Subject: Re: [Healeys] Swapping distributors

From: john harper <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:19:26 +0100

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I have an interesting story along the same lines where a distributor worked
loose and jumped out of mesh. This had an early single bolt fixing to the
block and these were prone to slipping.

The timing was therefore completely out and I needed to get the
distributor lining up with the number one cylinder. I then used an old
trick to get the engine on TDC on the compression stroke. The trick is to
remove the spark plug from the number one cylinder and place the thumb over
the hole. After a few attempts engaging the starter it was possible to
judge when to stop cranking on the compression stroke. After replacing the
plug and making sure that the distributor rotor was pointing at the correct
plug lead the distributor was replaced: allowing for the spiral action
as it was inserted. Fortunately, the engine then started and approximately
the correct timing was managed by turning to get the best idle.

This got me home

All the best

On Thu, 15 Jun 2023 at 12:11, Simon Lachlan via Healeys <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> You may recall that I asked if there was an easy method of swapping
> distributors ie doing it at the roadside without being overly troubled by
> timing issues.
>
> Replies varied.
>
> In the end, I bought another base plate which I put onto my spare Lucas
> (points).
>
> I marked the base plate of the 123 and the top of the turret upon which i=
t
> sat. ie so there was a datum(?) point to which to return. Used a Dremel.
>
> I did the same for the Lucas after getting it timed. I made the marks on
> the other side ie to the left of the distributor.
>
> I removed the Lucas, located the 123 back on its mark and, hey presto, it
> works.
>
>
>
> One surprise=E2=80=A6in my ignorance, I thought that, if the 123=E2=80=99=
s rotor arm faced
> at, say, 12 o=E2=80=99clock, then so would the Lucas=E2=80=99. Both could=
 only align one
> way with their gears=E2=80=99 physical connection to the turret upon whic=
h they
> sit?? Well, yes, the gears could only align identically but the rotor arm=
s
> were about 30=C2=B0 out. ie  123=E2=80=99s at 12 o=E2=80=99clock and the =
Lucas=E2=80=99 at +/- 2
> o=E2=80=99clock. Both are working at 15=C2=B0/idle=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6.Who=
=E2=80=99d have guessed it?
>
>
>
> One other thing=E2=80=A6..I was going to put my Pertronix back into the L=
ucas.
> Can=E2=80=99t have two electronic ignitions fail in one day, can you? How=
ever, it
> seems that I=E2=80=99d put points back in because I=E2=80=99d lost the co=
llar (=E2=80=9Cmagnetic
> ring=E2=80=9D). Actually, I forget what I did, but it=E2=80=99s gone anyh=
ow. Like my memory
> perhaps. My unit is marked LU-165. I don=E2=80=99t suppose anyone has a s=
pare one??
>
> Simon
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<div dir=3D"ltr">I have an interesting story along the same lines where a d=
istributor worked loose and jumped out of mesh. This had an early single bo=
lt fixing to the block and these were prone to slipping.<div><br></div><div=
>The timing was therefore completely=C2=A0out and I needed to get the distr=
ibutor=C2=A0lining up with the number one cylinder. I then used an old tric=
k to get the engine on TDC on the compression=C2=A0stroke. The trick is to =
remove the spark plug from the number one cylinder and place the thumb over=
 the hole. After a few attempts engaging the starter it was possible to jud=
ge when to stop cranking on the compression stroke. After replacing the plu=
g and making sure that the distributor rotor was pointing at the correct pl=
ug lead the distributor was replaced: allowing for the spiral action as=C2=
=A0it was inserted. Fortunately, the engine=C2=A0then started and approxima=
tely the correct timing was managed=C2=A0by turning to get the best idle.</=
div><div><br></div><div>This got me home</div><div><br></div><div>All the b=
est</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gma=
il_attr">On Thu, 15 Jun 2023 at 12:11, Simon Lachlan via Healeys &lt;<a hre=
f=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">[email-masked]</a>&gt; wrote:<b=
r></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex=
;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div class=3D"msg=
-8452474406573919541"><div lang=3D"EN-GB"><div class=3D"m_-3551995559038362=
0WordSection1"><p class=3D"MsoNormal">You may recall that I asked if there =
was an easy method of swapping distributors ie doing it at the roadside wit=
hout being overly troubled by timing issues.<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"M=
soNormal">Replies varied.<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">In the en=
d, I bought another base plate which I put onto my spare Lucas (points).<u>=
</u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">I marked the base plate of the 123 an=
d the top of the turret upon which it sat. ie so there was a datum(?) point=
 to which to return. Used a Dremel.<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"=
>I did the same for the Lucas after getting it timed. I made the marks on t=
he other side ie to the left of the distributor.<u></u><u></u></p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">I removed the Lucas, located the 123 back on its mark and, h=
ey presto, it works.<u></u><u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<=
u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">One surprise=E2=80=A6in my ignorance, I th=
ought that, if the 123=E2=80=99s rotor arm faced at, say, 12 o=E2=80=99cloc=
k, then so would the Lucas=E2=80=99. Both could only align one way with the=
ir gears=E2=80=99 physical connection to the turret upon which they sit?? W=
ell, yes, the gears could only align identically but the rotor arms were ab=
out 30=C2=B0 out. ie =C2=A0123=E2=80=99s at 12 o=E2=80=99clock and the Luca=
s=E2=80=99 at +/- 2 o=E2=80=99clock. Both are working at 15=C2=B0/idle=E2=
=80=A6=E2=80=A6.Who=E2=80=99d have guessed it? <u></u><u></u></p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal"><u></u>=C2=A0<u></u></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">One other thi=
ng=E2=80=A6..I was going to put my Pertronix back into the Lucas. Can=E2=80=
=99t have two electronic ignitions fail in one day, can you? However, it se=
ems that I=E2=80=99d put points back in because I=E2=80=99d lost the collar=
 (=E2=80=9Cmagnetic ring=E2=80=9D). Actually, I forget what I did, but it=
=E2=80=99s gone anyhow. Like my memory perhaps. My unit is marked LU-165. I=
 don=E2=80=99t suppose anyone has a spare one?? <u></u><u></u></p><p class=
=3D"MsoNormal">Simon<u></u><u></u></p></div></div>_________________________=
______________________<br>
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eam.net</a><br>
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From: Bob Spidell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:22:46 -0700

