collection. :lol:


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