Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific Mouse & Rat Motor Discussion & Conversions

Gear drives

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 28, 2007 | 02:04 PM
  #1  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default Gear drives

Of course the search is acting up right now..I'm wanting to put a gear drive on the 454 I just got for my boat. Has anybody had any negative issues with running one? I've always just used double roller chains in the past, but am leaning towards throwing a noisy gear drive in while I have put a chrome timing chain cover on.
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2007 | 08:48 PM
  #2  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

Anybody?
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2007 | 09:16 PM
  #3  
My01SSCamaro's Avatar
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
Default

I hevent really heard of any bad things about them, except on computer controlled engines it will mess with the knock sensor, since yours is carbed i wouldnt wory, i have put a noisy gear drive on a 73 camaro once and is was so load and annoying he wanted it right back off their soposed to sound like a blower but they dont.
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2007 | 09:48 PM
  #4  
mrdragster1970's Avatar
6 & 8 Second Club
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,284
Likes: 0
From: Illinois, RT 66 dragway area
Default

Just asking, but why would you want a bunch of noise.

Best is a jessel belt drive, or get a quality true roller. Gear drives are a waste of money, and noisy ones are lame. My opinion only.
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2007 | 11:34 PM
  #5  
Cali99SS's Avatar
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Default

I've also been told they can have a negative effect on harmonics.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 08:59 AM
  #6  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

I don't want to spend $800 on a belt drive. I'm not worried about harmonics too much b/c this motor is going to be rebuilt eventually when I put the turbos on it. I doubt I'll even be able to hear the noise with the open headers anyway. With the gear drive and eventual turbos, there should be plenty of whine.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 09:20 AM
  #7  
91Z28's Avatar
TECH Resident
 
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
From: Midland
Default

Originally Posted by mrdragster1970
Just asking, but why would you want a bunch of noise.

Best is a jessel belt drive, or get a quality true roller. Gear drives are a waste of money, and noisy ones are lame. My opinion only.
Any issues with the belt drive? How long do the belts last?
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 09:52 AM
  #8  
Strokinit383's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 0
From: Fishers, IN
Default

Ive read that gear drives can cause a parasitic power loss also. Just something to think about.
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-3

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-7

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

 Brett Foote
story-9

10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 11:47 AM
  #9  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

Originally Posted by Strokinit383
Ive read that gear drives can cause a parasitic power loss also. Just something to think about.
Yea I've heard something about the gears causing some loss b/c one side of the idlers gets forced between the crank and cam gears. Stiff valve springs rob horsepower too, everything comes with a price I guess.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 02:51 PM
  #10  
mrdragster1970's Avatar
6 & 8 Second Club
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,284
Likes: 0
From: Illinois, RT 66 dragway area
Default

I had a jessel belt with 750 pass' on it. It's still in the trailer as a spare. It had 0 stretch on it. Only reason I bought a new one was because the block blew apart, and I didn't want to be cheap when building a new engine.

If you want cheap, get the best true roller you can afford. I know many guys running in the 8's with a chain. None of us use gears around here. Not worth it to us, I guess.

I would not lose sleep over a good chain.

1 ?? if the engine is so noisy anyway, why buy a noisy chain, they make it noisy by machining the gears a little off to get the sound. If you actually like gear drives, get the precision gears, not the noisy ones.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 03:50 PM
  #11  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

The gears are just ground with less of an angle to get more sound out of them. A little more straight cut I guess...I've just always wanted to run one for some reason. I have a new one for a SBC at home that I never used and am trying to sell. Just wanna do something different for a little while I guess.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 04:26 PM
  #12  
WheelsUp84z's Avatar
10 Second Club
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 4
From: Concord, NC
Default

i ran a gear drive on my last motor and i had no problems with it, i lost MAYBE 2 HP over a chain, belt drive is the way to go, but not everyone can spend the big bucks on everypart.
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 04:46 PM
  #13  
LS69TA's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 0
From: Texarkana, Tx
Default

Yea, I don't see much hp loss occuring because of one. Belts are the way to go if you can afford it, but I'm poor right now
Reply
Old Jan 30, 2007 | 06:15 PM
  #14  
8a8mfh's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 0
Default

I have a noisey Pete Jackson gear drive I'll sell for $100 plus shipping if you want it.
It has about 5 hours on it tops.
Took it out while fixing a timing cover leak. It really wasn't that noisey unless it needs to break in or something.
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2007 | 02:04 PM
  #15  
Camaro396's Avatar
11 Second Club
iTrader: (14)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,091
Likes: 7
From: Toledo, Oh
Default

i love mine. my car with the gear drive next to my buddies car with his wieand blower sound identical.
Reply
Old Feb 21, 2007 | 09:42 PM
  #16  
TurboAv's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,455
Likes: 1
From: Tonopah, AZ
Default

I built a 377 for my old 68 Impala with a Weiand 177 and a noisy gear drive. You could hear that thing whining over the exhaust from two blocks away.

Last edited by TurboAv; Feb 23, 2007 at 12:28 PM.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2007 | 12:06 PM
  #17  
Racehead's Avatar
TECH Addict
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,662
Likes: 1
From: LaConner WA
Default

I ran a gear drive for a short period of time when I put my 454 together. It was so annoying that I couldnt stand it. IMO a gear drive shouldn't even be on the market. They cause huge harmonics problems + they sound like ****. They don't sound like a blower at all. In fact they sound more like a bad bearing in an Alt. or something. What good are they ? Either use a chain or a belt.
Reply
Old Feb 23, 2007 | 06:32 PM
  #18  
The stunningman's Avatar
9 Second Club
iTrader: (47)
 
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 761
Likes: 1
Default

Originally Posted by Racehead
IMO a gear drive shouldn't even be on the market. They cause huge harmonics problems + they sound like ****.
Reply
Old Mar 3, 2007 | 07:12 PM
  #19  
letsrun97z's Avatar
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
From: Visalia, Ca
Default

i loved mine it was the jackson quite but i was kinda loud at high rpms, i had a problem with the aluminim timing cover just had to grind it out but othere than that it was cool lol and everyone would ask "do you have a supercharger" lol it was in my 327 in my 80z28
Reply




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:00 AM.

story-0
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-3
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-4
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-5
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-6
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE
story-8
Five Reasons the Camaro Was the Most Pivotal Player in the Pony Car Wars 2.0

The world was a better place when it was still around.

By Brett Foote | 2026-01-23 09:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Reasons the LS7 Is GM's Most Extreme Naturally Aspirated V8 Engine Ever

Slideshow: The 7.0-liter LS7 was designed for absolute cutting-edge performance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-07 18:36:00


VIEW MORE