dizzy drive

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:27 pm

can someone tell me how to get the distributor drive out of the engine, the engine is in the van, spmeone before put the drive in 180 degrees out

many thanks in advance

Post by **RogerRust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:39 pm

I used a tappet cover bolt - 5/16 unf - just screw it in a few turns and twist it gently as you pull it out. To refit just reverse the action.

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:46 pm

you mean the bolt that holds the chest cover on

Post by **bmcecosse** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 7:56 pm

Yep - that's the one - or any long 5/16" UNF bolt - the longer the better. Be careful not to drop the thing - although it's not as disasterous on a Minor as on a Mini!!

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:01 pm

you mean the bolt that holds the chest cover on

on some engines they are 'long' ones and on some they're short.
Unfortunately the short ones are a bit too short.
The dizzy drive is held in place by the sleve that bolts to the block (under the dizzy) once that is removed you can pull it out using a (long enough) bolt into it, unscrewing the helical teeth at the same time.
When refitting, be very careful not to drop it into the sump. Either use a long threaded bar in it or just be very careful. You need to start somewhere like 90° from where you want it to be as it sturns during assembly - normally it takes a couple of attempts to get it into the right location. If it is just one tooth out, you end up with a wonky looking dizzy after you set the timing.
Haynes manual gives good description how to check the alignment but is wrong when it tells you engine orientation for assembly / removal. Best way is when pistons are half way in between TDC and BDC (90 degress from TDC) then you know that you won't foul the piston skirt (I can't remember which piston it will foul, either #3 or #4, therefore half way in between will clear both of them ;-)

It's quite easy on a bench - in the car it is a bit of a pig.

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:07 pm

now it seems complicated.
will it do any harm the way it is, 180 degrees out, has been like it for 18 months

Post by **rayofleamington** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:34 pm

now it seems complicated.
will it do any harm the way it is, 180 degrees out, has been like it for 18 months

sorry for making it sound complicated! It's not complicated but can be a bit fiddly.
180° out will make no difference - either put the leads on the other poles or put the rotor arm 180 degrees out (I'd rather move the dizzy drive than file a new slot to locate the rotor arm in a different place!!)

Post by **aupickup** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 8:38 pm

THATS OK

like a lot of things easier to do than explain maybe.
i will leave it for now, seems to run all right.
i only discovered it today, wish i had not looked

Post by **RogerRust** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:04 pm

If the dizzy is out you could move the spindle round 180 degrees on the bob weights. Then the roor arm will move round with it and hey presto no 1 spark plug lead is top right.

I hope that makes sense?

Post by **Packedup** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:48 pm

Other than having nuimber one in the "normal" place, does it really matter?

Only asking as I can't see why it matters, but I'm sure I remember reading something about it in the distant past.

Post by **Shawn** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 12:18 am

http://www.morrisminoroc.co.uk/index.ph ... utor+drive

This frustrated the daylights out of me. It would have helped if the workshop manuals had it right.

All because I wanted to have No. 1 in the "right" place too.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:28 am

It doesn't matter a hoot!

Post by **Dominic** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:45 am

I had fun with this a while back. I bought a new dizzy (Lucas) and eventually found the drive spindle on that was 180 deg. out! No wonder the engine didn't fire up! So, my dizzy drive is either 160 or 200 deg. out to match it! (It has 9 teeth, so can't quite manage 180 deg.) You'll find the job a lot easier if you drive it up a pair of ramps first, less bending awkwardly!

Post by **Packedup** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 5:34 pm

I couldn't see how it should matter (other than having to "find" number one), I just thought I'd read somewhere that it did for some odd reason. Certainly as it always rotates the same way and speed I struggled to understand why it was such a problem to fit it "wrong"!