Crank Gear Fiber Insert

[ann-marie.scott]

Do the 1162-37 fiber inserts ever disintegrate? Are they even necessary?

[nevhunter]

They are there to damp out the ringing noise you'd get from hardened gears otherwise. Nev

[will_curry]

They aren't essential in that the engine will run quite happily without them,
but, as Nev says, the noise is not pleasant.

Fit them while you can as the fewer times the coupling gears have to come
off the less wear there is on the mountings and ALWAYS use the proper
tools to draw them off and push them back on or there's a real risk of
damaging the crankcases.

[simon.holyfield]

When I built up my engine, I left the original fibre inserts in place. Does the team think it is worth replacing them with new ones?

[ann-marie.scott]

Do they ever disintegrate?

[paul.jameson]

I tend to replace them routinely when I build an engine because:
a) that way you can clean behind them
b) you get rid of the corrosion which often surrounds the aluminium rivets
c) you avoid the danger of one coming loose and being chewed up in the coupling gears, thus filling the oilways with fibre
d) they are cheap in comparison with the remaining costs of a Square Four rebuild

[ann-marie.scott]

Good answer, clear and direct! Thanks!