Never saw the gear wear out. Distributor shaft and bushings, yes. Look for side to side play on the shaft. There should be no play.
the metal wears down from the gear turning metal against metal
Yes, while you are changing, check the distributor gear for wear, common issue.
The gear it is riding against is worn. If the gear on the cam wears out, the problem is with the gear on the distributor and vice versa. I have blown 3 gears off my distributor in the last five months. I finally pulled the front cover and found the cam gear is wasted.
Any type of gear will wear over time..but bad maintenance won't help.
Check the gear on the cam shaft, you can see it through the hole that the distributor mounts in.
The oil pump is driven by the distributor drive gear on a V8.The oil pump is driven by the distributor drive gear on a V8.
There is a oil pump drive rod that fits into the bottom of the distributor and the gear that's on the bottom of the distributor runs on the gear that's on the rear of the camshaft.
The distributor drive gear would be part of the camshaft. The camshaft would have to be replaced.
Only if you change the drive gear. The gear is different on the 289/302/351W distributor. Outside of that it will work.
There is a gear on the distributor shaft and a gear on the end of the camshaft that it engages with. The gear on the camshaft cannot be removed as it is part of the camshaft. The gear on the distributor shaft can be removed if it is worn; however, this is rare. These two gears must be in proper mesh for the engine to run; one cog off and it will not start.If you need further assistance google ' finding top dead center on a 350 chevy'.
The distributor will need to be removed. The magnet is permanently attached to the distributor shaft and the shaft is held in place by a roll-pin thatpasses through the distributor drive gear on the bottom side of the distributor. Magnet on top, gear down in the engine, distributor shaft and housing in the middle.