[TR] Distributor question

[Mark Hooper]

A long time back I fitted my 1972 TR6 with a Crane Cams XR700 opto-electronic
ignition. It made starting much easier and being a gadget-guy I liked the
principle of the thing. No complaints.

My car has had a rather irregular idle forever. It's got a slightly warmed
cam, triple Strombergs and a Falcon SS exhaust fed by a 6:1 header. I replaced
the distributor's vacuum retard and that brought down the idle speed a great
deal, but it is still lopey/rough. I recall that the reason I put in the CC
ignition was to help with the idle, but it didn't.

Despite all sorts of valve adjustment, professional carb rebuilding etc, the
uneven idle persists. It was this way before the carbs and roller rockers were
put in. Nothing seems to affect it. The car drives very well and has very good
power through the rev range.

The question: I had thought that removing the points would have made any
looseness in the distributor shaft irrelevant. Was I wrong? Would having the
distributor re-bushed affect things, even if there are no longer any points
pushing on the shaft? I tire of hearing other's smoothly idling machines while
I have to rev the engine before jumping out to rapidly close the garage door
and then diving back in to goose the gas lest she quit.

Mark Hooper
1972 TR6 (should be called Old Lumpy, to my everlasting shame)