I wrote in about 3 weeks ago looking for direction in quieting a noisy B-20.
Symptom was a loud 'tick', like a really loose valve rocker, even with the rocker gap set to .017. As I expected, the conclusion here was that timing gears were the most likely cause.

Off to my favorite bone yard to pull the steel gears out of a 160 series ($10.00)the next weekend, and spent the following week installing. Once the gear cover was off, the damaged fiber gear was obvious...33 of the 42 teeth had chunks missing. Off with the cam retainer, and it got weird. There was no wear on the gear side of the plate, and the cam side was shiny. I mean bright, Brasso polished shiny.
Matt B; I'm thinking you may have been correct that someone else had gone through this exercise in an effort to quiet the noise.
Steel gears installed, and they really don't make that much of a whine...but I still have a tick.
No doubt the engine is quieter, but I still don't think it's right. The Ford model A's in the parades are plum quiet next to this thing. Next step is to have it listened to by someone who has spent more time with these Swedish
relics. Maybe I've been listening to OHC's for too many years, and have forgotten the sound of 'okay' noise from a push rod.
What ever the outcome, the steel gears can be used if I need to put together a new engine, so it was a good procurement and well worth trying a cure that didn't require that I pull the block.

Thanks to all again for your direction and input.

So, my question of the month is: Based on the 'new' looking cam retainer plate, I'm going to 'assume' the cam gear was also nearly new....what might cause the fiber teeth to be destroyed? Only thing that comes to my mind, is a piece of debris jammed between teeth in the crank gear that wasn't noticed by the person that replaced the cam gear. I find that pretty hard to imagine, considering what I went through to replace the gear set.

Thoughts or experience?

Jim