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I'll repeat a story I've told before, just for 'color.'

I once knew an aircraft mechanic who used this 'technique' to find TDC 
on an aircraft engine. He bumped the starter just a tad too much and 
ripped all the flesh off the end of his thumb (to be fair, aircraft 
spark plugs and hence their holes are a bit larger than auto plugs).

Bob

On 6/15/2023 9:19 AM, john harper wrote:
> I have an interesting story along the same lines where a distributor 
> worked loose and jumped out of mesh. This had an early single bolt 
> fixing to the block and these were prone to slipping.
>
> trick to get the engine on TDC on the compression stroke. The trick is 
> to remove the spark plug from the number one cylinder and place the 
> thumb over the hole. After a few attempts engaging the starter it was 
> possible to judge when to stop cranking on the compression stroke. 
> After replacing the plug and making sure that the distributor rotor 
> was pointing at the correct plug lead the distributor was replaced: 
> allowing for the spiral action as it was inserted. Fortunately, the 
> engine then started and approximately the correct timing was 
> managed by turning to get the best idle.
>
> This got me home
>
> All the best
>
> On Thu, 15 Jun 2023 at 12:11, Simon Lachlan via Healeys 
> <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>     You may recall that I asked if there was an easy method of
>     swapping distributors ie doing it at the roadside without being
>     overly troubled by timing issues.
>
>     Replies varied.
>
>     In the end, I bought another base plate which I put onto my spare
>     Lucas (points).
>
>     I marked the base plate of the 123 and the top of the turret upon
>     which it sat. ie so there was a datum(?) point to which to return.
>     Used a Dremel.
>
>     I did the same for the Lucas after getting it timed. I made the
>     marks on the other side ie to the left of the distributor.
>
>     I removed the Lucas, located the 123 back on its mark and, hey
>     presto, it works.
>
>     One surprise…in my ignorance, I thought that, if the 123’s rotor
>     arm faced at, say, 12 o’clock, then so would the Lucas’. Both
>     could only align one way with their gears’ physical connection to
>     the turret upon which they sit?? Well, yes, the gears could only
>     align identically but the rotor arms were about 30° out. ie  123’s
>     at 12 o’clock and the Lucas’ at +/- 2 o’clock. Both are working at
>     15°/idle…….Who’d have guessed it?
>
>     One other thing…..I was going to put my Pertronix back into the
>     Lucas. Can’t have two electronic ignitions fail in one day, can
>     you? However, it seems that I’d put points back in because I’d
>     lost the collar (“magnetic ring”). Actually, I forget what I did,
>     but it’s gone anyhow. Like my memory perhaps. My unit is marked
>     LU-165. I don’t suppose anyone has a spare one??
>
>     Simon
>
>

