> Can someone tell me if the unit sticking rearward (toward driver)
> out of the
> 1974 TR6 distributor (22D), which looks like a vacuum unit, is in fact a
> vacuum unit.
Yup, that's just what it is.
> If so, is it for advance or retard. On my car and others I
> have seen the hose has been disconnected. Is that because it is a retard
> unit for idle only and is inoperative at any other engine
> condition?
Yup again, both counts.
> Why do people disconnect it?
Various reasons, some people have a pathological fear of emission controls,
others just don't like fixing non-essentials. AFAIK the vacuum retard
doesn't hurt anything like performance or fuel mileage, although it might
make it more prone to overheat at idle if the thermal switch isn't working.
Probably also makes it more prone to run-on after the key is turned off, if
the anti-run-on equipment isn't working.
> Is the advance a centrifugal mechanism?
The US-spec TR6 used only centrifugal advance. IMO it's worth converting to
UK specs, just because the vacuum advance will help fuel mileage ... but of
course that's illegal.
Randall
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