1964 Chevy 327 motor no timing chain instead it has two gears and no idler gear is this factory installed?

Question

motor is a 1964, 327 chevy corvett. I got it rebuilt the guy i got it from new nothing about the motor only that he thought it was to be put in a boat. (timming)there is only two gears big gear on the cam &smaller one on the crank. what kind of gear drive is this .would this make my timming run backwards and can i put this in car without changing the timming gear.what do you know about this. e mail me jaymz06 msn com if you like

Answer 1

You have reverse rotation boat engine.
"On applications where twin inboard engines are used, one engine typically rotates in the opposite direction to offset the prop torque generated by the second engine. Rebuilding a reverse rotation inboard engine requires a number of changes, including polishing the crank in the opposite direction as usual, using special oil seals with reversed flutes to prevent oil leaks, reversing pistons and rods left to right, and installing a cam with a special reverse rotation profile.

To keep the distributor and oil pump turning in the same direction as before (no reverse rotation distributors or oil pumps are available for these applications), a gear drive must be used for the cam so it will turn in the same direction as before, or a cam with a special reverse distributor drive must be used along with a reverse rotation gear on the distributor shaft."
This is not a passenger car, Pete Jackson style, gear drive http://store.summitracing.com/largeimage.asp?part=PJJ-327-1C-N. They use gears between the cam and crank gears so rotation stays the same as stock.
The answer about the rare 70 Monte Carlo engine that came from a crashed car in 68 was the strangest answer I've read in quite some time.

Answer 2

The gears are not factory installed (for automotive use anyway). The crank doesn't care which direction it turns. The cam actually sets the "program" for the engine. So as long as the valves and spark are in time, it will run either direction.

I will say that the engine will run backwards as compared to a regular timing chain equipped engine. I been into a lot of small blocks and have never seen a simple two gear setup like you describe.
You will have to change the gears, cam, and probably oil pump.

Answer 3

You have what's known as a gear drive, instead of the old chain and gears.

The gear drive is typically a more heavy duty set up, and is not prone to all of the problems the chain is I.E. stretching and skipping a tooth

The only hitch is that who ever installed the gear drive may have purchased a "noisy" unit. It will sound like a alternator or power steering pump that is going out. When you get the car running, and hear a constant annoying whine, its the gear drive!

Answer 4

What you have is known as a Jackson gear drive. It makes a humming noise when running but what it does is eliminate the timing chain and gears which are subject to stretch and break. By having 2 gears meshing together your timing is unaffected as long as the dots on both gears line up at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. But if you wish to just get a double gear timing chain(2 chains and steelgears as opposed to a single gear set up and the gears are made nylon and won't last as long as the double gear /chain setup

Answer 5

Could be OEM -- you find this set-up on heavy truck applications and boat engines sometimes. Never heard of a Corvette fitted with gearing other than a full-race version.

Answer 6

Normally, the cam and crank rotate in the same direction, but they wont in this case. Something is not normal here. Like someone else said, maybe it's set up to run reverse.

Better find out before trying to drive your car. You COULD destroy your tranny.

Answer 7

I saw one of those rare motors once. I pulled it out of my cousin's '70 Monte Carlo, who was sadly killed when he bounced it off a dumpster on Van Nuys in '68

Answer 8

that true gear drive....check to see if the firing order is in reverse....