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  <body>
    I'll repeat a story I've told before, just for 'color.'<br>
    <br>
    I once knew an aircraft mechanic who used this 'technique' to find
    TDC on an aircraft engine. He bumped the starter just a tad too much
    and ripped all the flesh off the end of his thumb (to be fair,
    aircraft spark plugs and hence their holes are a bit larger than
    auto plugs).<br>
    <br>
    Bob<br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 6/15/2023 9:19 AM, john harper
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:[email-masked]">
      <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
      <div dir="ltr">I have an interesting story along the same lines
        where a distributor worked loose and jumped out of mesh. This
        had an early single bolt fixing to the block and these were
        prone to slipping.
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>The timing was therefore completely out and I needed to get
          the distributor lining up with the number one cylinder. I then
          used an old trick to get the engine on TDC on the
          compression stroke. The trick is to remove the spark plug from
          the number one cylinder and place the thumb over the hole.
          After a few attempts engaging the starter it was possible to
          judge when to stop cranking on the compression stroke. After
          replacing the plug and making sure that the distributor rotor
          was pointing at the correct plug lead the distributor was
          replaced: allowing for the spiral action as it was inserted.
          Fortunately, the engine then started and approximately the
          correct timing was managed by turning to get the best idle.</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>This got me home</div>
        <div><br>
        </div>
        <div>All the best</div>
      </div>
      <br>
      <div class="gmail_quote">
        <div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, 15 Jun 2023 at 12:11,
          Simon Lachlan via Healeys &lt;<a
            href="mailto:[email-masked]" moz-do-not-send="true"
            class="moz-txt-link-freetext">[email-masked]</a>&gt;
          wrote:<br>
        </div>
        <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px
          0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
          <div class="msg-8452474406573919541">
            <div lang="EN-GB">
              <div class="m_-35519955590383620WordSection1">
                <p class="MsoNormal">You may recall that I asked if
                  there was an easy method of swapping distributors ie
                  doing it at the roadside without being overly troubled
                  by timing issues.</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">Replies varied.</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">In the end, I bought another base
                  plate which I put onto my spare Lucas (points).</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">I marked the base plate of the 123
                  and the top of the turret upon which it sat. ie so
                  there was a datum(?) point to which to return. Used a
                  Dremel.</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">I did the same for the Lucas after
                  getting it timed. I made the marks on the other side
                  ie to the left of the distributor.</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">I removed the Lucas, located the
                  123 back on its mark and, hey presto, it works.</p>
                <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">One surprise…in my ignorance, I
                  thought that, if the 123’s rotor arm faced at, say, 12
                  o’clock, then so would the Lucas’. Both could only
                  align one way with their gears’ physical connection to
                  the turret upon which they sit?? Well, yes, the gears
                  could only align identically but the rotor arms were
                  about 30° out. ie  123’s at 12 o’clock and the Lucas’
                  at +/- 2 o’clock. Both are working at 15°/idle…….Who’d
                  have guessed it? </p>
                <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">One other thing…..I was going to
                  put my Pertronix back into the Lucas. Can’t have two
                  electronic ignitions fail in one day, can you?
                  However, it seems that I’d put points back in because
                  I’d lost the collar (“magnetic ring”). Actually, I
                  forget what I did, but it’s gone anyhow. Like my
                  memory perhaps. My unit is marked LU-165. I don’t
                  suppose anyone has a spare one?? </p>
                <p class="MsoNormal">Simon</p>
              </div>
            </div>
            <br>
          </div>
        </blockquote>
      </div>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
  </body>
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[email-masked]

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