Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

I probably already know the answer but here's the story. I picked up a C20 Chevy with a GM HT383 crate motor in it. Ran good when i bought it but after a few months I noticed the timing was not consistent. Pulled the distributor and the gear was heavily worn. Question is, since the cam is a GM roller, is the cam gear on the camshaft toast as well or can the cam be reused? Planning to pull the engine and look at bearings, etc but i'd like to save the roller cam if there is a chance.

I think all the GM cams are billet, bet the cam gear is OK. Borrow a bore scope tool and take a look at it if you can.

I thought the GM factory cams were iron based, not steel, so compatible with standard cast iron dist gears. The teeth look pretty worn in the pic.

I've seen that before. Cam is very likely ok, just needs the right distributor drive gear installed. Some distributors have a different sized shaft, so measure the shaft size before ordering, but the melonized gear is PN 10456413 (for the GM HEI distributors).