2.3 broken distributor gears again and again

[Farmerrye]

hey folks,

im on my third dizzy and second aux shaft. How can i overcome this reoccuring failure? I love the truck but am leaning towards selling and getting something more reliable. the last new set of dizzy and aux shaft lasted maybe 500 miles at the most. Ive tried to contact tom renzo and learn about his mod but he is MIA and cant find any good info about it online. Aside from tapping the block and putting in a oil squirter in whatelse can i do besides put it back together and run it for another 500 miles or sell it? i have been running conventional oil and the truck has 309k or 209k. Two cylinders are at like 80psi and other two above 100. i appreciate all the help and knowledge you have shared with me in the past with timing belts and other issues.

thanks guys.
ryan

 

[RonD]

The 2.3l Lima engines were used in many Ford vehicles, and this was not an uncommon problem.

One thing mentioned is that the oil pump pick up may be clogging up or the oil pump itself is starting to fail, this puts too much stress on the drive gear(distributor gear).
Also mentioned is not to use "high volume" oil pumps, they are not needed and put extra stress on distributor drive gear

 

[mavereq]

Esslinger racing sells a billet aux shaft. It comes with a new dizzy gear. Don't run a high volume oil pump. Don't run thick motor oil.

 

[tomw]

I have not heard of this 'not uncommon problem' before, FWIW. I owned one of the first model year Lima 2.3's, so have some familiarity, and have owned another for 30+ years.
This is the first distributor gear problem I have read about. Musta missed something along the way. Lucky me?
tom

 

[RonD]

Look on the Mustang forums

They used more of these engines, mid to late 1980's seem to be the most common years

 

[Farmerrye]

The 2.3l Lima engines were used in many Ford vehicles, and this was not an uncommon problem.

One thing mentioned is that the oil pump pick up may be clogging up or the oil pump itself is starting to fail, this puts too much stress on the drive gear(distributor gear).
Also mentioned is not to use "high volume" oil pumps, they are not needed and put extra stress on distributor drive gear

where is the oil pump located? im assuming its stock. also, are there any products to clean out the oil system/pump?

 

[Farmerrye]

Esslinger racing sells a billet aux shaft. It comes with a new dizzy gear. Don't run a high volume oil pump. Don't run thick motor oil.

do you have one? what have you heard about them? they are expensive... 300$+
how thin of oil? 5w?

 

[Farmerrye]

I have not heard of this 'not uncommon problem' before, FWIW. I owned one of the first model year Lima 2.3's, so have some familiarity, and have owned another for 30+ years.
This is the first distributor gear problem I have read about. Musta missed something along the way. Lucky me?
tom

yeah its fairly common... what are your idle rpms? just curious..

 

[tomw]

what are your idle rpms? just curious

Back when the truck was new, it would not pass the SMOG inspection. The dealer got a dispensation to increase the idle speed(hard stop screw adjustment) to about 900rpm.
I did not like the increased idle, so after that, I ran the screw back to let the IAC handle idle speed. It seems to keep the idle above 600, but less than 800, from the tach I installed. I'd say it runs close to 700. It is not the steadiest of idles(it is old, now), but it doesn't stall at stop signs or anything like that. It will even handle the added load of the A/C I installed, though sometimes it will want to go slower than I expect.
tom

 

[mavereq]

do you have one? what have you heard about them? they are expensive... 300$+
how thin of oil? 5w?

I'm putting one in the engine I'm building. A lot of turbo 2.3 racers run them. I figure $300 once is cheaper than $40 + time repeatedly later on.

 

[mavereq]

You might be able to get away with the upgrading to the modified shaft bearings. They increase oiling to the distro gear. Esslinger and race engineering makes them.

 

[Farmerrye]

You might be able to get away with the upgrading to the modified shaft bearings. They increase oiling to the distro gear. Esslinger and race engineering makes them.

What modified shaft bearing? on the dizzy or aux gear? any links or pics? hard to justify putting $300 parts in a $800 truck

 

[tomw]

Farmer, you have multiple posts going on this distributor gear problem.

Have you checked end play in the aux shaft?
Have you checked aux shaft for smooth turning(good bearings)?
Have you removed the belt, and turned the aux shaft with the distributor in place? How much force did it take?
Have you replaced the aux shaft AND dist at the same time?
Have you checked that the oil pump hex shaft is completely into the hex in the oil pump gear?
Have you checked the oil pump hex and the dist shaft hex for clean and nothing trapped that will force the gears to be offset, and meshed improperly?
Have you checked that the distributor seats tightly onto the block?
Has the distributor been replaced, or is it the original? If replaced, have you checked the dimensions from the mating surface on the bottom to the tip of the shaft to be sure it is proper? The dimension from the mount surface to the center or end of the gear?
You should be able to remove the timing belt, and rotate the aux shaft with little difficulty. You should see the rotor button turn as you rotate the shaft, and you should feel the gears mesh cleanly with NO burrs or 'rough spots'. It should turn freely throughout a 360 revolution of the aux shaft sprocket.
In Other Words, use your fingers to feel how the things mesh & line up. It should be smooth.
The original spec for lube was 10W30, from memory, so you should have no problem using that, or even 20W40(I have in the past), as the viscosity of the oils at all temperatures are within the original spec(except the 20W40, but I have never heard of 'thick' oil damaging a pump.) Remember, all oil pumps have a relief valve that should release and keep the developed pressure within the normal range.
To find out if the relief works, temporarily install a mechanical oil pressure gauge into the sender hole on the side of the cylinder head. Check cold pressure and warmed up pressure. Cold would likely be over 40psi, and warmed up, a good tight engine, should be above 10psi, more likely closer to 20psi at idle. Pressure should be in the range of 10psi for each 10 mph. A BALLPARK number, not exact.
You do not want idle pressure to drop below 10psi. The max pressure should be relief valve controlled.
The oil pump is aligned with the distributor shaft, except it is inside the oil pan area. It is mounted to the block so the pressurized oil can be fed into the passages drilled in the block to feed oil to the main bearings, rod bearings through the crankshaft drilled passages, and up to the cam bearings, lifters, etc on top of the head via a passage exiting at the top of the block. The oil goes across the head(via a large 'groove') to flow around one of the head bolts, surrounding it, and then to the passage drilled to feed the lifters and camshaft bearings. FWIW.
tom

 

[mavereq]

http://store.esslingeracing.com/cart/int__shaft_bearings_w_machined_oiling_groove-details.aspx