This may be a elementary question, but I am going to ask it anyway. Why are gear drives not recommended for street driven vehicles other than the noise laws some places have? Are there any adv or disadvantages over a chain set-up? I am in the middle of reviving a 5.3. Thought about installing one just for something different to listen to with my cam. Am I messing up?????

 

Ever really heard one?
Imagine what that would do to the poor lil knock sensors...

 

Yea, they just don't play well.

 

Turn them off

 

It's probably a little harsher on the valvetrain since there's hardly any give with a gear drive system as opposed to a chain. The difference I'm sure is miniscule, but it's still there I'd bet. My motorcycle (Honda RC51) has gear driven cams, and it's pretty awesome, but you're in there adjusting valves every 12k miles or so anyway, so any abuse the drivetrain sees is a moot point.

 

I've also heard that gear drives are not recommend for a street ride, but I too don't know why. I hate the way they sound...if I wanted my engine to whine I'd go for a supercharger instead and get something out of it lol

 

Don't you have to get a reverse cut cam or something like that? Since the gears reverse the cam rotation.

 

no, there is two small idler gears that ride inbetween the cam gear and the crank gear which keeps the cam turning the sam way as the crank.

 

u mean this ?

 

Why would anyone want to do a gear drive? The whole reason gear drives came about was because the chains in normal timing sets were not able to be made strong enough for sustained high RPM's without massive failures due to slack and stress on chains...Stretch in chains were causing pistons to hit valves in high compression, high RPM engines.

Nowadays, you have a lot better technology going into the parts and single roller timing sets for LS engines are a lot more precise and rigid than even double rollers of yesteryear! (Yes, I said yesteryear!)

If you are going to be spinning 9,000rpms or better, just go all the way and use a timing belt system because the accuracy and rotating mass cannot be beat at those RPMs...