# Ford 5.0L Distributor Gear

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-5-0l-distributor-gear/2618>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions\
**Created:** [August 4, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-5-0l-distributor-gear/2618 "2007-08-04T17:38:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mecanix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@Mecanix](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mecanix)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-5-0l-distributor-gear/2618/1 "2007-08-04T17:38:55Z")

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I recently experienced a problem with the distributor gear of a 1989 Mustang. It wears out on one side of the gear - like 3 to 4 sections of the gear. We replaced the camshaft using a new high performance one and also replaced the gear with an Iron one ( supposedly stronger ) and once we started the engine, the same thing happened to the distributor gear. Since we installed a high vol oil pump, we were advised that that could be the problem. We went back to a regular new oil pump, an iron rod for the pump and another distributor gear and the car ran for only 5 minutes before smashing one side of the distributor gear again. Any suggestions?

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-5-0l-distributor-gear/2618/2 "2007-08-04T22:37:54Z")

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Are you using the cast iron distributor gears? If so, these cannot be used with roller camshafts, which is what I assume your '89 5.0 has.

The cast iron works with a flat tappet cam, but you MUST use a hardened steel or bronze gear with a roller cam. Hope that helps.