Distributor drive

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Was it new Peter?

[Peter Johnson]

Yes. It was a newly refurbished Lucas distributor with a new gear.

Peter

[Chris KC]

A pattern is emerging here...

[Bob Culver]

The wear of mild steel on mild steel can be surprising but even so the experiences seem incredible in view of the tiny power transmitted.
Are the gears steel or alloy or  dieacst or somesuch?
I am not sure that contours much matter. Originally only a point contact. After a little use all depart from the original. On Javelin cars the oil pump/distributor is driven by a large bronze/ small hardened steel cross gear set. The original bronze gear has  always completely  lost its contour but last forever.
I have some used Seven gears which are well worn. Seem not very hard.
I have asked before; were original gears hardened? Case hardened or through hardened?
On my car, whilst using original components the only time stranded was at about 80,000 miles. Due failed drive. Greasing would have been maintained but no fancy moly etc .
 
(The story of the failure about 1955 reflects different times. A few weeks earlier my father had been working out of town. Returning home on the main road about 5 miles out he came across a stranded powered cyclist. So the cyclist held on to the door handle for an easy ride home. Not encouraged today. In town on late night the Seven failed to start. A bystander observed the activity; it was the guy with the bike so he returned with his Bradford truck and we got a tow home. In the late 40s, early 50s I recall my father often stopping to offer assistance to apparently stranded motorists. Unlike today could often succeed. Without cellphones and little passing traffic, a breakdown could be very protracted. When only doing 40 mph, and less on the winding parts, it was a simple matter to stop.)