Sure, you can try making these seats but..............How about the tiny clips locking the springs in place but still allow them to move?

In the old days, shops had a machine to install point-distributors and check the curve after a rebuild.

How will you check the curve?

I usually install the distributor in the engine, then use a Stroboscope and note the advance for various RPM from 2k-6k.

Make sure that the weights and upper shaft are really free.

well, it looks like i have bigger issues.
when i took the dizzy out i put it on a tray and took it to my table. did the disassembly there. brought it to the computer and took a pic. took it back to the tray where i put both springs together. now that i'm putting it back together i can't find one of the springs. everything else is there including the other spring which was taken out at the same time. i've looked everywhere to no avail. the missing spring is the one that looks stretched. so now what do i do? other than keep looking for a 1/2 inch spring on my hands and knees all over the house, garage, hobby room.

never mind. found the spring.

well, i made the spring holders. put the dizzy back on the car and the difference is night and day. i need to get a hold of a timing light to verify that all is good.

subscribing for reference

Is there a similar thread for earlier distributors ? (like for my 74 2.7) ?
Or is it that similar to this one ?

Very similar. :)

A distributor from a '74 is even easier to do than later ones if I remember correctly from a few years ago.
Remove the points (Or Petronix) and follow some of the steps. There should be fasteners under the trigger plate holding the assembly to the distributor body.

Here is your chance to document how to service the '74-'77 distributors and post a new DIY thread with pix to help others. :cool:

Go for it. SmileWavy

Thanks to this excellent thread I (absolute newbie) have taken apart and reassembled my distributor without any problems. But now that I read it through it again to confirm that I've done everything correct I got unsure on if my weights are moving as they should. I could only move them about 1-2 mm back and forth and not nearly out to what looks like the stops. How much force should be needed to move the weights?
And looking at drolas picture I'm not sure that they were all the way in either. This is how the weights in the distributor where when I put it back together.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283011874.jpg

I've been thinking a bit more about this and would like to have one thing confirmed. If I hold the gear at the bottom of the assembly, shouldn't I be able to turn the rotor about 20 or so degrees in reference to the gear?

I tried to hold the gear and turn the rotor, and at first it would not move at all but applying some mild force made it turn slightly in reference to the gear so either I broke something or it loosened up a bit. Any input in how it is supposed to be would be much appreciated.

Cheers, Björn

Same question but hopefully a bit better explained:

With the distributor in place on the engine, is it possible to rotate the rotor, by hand, in any direction? And if it is, what happens when you release it?

Cheers, Björn

Björn,

My instructions are for servicing without removing the weights and springs; they stay in place and are just cleaned and lubed.
If the springs and plasic cuffs are broken and need replacing, it's a different scenario.
The springs are not the same; each has to be mated with the appropriate weight!


Yes, when the distributor is in the engine, the rotor can be moved about 15-20 degrees and snaps back because of the springs on the bottom.

The shaft is in 2 parts. Under normal operating conditions, the upper half is actuated by the weights when the centrifugal force moves them out. The springs control the amount of movement. That is the mechanical advance transfered to the rotor position when running.

In order to move freely, the upper half of the shaft needs to be lubed. Remove the rotor, remove the small felt inside the shaft, DO NOT open the screw inside, put a few drops of engine oil inside, replace felt, put another 2 drops oil on the felt, replace rotor, turn the rotor a few times by hand a little to work the oil in.

Make sure the rotor sits correctly into the notch on the shaft.

The mechanical advance is the important one. The vacuum advance has to work as well but is only there to give the initial ~5 deg "kick" when coming off idle. Not sure if Euros have vac retard but your's may be a US? Some people leave the vac retard on SC's plugged and disconnected for better running.

You can connect a Stroboscope and check the advance for every 1000 RPM and take notes.

