How to choose cam gear "size"?

[Juha Vane]

Sourcing parts for my other engine and wondering how to choose cam gear size?
Have a new Scat straight cut gear set, but perhaps it's not the best choice.

How can I determine what "size" to use as there are -2, -1, 0, +1 and +2 what
I know. Purchasing a 0 and measure backlash and then buy then a correct one?
This is a bit expensive solution at least to me. I don't have the gear what has
been in the engine before.

Cliff and Jacques mention that better use locking washers instead locking
tabs under gear bolts. Would these and hard Loctite be OK?
https://www.nord-lock.com/nord-lock/products/washers/

Here is discussion about using VW gears and if I've understood right there is no
problem using the early 36hp VW gears. Need to drill the holes for pins.
These 3 holes seem to be very expensive, or is there a real reason for the price.

[Greg Bryan]

If you could borrow a '0' cam to see where you are, that would be a great start - maybe someone in Europe can help out. In my experience, usually a '0' gear, but your results may vary.
Some people don't use the pins. The last cam I installed needed to be 2 degrees advanced, so it had special offset washers that went into enlarged, reamed out bolt holes in the cam gear. Then high strength button bolts and Shnoor washers (sp) fasten it. And lock tite ...

[DonCichocki]

I've run my cam gear without the 3 dowel pins for over 30,000 miles with no problems.

[Vic Skirmants]

On my race engines: no pins (so I can adjust the cam timing), regular flat washers under the bolts, and Red Loctite.