Distributor Problems

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 1:58 pm

Hi there.

I've been pointed towards here by a chap over on LR4x4 as i'm having some trouble with my V8 dizzy.

I've finally got my disco on the road and it seems very sluggish, with only the first 1/4 throttle really doing anything and feeling unwilling to rev.

Its a 3.5 Rover V8 on twin SU's and has a Lucas 35DLM8 Dizzy

After some investigation i came to the mechanical advance on the dizzy and found it appeared to be siezed. Turning the rotor arm clockwise resulted in some movement, however it was stiff and the arm stayed in the turned position instead of springing back as it should.

I decided to strip the dizzy down and hopefully clean up and grease/oil what ever was causing this binding however i've got it bit stuck.

I've got as far as removing the reluctor from the shaft, however it wont budge. I got a bit angry with a screw driver and it seemed to move upwards, however after a violent 10 minutes i realised that the reluctor itself hadnt moved, i just appear to have pulled the entire shaft up by 5mm and successfully bent the distributor base plate. (and yes, i have removed the circlip, washer and o ring!)

So i'm a bit stuck as to where to go next. If i can get the reluctor off, i'm hoping i can streighten out the base plate and refit it all without having to replace it, but i'm at a loss as to how i'm supposed to get this thing to move.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Kevin

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:56 pm

Aragorn wrote:Hi there.

I've been pointed towards here by a chap over on LR4x4 as i'm having some trouble with my V8 dizzy.

I've finally got my disco on the road and it seems very sluggish, with only the first 1/4 throttle really doing anything and feeling unwilling to rev.

Its a 3.5 Rover V8 on twin SU's and has a Lucas 35DLM8 Dizzy

After some investigation i came to the mechanical advance on the dizzy and found it appeared to be siezed. Turning the rotor arm clockwise resulted in some movement, however it was stiff and the arm stayed in the turned position instead of springing back as it should.

I decided to strip the dizzy down and hopefully clean up and grease/oil what ever was causing this binding however i've got it bit stuck.

I've got as far as removing the reluctor from the shaft, however it wont budge. I got a bit angry with a screw driver and it seemed to move upwards, however after a violent 10 minutes i realised that the reluctor itself hadnt moved, i just appear to have pulled the entire shaft up by 5mm and successfully bent the distributor base plate. (and yes, i have removed the circlip, washer and o ring!)

So i'm a bit stuck as to where to go next. If i can get the reluctor off, i'm hoping i can streighten out the base plate and refit it all without having to replace it, but i'm at a loss as to how i'm supposed to get this thing to move.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Kevin

You might do better trying to find a new dizzy. Sounds like yours is in a world of hurt. I sort of mangled mine doing the same thing, but found another on Ebay for £20 or thereabouts.

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:59 pm

Aye i have to admit i'm leaning that way, but then whats to say the ebay purchase would be any better!

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:11 pm

You can get a new one from Probe distributors for I think £125.00 or he might rebuild yours for a bit less, but bear in mind that a new vacuum can is now £50 +

kevin.

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:12 pm

Aragorn wrote:Aye i have to admit i'm leaning that way, but then whats to say the ebay purchase would be any better!

Hi,

I just noticed your PM but as you have posted I may as well stick my 2 pence worth in here!

Your dizzy may well be knackered but you got nothing to lose by pulling it apart and trying to sort it out. The star wheel thingy can stick to the shaft but be VERY careful as it is as brittle as hell! Once you have got it off clean out the central hole with some fine wet and dry, it should be a nice easy slide over the shaft.

Your lump will run very badly without the mechanical advance, you will be losing a shed load of power.

Just about everything that I know about setting the timing up is in the link below. Bear in mind that you might still be able to run with the vac system as you are running SU's. The Eddy 500 carb creates too much vaccum for the canister.

Checkout the stuff titled "Setting up a standard Lucas RV8 ignition system for maximum performance"
here:- http://how-to-build-a-pilgrim-sumo.wiki ... by-members

HTH,

Pete

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:24 pm

I just cant see any way of actually getting the reluctor off....

Can i remove the whole shaft from the dizzy to get at the reluctor from the bottom? If so how do i do it?

I've tried to tap out the split pin on the drive gear, but it doesnt seem to want to move...

bobtail84 · Post by **bobtail84** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:04 pm

use the force......

MegaSquirt.

jeff

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:56 pm

aye, as i've said over on lr4x4, its in the pipeline, but for now i just need it running, as i cant afford the EFI parts at the moment.

Few months i'll buy a kit and get soldering!

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:56 pm

aye, as i've said over on lr4x4, its in the pipeline, but for now i just need it running, as i cant afford the EFI parts at the moment.

Few months i'll buy a kit and get soldering

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 8:58 pm

Aragorn wrote:I just cant see any way of actually getting the reluctor off....

Can i remove the whole shaft from the dizzy to get at the reluctor from the bottom? If so how do i do it?

I've tried to tap out the split pin on the drive gear, but it doesnt seem to want to move...

The roll pin can be knocked out of the drive gear it won't help too much but it might allow you to pull the shaft out to a degree to give you some more room. You have to fit the drive gear back on the right way round otherwise the pin can crack the gear. I guess you need some sort of puller like the one that I made. (Although the one of the legs was welded in place AFTER the puller was fitted so it won't really work again)

Where about in the country do you live?

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:40 pm

Just outside edinburgh mate.

I think i'm just going to try and get another dizzy. Either i can head to a local breakers and try there, or see what i can find on ebay.

Not sure which option it best. At least with the breakers i can take a look at it before i buy it, but i cant get there before the weekend

Post by **katanaman** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:56 pm

Dont think you will have much luck with breakers round here M8 but you can always try. Failing that give JRV8 a shout on here, he wont sell you a duffer.

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:27 pm

SCB had at least one RRC with EFI in last time i was over there.

I'm watching one on ebay just now, just mailed the guy to see if its any better in terms of siezedness.

Cheers

Aragorn · Post by **Aragorn** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:22 pm

Ok, So i got angry with a hammer and large steel rod and managed to get it to come apart.

Took some photos

Advance mechanism against the stop:

http://www.lr90.org/gallery2/main.php?g ... alNumber=2

If i twist the advance mech open then release it, it moves back to here and then stops, it does seem to be freeing up a little bit:

http://www.lr90.org/gallery2/main.php?g ... alNumber=2

And a pic of the baseplate, i'm hoping it will streighten up:

http://www.lr90.org/gallery2/main.php?g ... alNumber=2

Edit: image tags didnt like the php image engine

So where exactly should i be oiling?

mikeinatruck · Post by **mikeinatruck** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 9:39 pm

All else fails, I got my new dizzy from http://www.simonbbc.com

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