Hey kiddies - it seems everybody is overlooking the obvious. The part of
the distributor that goes in the clamp is very short. Shorter than the
ears that go into the drive gear. It is possible that the dizzy is on top
of the clamp. Rather than in the clamp. Solution - loosen the clamp all
the way - pry open and reseat the dizzy. then try the clamp. Might have
to pull the dizzy all the way out to make sure it is all the way down and
that the clamp is open enough to grip the flange on the dizzy where it is
supposed to.
Got it? Good!! One of those old BTDT things.
Larry
>>>>On 6/18/00 3:40 PM so and so (Max Heim) said. (And I quote:)
>There is another possibility that no one has mentioned as yet, which is
>that you collapsed the lower portion of the distributor housing by
>overtightening the clamp. This sounds drastic, but it is not uncommon, as
>the aluminum is very thin where the clamp attaches (poor original
>design). You should remove the distributor entirely to check this. If it
>is cracked, there probably is nothing to do but find a new distributor,
>either a used housing if your other components are in good shape, or a
>new replacement. I suppose you could try to get creative with JB Weld to
>fix the old one, but who knows how well it would hold up? Mine not only
>had a crack, but a bent shaft, so I replaced it. Good luck.
>
>Jones, Mark had this to say:
>
>>Yesterday my MGB GT was working terribly. I figured that the timing must
>>have changed and probably due to the distributor not been tightened enough.
>>After work I tried turning the distributor by hand it moved, so I tightened
>>the clamp bolt all the way and it still moves very freely. I drove to my
>>wife's office and left it there for the night. This morning it would barely
>>start and the distributor's vacuum is pointing towards the firewall! So I
>>dig out the electrical tape and tape the vacuum upwards to the water valve
>>to hold it in, I hope, a BTDC position and am able to start it and drive it
>>a mile to my office. But I need the list's help. What can I do to the
>>clamp to get it to clamp the distributor tighter? Any tricks for easily
>>unbolting the clamping plate?
>>
>>Mark
>>73 MGB GT
>>
>
>
>--
>
>Max Heim
>'66 MGB GHN3L76149
>If you're near Mountain View, CA,
>it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
Larry Macy
78 Midget
Keep your top down and your chin up.
Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
System Manager/Administrator
Neuropsychiatry Section
Department of Psychiatry
University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce St. - 10 Gates
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a
question and you're a fool for the rest of your life.
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