HiPo timing gear hatchet

1st Official Post

    Does anyone know what the hatchet on the lower timing gear does? I’m going to check with Comp Cams this morning to see if it requires a special lower gear when replacing the timing gear set. Has anyone dealt with this recently?

    Edited once, last by SixT5HiPo (January 27, 2011 at 12:44 AM).

    • Official Post

    The hatchet is part of the balance assembly for the harmonic balancer. It helps move some of the balance nearer to the front main to take some of the load off of the crank snout. You definitely need a special sprocket to retain this hatchet. Some people will rebalance the engine and eliminate this hatchet however that defeats Fords original purpose of spreading out the balance load. The Hipo balancer has a different counterweight that is lighter than a standard balancer and the hatchet makes up the difference.


    -Fred-

    65 Koupe early San Jose Phoenician Yellow 4 speed
    66 GT Koupe Dearborn Blue 4 speed
    66 KGT San Jose fastback pony interior Silver Frost 4 speed
    64 Falcon sedan delivery 289 4 speed
    65 Ranchero 289 4 speed
    66 Corvette roadster 427/425 4 speed

    Fred,

    I know some people don’t reuse the hatchet. I’m thinking if Ford went to the trouble to use it they had a good reason to do so. Problem is Comp Cams doesn’t have a new timing gear set listed for the HiPo engine. Can you recommend a place to purchase a correct timing gear set for the HiPo engine?


    Thanks,

    Frank

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