I just removed the timing (cam) gear from my son's '71 142. Three teeth are chipped and there is a lot of wear on the rear part of the steel portion of the gear. Let's see if I can explain the wear. If you look at the engine-side of the cam gear, there is a ridge immediately outside the hole where there has been no wear. Extending outward, the steel part is worn all the way to its periphery so it is level with the fiber material. The ridge is about 1/8" x 1/8". The gear is still intact and looks fairly new.

There was nothing between the gear and the cam retaining flange. The flange shows no unusual wear - it's not grooved and it ought to be if it caused the wear on this gear.

Ity's been a few years since I changed these gears, so I'm not certain what should be here. The Haynes manual isn't as clear as I'd like. Should ther be something between the cam gear and the retaining flange? and should there be something between the flange and the block?

This is the same 142 I've asked for - and gotten - help before. I wasted time by the same looking at the same possible problems several times before getting to the timing gear. Our executive assistant has a sign on her wall: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got (sic)". I needed to remember that.

Thanks for any help,

JIm Hampton