1987, Timing gears

[Dav]

The head gasket blew on my '88 2.9. A few years ago I bought a parts motor from a '89 because it has the better heads.
Being just about broke, I can't afford to rebuild the spare motor or have a valve job done on the heads.
Many, and I do mean many, years ago I put a '76 2.8 in a Toyota truck. I had a 74 2.6 also, both from Capri's. The 76 had a plastic timing gear and the 74 had a metal one, maybe aluminum.
My neighbor had a 2.8 in something and had to pay a school kid to reach into the front of the oil pan to get the pieces of the plastic gear out when his disintegrated. I swapped the plastic out for metal and got approximately 250k out of the truck before it rusted out. Gotta love New England winters.
I have stumbled onto a 87 2.9 motor cheaper and faster to get into the truck than doing the valve job. (I think). While the motor is on the hoist I figured I'd changed seals and gaskets that need it and see about timing.
Looking at O'Reilly's parts, I can't tell if the cam gear is plastic or steel. Did they stop making the plastic gear? (I hope).

 

[bcschief]

2.8 engines have timing gears, 2.9 has timing chains and gears.

 

[gaz]

@Dav
If you can scrounge it up, last valve job I paid for on a Ford 60° V6 was $250, including parts. It resulted in new valve guides, reground seats, new seals; combined with a proper follow-up hydraulic lifter preload adjustment (which I performed), I had a big !!

Cloyes is my go-to timing set.