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Rotating dizzy

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2016 11:01 pm
by steve b
It's been a long time since I was last on here :shock: but just spent quite a few quid on some rv8 bits mainly edelbrock 500 performer, manifold and Mallory distributor plus a few other odds and sods.
A couple of years ago I had a thermostat housing altered by a alloy welder so the outlet comes straight out not cranked like the standard or indeed the housing that comes with the carb/manifold kit.
Problem is the vacuum advance module on the side of the distributor is now in the way.
BIG question is can I just rotate the distributor so the vacuum module is say 45 degrees (ish) further anti-clockwise then move all the leads accordingly? thus solving the problem.
I had the thermostat housing altered to help with cooling as the radiator is quite low, this way the housing is the highest point in the cooling system(apart from the header tank).
Any help would be gratefully received.

thanks
steve

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:13 am
by Robrover
Get number 1 piston on TDC , and make sure rotor arm is pointing at number 1 plug lead in the dissy cap. Then remove the dissy noting that the rotor will swing back anti clockwise about 30 degrees.

Position the dissy where you want it to go, re-position the plug leads in the cap (ie move them around) so that the rotor arm again points to number 1 lead when you re-insert the dissy back into the timing cover housing.

When you put the dissy back in make sure the rotor is 30 degrees back from where it will turn to when the drive gear on the end of the dissy shaft engages the cam gear.

The get your timing light out and set the idle advance, then check the total advance (make sure vacuum pipe is disconnected and plugged when you do this).

Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2016 11:07 pm
by steve b
Thanks mate that helps a lot should get me out of a pickle :)

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 11:38 am
by Eliot
If the dizzy is a mallory dual point distributor - don't waste your time fitting it, they eat condensors.

Sounds like you have been shopping at RPI?

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 2:12 pm
by DaveEFI
Eliot wrote:If the dizzy is a mallory dual point distributor - don't waste your time fitting it, they eat condensors.

Sounds like you have been shopping at RPI?
I made the mistake of buying a Unilite. It ate the dizzy cap and rotor arm. Very odd.

Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2016 11:56 pm
by steve b
Sounds like you have been shopping at RPI?[/quote]

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