msd dist. gear removal

I gotta get this cast gear off and a bronze pressed on. How do you get it done?
Thanks

Remove the pin using a drift punch then press off the gear. If you do no have a press you can set the gear on top of the vise jaws so that it supports the gear, but is not clamping down on the shaft. Take a piece of wood, put it over the end of the shaft and hit it with a hammer. Make sure someone is holding the distributor so it does not fall when the gear is driven off the shaft.

To install the new gear have to disassemble the top end of the distributor so you can access the main shaft. With the main shaft against the table you can take a piece of tubing or a socket that seats over the gear properly and drive the gear onto the shaft. Of course a press is better, but this way works too if you are careful.

You can heat the gear a little and put the distributor in the freezer for a few hours to make the gear slip on easier, in fact doing this can sometimes allow the gear to slip on by hand (if you are fast). Marking the shaft as to where you want the gear before hand helps too.

Once you have the gear properly positioned you want to drill a hole though the sleeve part of the gear and shaft. This is best done using a table vise to hold the shaft and a drill press or mill. It can be done in a vise and hand drill if you are talented, but not recommended.

BTW when you put the shaft in a vise make sure to use a piece of cardboard or something to protect the shaft from getting nicked up. Once the hole is drilled install the pin using a hammer and drift punch, re-assemble distributor and you are done!

The other option is to take it to a shop and have them do it for you.

Steve