Gear drive

[Droptopcutlasskid]

Has anyone used a gear drive on an Olds motor? I am looking for one, but not a "fixed" set-up. Hoping to go with a noisy one. Any help would be great. Thanks in advance.

[yogi442]

I went to go with one some years back on a 76 455, unfortunately there were only a few years where the block was already set to accept. The speed shop refused to tap and set new holes for one for me so I bagged the idea.
I know they make them and they can be done but I no of no one who has used one yet.

[texxas8902]

My wrenching buddy is going through this right now. He got one from eBay last week, the prices have really come down on the gear drives for Olds motors. He has a 403 and bought one (quiet) for around $59-$69 listed for a SBO. It came Monday, and guess what, the oil galleys in the front of the 403 block aren't in the same location as other SBO blocks so you can't drill for the gear drive without hitting an oil galley. Seller is refunding shipping both ways and the purchase price because he listed it as working with a 403. He then ordered another one, from some on line speed shop, it came Friday and it will work but the degree bushings were left out of the package, the bushings won't be here until Monday at the earliest, so the car is still sitting with the engine apart. Closing in on 2 weeks with the car down and still waiting on parts. I'll get some pictures and the particulars of what he ordered that didn't work and what did work once it is together, all buttoned back up and running.

[xxkozxx]

This may be a stupid question but what is a gear drive exactly and what does it do?

[74hurstolds]

This may be a stupid question but what is a gear drive exactly and what does it do?

Timing gear setup without the chain. There are 4 total, one on the cam, one on the crank and two in between.

[xxkozxx]

Thanks for the info!

[jslabotsky]

Are the quiet gear drives as quiet as a chain? Or do they still whine a little?

[texxas8902]

Okay, he got the bushing installed and it works great. PRW brand gear drive. They list for $149 but you can find them cheaper if you look. He paid $109 on eBay but had to wait on the degree bushings that were left out of the package. They only have the Olds set up in "quiet" but it is plenty loud, very geary.:D
http://www.prwonlinestore.com/oldsmobiledualidlergeardrives.aspx
I never did find out the brand of the set up that didn't work.

[Droptopcutlasskid]

Thanks for the info. Would you be able to post a video of it? Would like to hear it running. Was other drive a "floating idler" also or a fixed one? Thanks again.

[texxas8902]

I've got no video camera, sorry. I'll see if my friend has one. The gear drive that didn't work was a plate/fixed set up and neither one of us can remember the brand name.

[zodiacblue442]

My brother installed a Milodon gear drive in the Olds 455 that's in our bracket drag race car. It's considered a noisy drive and does have a definite whine to it. It's noticeable when the car's at idle but anything off of idle it's hard to hear because the exhaust is loud. It's a fixed idler gear design. There are three gears total, the idler and of course the crank and cam gears. It takes some precision work to drill and tap some mounting holes and to set it up, but you should be able to do it if you have very good mechanical ability. Otherwise, I'd recommend having a reputable machine shop or engine builder do it. The gear drive has been troublefree for about five years now and we run this car hard!

[Cyrix2k]

So exactly what is the benefit of running a gear drive timing setup vs a chain? Other than the noise that is :p