Intermediate shaft differences

[rdezsofi]

Okay...I sourced an intermediate shaft for someone......picked up both a gas and a diesel one. Same part number, but I never noticed the difference in the gear on the end of the shaft. Must be a different part number for the pressed on gear.

So......with the gears facing opposite directions, but the same oil pump being used......anyone have some obvious input into how this is possible. Can't quite wrap my mind around it, it's late. Distributer drive gear also opposite the vacuum pump gear for the diesel? And why did the engineers do this? Diesel gear is wider and tougher....more heavy duty? Yet I can laugh that the lobe is still on the shaft for the early Rabbits/Dashers with the mechanical fuel pump....

[rdezsofi]

[rdezsofi]

Got some sleep and what do ya know, I figured out the obvious. The gears are reversed between gas and diesel, as the shaft turns opposite directions in the different applications. Timing belt: Gas version, the teeth engage the toothed pulley, turning it clockwise. Can't have any slippage, due to ignition timing. Diesel goes around pulley with the back of the belt, due to having to go around the injection pump and dropping down going aorund the left side of the intermediate shaft pulley, turning the shaft counter clockwise.....so you need a reversed gear on the end of the shaft.

Better quit staying up so late