Distributor removal - 1300 engine

[Chris Edgar]

or how an easy job isn't...

I am fitting an oil pressure gauge to the 1300 engine in the Convertible.
Unlike the 1098 in the Traveller, the nut in the crank case, which attaches to the oil warning light wire, is angled quite steeply downwards & is also very closely below the spin-off oil filter.
This seems to make it impossible to remove to fit the pressure gauge fitting, as there is simply not enough room to work, while the dizzy is in place.

I have a new 45D dizzy coming, so the dizzy will need soon removing anyway.
However...the rear, lower bolt on the base plate will not be loosened for love nor money. There's not enough room to swing a spanner, although it can be got on, & a socket will not go on straight enough to start the bolt off.
I have been able to loosen the front bolt.

I have seen someone remove a dizzy by loosening off the clamp & pulling & twisting until it comes out...reminded me of a dentist.

My question is: is this a sensible way to remove it?
Presumably if the body/baseplate was scribed it should be possible to replace it so the timing isn't too far out.
Having removed the dizzy body, the baseplate bolts could be accessed, removed, threads cleaned up etc to enable them to be replaced more easily.

Any suggestions?

Chris

[bmcecosse]

Must be an early 1275 engine then - to have the two bolt fitting. Yes - take a picture so you know where it goes and then pull/twist it out.

[Chris Edgar]

Thanks Roy,
Took photos, bit the bullet & took it out...but
DESPAIR! Still couldn't get the oil pressure switch nut off. Not enough space around the sides to get an open ended spanner on it. Couldn't get a socket far enough on because of the Lucar connector.
Needs a thin sided ring spanner & haven't got one that fits.

I am thinking that it is 13/16 AF & I don't have one. Certainly my 3/4AF was too small.
Any idea as to the size?

Anyway, put the dizzy back & timing was only about 3 deg out. Soon put right.

Chris

[MarkyB]

Try dropping the socket off the wrench until it is on the flats but no more.
If you can get the wrench back on an eighth of an inch it should be enough to get it started.

If that fails bend the Lucar connector down gently where the hole in it is until you can get a grip.
With any luck it won't break off if it does, you'll still have a pressure gauge to look at.

The warning light only tells you the engine is toast anyway .

[Chris Edgar]

Thanks MarkyB,

I'll try that. It really is the most appalling thing to get at.
Be a few more days now before I get the chance.

Chris

[bmcecosse]

As above - bend the Lucar over and use the socket.

[katy]

Is a "1300 engine" just another name for a 1275? Or is it a different engine altogether?
TIA from a colonial.

[bmcecosse]

Since the engine capacity is 1275cc - I have no idea why some call it '1300'!
But then - a Morris '1000' only has a 948 cc engine, and then later it was 1098 cc - so it seems anything goes!

[Chris Edgar]

Marketing ploy, I imagine.
Sounds more powerful.

The manufacturers never understated their engine capacities.

[Chris Edgar]

New 45D dizzy arrived form Accuspark yesterday, so outside first thing this morning...
removed old dizzy & once again set about trying to get the oil pressure warning switch off...3rd attempt...bent lucar over & yet still failed to get a grip on it.
Sick as a parrot & about to give up, when I unearthed a 7/8" socket with a somewhat longer reach....I then had to remove the single bolt which holds the thick plate to which the dizzy clamp fastens & swivel the plate round to one side.
Was very wary about doing that since I could find no reference to it in the manual. It is the only way to get a socket onto the oil pressure switch though.
At last, success!

Given the lack of space, there was no way I could use the T- piece, so the oil warning lamp is no longer connected.

The new dizzy would not fit in the normal position since the vacuum unit fouled the spin off oil filter, so I had to fit 180 deg. rotated.
No matter.

Results: a much smoother advance under increasing RPM, as seen with the strobe.
Oil pressure 70 psi at 40mph, 40 psi at idle.

All that remains now is to tap the carb spacer, fit a pipe & connect the vacuum unit.
Tomorrow!

[MarkyB]

Success! Where there's a will, there's a way, you know .

[bmcecosse]

That's good oil pressure - well done. You could always try to fit the T at the gauge end of the pipe - but it doesn't really matter. The gauge is the important thing!