Do i need a bronze gear for my distributor

[jfZ28]

Good morning!
I have a 87 M.Carlo SS 305 HO. I took the flat tappet stock cam out and upgraded to a stock roller cam for a 92 Z28. Mellings # CCS40 which is a little larger then my L69 flat tappet. I wanted to get away from the expense of adding high priced zinc additives to my oil or buying the expensive Lucas Hot Rod oil.The main question is do I need a bronze gear drive for my distributor and also a bronze tip fuel push rod? I ordered it from R.Auto as a stock replacement and I'm assuming it's a cast roller not a steel one since it's OEM so to speak replacement. Nothing in any of their description says the gear is special to this stock cam as does the fuel push rod. So... what do you all think I need to make this work without messing up the new cam? Thanks

 

[grzewnicki]

Went to Summit and looked up your cam number, down below in the questions area found this answer from Melling about what type of dist gear/fuel pump pushrod is required:

Melling Tech Support
· 3 years ago

Francisco, Thanks for the question, This is a cast iron cam shaft so you will want to use a cast iron gear and push rod.

 

[COPO]

For my Lunati roller I’m using
Melonized Distributor gear Lunati 89027 (.491)
Fuel pump rod - Lunati 94607 (5.750)

 

[sandlapper]

Cast cam regardless flat or roller can use a melonized dist gear. Mild steel roller cores like All OE GM rollers and MANY AFTERMARKET (ie 1050 & 1055) can also use melonized gear. Only when the steel core is of higher steel alloys must you use bronze or composite gears.
Do Not use bronze simply because you have a steel core.

 

[Jodi]

Carbon fiber fuel pump push rod is very affordable and its compatible for both cast and billet cams. For distributor melonized is always a good choice.

 

[tom3]

Son had a heinz Mustang with a factory roller cam. Chewed up the standard gear on an early distributor so he put the bronze gear on it. Didn't make it to the first oil change. Looks like the standard gear will work for you in this case.

 

[BonzoHansen]

GM didn't use a bronze one on that cam. Use what they used. Don;t lose too much sleep on oil. Either user oil with zinc or if you go roller you can likely use what you want. Unless you are putting 20k a year on it, the cost for better oil isn't significant.

Does a stock roller cam for a 92 Z28 have a fuel pump lobe?

 

[biker]

GM didn't use a bronze one on that cam. Use what they used. Don;t lose too much sleep on oil. Either user oil with zinc or if you go roller you can likely use what you want. Unless you are putting 20k a year on it, the cost for better oil isn't significant.

Does a stock roller cam for a 92 Z28 have a fuel pump lobe?

Very good point on the fuel pump lobe. An aftermarket stock replacement might have one available, but I doubt the original factory one did.

 

[1980RS]

Unless you are putting in an 8620 billet roller cam, then no just use the GM gear.

 

[sandlapper]

All-Star Performance offers Melonized gears for $20--- just try to beat that!