... with regard to end-play is that
>excessive end-play will cause your timing to 'hunt' by as much as ten
>degrees(!)  This is because the timing gear on the Volkswagen crankshaft, a
>steeply inclined bevel gear (the narrrow bronze gear) that engages the
>distributor's driver-gear at a 1:2 ratio, is positioned so that any fore &
>aft motion of the crankshaft will be transmitted to the distributor's
>driver-gear.  
...The wiser course is to keep the
>end-play within spec, use a new timing gear at each  overhaul and so forth.
>
>-Bob

I bought a new distributor drive gear but wonder if I should just reinstall
my old one?
I took my crankshaft to have the cam gear removed to replace #3 main
bearing.  The shop owner said he reuses the original German gear unless wear
is excessive. I showed him mine. We could see a wear line.  He said the
replacements are inferior. I showed him the new replacement gear I had
bought. It says Mexico on it. Could it be of less durable metal? 
At the parts store, the first 2 distributor drive gears they gave me were
bent/dented. They were packaged in a plastic bag only. I bought a third that
I may file a slight bent spot before installing?

Thanks, 

Scott Maurer
1984 Vanagon GL