Pinion gear

[Commander47]

I'm currently redoing a 51 FL back to stock. I have a question that I am having trouble getting answered.

Is the Pinion gear on a 51 a press fit? I am able to slide the pinion gear on and off pretty easily by hand, but it seems to fit snug on all the flanges and everything lines up.

In all my manuals it says this should be a press on fit but that just doesn't seem right.

any advice is appreciated.

thanks

[mbskeam]

mine slides on , I had one that was a light press, and after not many miles it slid on and off just like the old one, the more important thing is the pinion to cam gear fit....
with the cam in and NO spacers you should be able to reach thru the lifter block holes and slide the cam back and forth , you should feel no back lash, but just the ever so slight drag of the pinion gear to cam gear...
but you have to have a few gears of diff. sizes to do this......
if the gear you pick is to tight the cam will not slide or very hard, then go down in size... this will get you a quite runnin engine, kinda like a sowing machine......

mbskeam

[Commander47]

thanks, this is a big help. the motor is coming along quite nicely and the cam gear fit is just as you said. So I'm going with it slipping on. thanks again.