Fitting a lucas 45D distributor to a minor

Post by **leyther8008** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:16 pm

Has anybody done it? if so how easy is it to do?
To be honest I,ve tried to do it and nothing is happening no spark and according to my multimeter no triggering of the coil is taking place, after all its only a timed switch be it points or magnetic pick up.

Post by **simmitc** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:34 pm

Surely the advance curve will be different? If the engine is standard then stick with the 25D4.

Post by **leyther8008** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:43 pm

Not that much that it has any noticable effect on the massive power output of my engine pootling around town, just getting sick of the soft heeled points closing up on me. I only found out recently that the vacuum advance wasnt working and replacing that hasn't made any noticable difference.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 2:37 pm

Is the rotor arm going round ?

Post by **leyther8008** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:18 pm

Yes

I think I might have sussed it, the triggering loop is a inductive loop signal generator so it will just go across the coil terminals and that is how it 'trips' the coil. with no feed from outside.
As I,ve had it the signal is generated between the coil and earth and not across the coil as it needs to be.
Or at least thats what I've convinced myself at the moment.

Post by **Alec** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:36 pm

Hello Leyther,

this is the second post I've seen recently in forums complaining of 'soft points' and needing to adjust them frequently.
I don't know if I have old stock points but I rarely have to adjust mine over many thousands of miles. One point, do you lubricate the cam with a smear of grease when you fit them?

I don't know if you will notice any performance effect whether your vacuum advance is working or not as it is an economy device mostly in operation when cruising with a light load.

Alec

Post by **leyther8008** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:39 am

Hello
I,ve done all the things people point out (as I have for the past 30 years) and they still close up after about 500 miles, I think I,ve read the other post as well which may have planted the thought I had a 'soft' set however two sets later and its still happening.
I,ve had a good think and the only other thing that may be happening is that my distributor is somehow getting way to hot and they are melting at the heel.
Either way electronic it is for me from now on.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:58 am

If it's an electronic 45D dizzy - it needs an electronic pack to go with it! Do you have that ? I much prefer points ignition - you can at least understand what's going on - and fix it if it goes wrong. I just carry a spare dizzy with me - never had to fit it yet!

Post by **leyther8008** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:22 am

Apparently not as its now working! the guy also sells conversion kits for 25D distributors as well, which I would had bought had I had my Observer corps head on!!

http://simonbbc.com/automotiveshop/inde ... 65f9340f99

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:10 pm

Ahh -well the electronic pack must be inside the dizzy! What made it suddenly work ? The 45 D is a better dizzy - so no harm in that.

Post by **leyther8008** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:36 pm

I afraid it was me

and my interpretation of his wiring intructions you literally just go across the coil red to + black to -ve I had it wired in like the old points set up from coil to dizzy to earth through dizzy body.
Fair do's to the bloke he's sending me a replacement because he's under the impresion it was wired up as he described on his website and didnt work, I will be returning his replacement with a note of explanation and thanks when it arrives.
There is one problem in that I have an oil pressure gauge fitted and the tee piece is being hit by the vacuum diapragm housing just off best timing setting I turned it through 90 degrees and re-set the leads only to find it now hits the block to oil filter pipe just off best timing, I havnt tried it upside down yet but I bet it would hit the starter motor, such is life!

Post by **alex_holden** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:52 pm

leyther8008 wrote:There is one problem in that I have an oil pressure gauge fitted and the tee piece is being hit by the vacuum diapragm housing just off best timing setting I turned it through 90 degrees and re-set the leads only to find it now hits the block to oil filter pipe just off best timing, I havnt tried it upside down yet but I bet it would hit the starter motor, such is life!

It's a bit of a pain to do, but you can take the distributor drive gear out and put it back in one tooth clockwise.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:06 pm

Just don't drop it in the sump - but at least that's not as difficult to retrieve as it is in a Mini!