PS: Don't forget to put a flower on Greta's stone.
Her ashes aren't there but her spirit is. :)

No retard on my euro. Just the advance

Gunter,

Thank you for explaining, I sort of figured it out by reading here and elsewhere but it is good to have it confirmed. As I described above I tried to turn the rotor while at the same time holding the gear with only a very slight movement possible. So I put a lot of 5-56 at the top of the shaft and waited. After a while I could turn the upper shaft a bit more. Some more turning and leaving it overnight made an even bigger difference.

So, today I took it apart again to find lots of rust-colored oil inside - probably dissolved from inside the upper shaft. Cleaned everything off again and now the weights move smooth all the way to the stops, turning the upper shaft in the process. Re oiled and assembled.

While it was out I have changed plugs and spark wires so I'm hoping for a noticeable improvement :)

Yes, my car is a US so there are two lines to the vacuum advance mechanism. The strobe is definitely coming out so I can set the timing.

Actually, I've yet to visit the Skogskyrkogården, but it is one of the many places I've planed to visit when I get the car running.

Thank you very much for taking the time to not only write the first instructions but also answering questions, great job!

Cheers, Björn

Subscribing for reference !! Will be doing my distributor shortly.

Thanks, Gunter!

I've been meaning to do this for a while, and it never hurts to bump this thread up.

Before: not really too bad. . .

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1288576546.jpg


After: Much better.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1288576562.jpg



I imagine my distributor was probably functioning properly, but this adds a lot of (piece, peace, peas) of mind. Thanks!

The critical spot is the bearing for the Pulse Generator (805) which gums up over time; it needs to be cleaned, lubed and move real easy.

A few drops of oil under the little felt under the rotor will keep the upper part of the mechanical advance moving freely and also lube the shaft preventing excessive wear.

If the felt is missing, make one. :)

I'm planning on performing this maintenance during this week as I'm off on vacation. I'm confused on this first statement though:

Check that rotor points to the notch in the distributor housing. To ensure that it is at the compression stroke, remove the valve cover left side and wiggle the intake valve; it should be lose! If not, turn the engine clock-wise 180 deg to Z1.

I understand the Z1 pulley location and the rotor pointing to the notch - but why is it important that cyl #1 is in compression - so long as the distributor is returned to that position when re-installed?

That's only if the engine was rotated for some reason with the distributor out and one isn't sure if #1 cylinder is at the compression-combustion- or exhaust stroke.

Normally, if the rotor points at the notch and the engine is left at Z1, there is no need to check whether the valves for #1 are both loose to ensure correct position for the distributor.

Okay - took the distributor out and cleaned it up. I was surprised at the dust and dirt within the mechanism.

Mine also had quite a bit of metal filings stuck around the pulse generator - is that normal wear? I couldn't find any obvious signs of anything worn though.

Also - when reassembled, I tried to understand these instructions:
Check the vacuum diaphragm.
With a line on the advance nipple, suck on it and watch the mechanism move.
Use your tongue to hold the vacuum for a few seconds. Good? O.K.

I was unable to see anything move, but wasn't exactly sure where to look and how much movement I should see. I went ahead and installed the distributor and set the timing at idle and checked it around 6K rpm per Bentley.

Is there a way to determine if the vacuum advance is operational with the distributor installed in the car? With or without the vacuum hose connected, I noticed no difference in timing behavior.

When you cleaned the inside, did you make sure that the bearing for the pulse generator (805) moved freely?

The vacuum pod connects to the pulse generator and it can only move if the bearing is not gummed up.

The '83 SC has 2 vacuum connections: advance and retard. The diaphragm inside the vac pod moves both ways depending on throttle-setting (Vacuum from the TB)

Stock vac connection for '83 is advance to the rear of TB and retard to the front of TB. The lines have to be connected correctly without leaking due to damage.

If the diaphragm in the pod is broken, or if 805 is gummed up, the vacuum cannot work.

To check vac advance, remove the distributor cap, connect a line to the advance side of the pod, suck on it while observing the inside mechanism. You should see a slight movement of the pulse generator.

To check retard, re-assemble and re-connect everything, start the engine, when hot the idle should be around 5 deg BTDC. Pull off the retard line from the pod. You should see the timing retard about 5 deg.