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GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:58 am
by Blake.80486
I picked up a GT380 that needed a lot of work. Mostly as a project.
It needs a new timing gear (the plastic one).
No-one makes new ones, all the ones I could find where NOS, and nylon shrinks, causing it to crack.
I'm planning to machine a new one out of bronze.
I'm wondering if there's any interest in me selling them.
Thanks.
Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:30 pm
by Alan H
They are plastic/nylon so they don't damage anything when they break.
Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 4:08 am
by yeadon_m
There was briefly a fashion to make them from metal but as Alan says, they're meant to be able to break.
Whether or not that makes sense (I'm never been convinced it does....it only turns the points cam so its hardly a loaded component) I've heard that a metal gear will be noisy. That might be true and might in fact be the real reason they're nylon!?
Cheers,
Mike
Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:46 am
by Blake.80486
I really don't see how anything in there could seize up enough to require a sacrificial gear.
As for noise. A bronze gear on steel won't be audible over the engine. Or the steel on steel gears right beside it (though those are helical).
Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:17 am
by Drewski
Some info from a couple of years ago here:-
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10324" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In the Suzuki Bulletin they say about the nylon gear ".....which is designed for silent operation........"
One way to find out I guess

Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 4:17 am
by Zunspec4
Hello Blake,
In the days when model airplane propellers were commonly made from nylon/plastic a tip was to soak the props in water overnight to replace the lost water if they had been stored for a while. This returned them to a good condition without the fear of one of the blades departing at 10,000 rpm. I would guess the same process would do the same for long unused plastic timing gears, hot water is even better.
Cheers Geoff
Re: GT380 Timing Gear
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:48 pm
by CumbriaSuzuki
Have you thought of making a few out of nylon. Cheaper and faster and easier.