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Merc 140 distributor gear stripped

jmc29

New member
Help! I have a 1985 sun ray 19

Help! I have a 1985 sun ray 19ft with a 140. this fall while walleye fishing it just flat out quit while going full speed. it had no spark after some diagnosis i found the rotor not turning under the distributor cap. I pulled the distributor and found the gear stripped. I got towed back to the dock and after a few hours found a another used gear then installed it. it started great. took it back out and after an hour or so it stripped again. I'm guessing that my cam is warped. Any idea's?
 
"I would venture to say that t

"I would venture to say that the cam gear is now ratched and it is taking out the distributor gear. There must have been a reason for the stripping, those gears are pretty hardy. Are the distributor bushings in tolerances?
Bert"
 
The greatest load on the distr

The greatest load on the distributor gear is the oil pump. The distributor should spin free with no drag at all when it is out of the engine. If you suck any debris into the oil pump it could cause failure.
 
"Ayuh,...
I can't feature


"Ayuh,...
I can't feature calling it Fixed,..
Without pulling,+ tearing down the motor to find the real Issue....
Distributer Bushings are 1 possibility,...
Faulty Oil Pump of course,...
Possibly the Cam itself walking,..??"
 
I'm gonna pull the motor s

I'm gonna pull the motor sometime in the next couple a weeks. I ordered 64-91 mercruiser repair manual.
 
"does the distributor turn fre

"does the distributor turn free now that it's out of the engine?
don't tear the engine down if it doesn't.
"
 
i had almost the same problem.

i had almost the same problem. the timing gear and the cam are friction fit. mine worked lose letting the cam walk.
 
ok. Another dilema....Should i

ok. Another dilema....Should i have my engine repaired (for who knows how much)or I have come across a used engine with the stern drive in good shape (it's not locked up and it's been winterized) for about $500.
 
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