Massive risk may not have paid off.

[1958trebor]

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. Finally, my much abused 1098 started running on three last Wednesday and as it used 2 litres of oil per week, it is time for a replacement. Reality kicks in, The engines I spent £50 to £100 on 15 years ago no longer exist. In their place 'fully reconditioned units', starting from £2500! No engines in Minor Matters so onto Ebay, There is a 950, Fully reconditioned for...................£600!
The seller said he had been driving home to Halifax when his engine blew up at Luton, He was towed into a Garage and a recon engine was fitted.
He completed 800 miles on it when his car failed an MOT to such a level that he scrapped it, saving the new engine. This all happened in 1999 by the way. In desperation, I bought it and collected it on Sunday. I have no idea if the story is total BS because without a borescope, I have to believe what he said. Anyway put the engine in this afternoon and can't get it to fire. I have electronic ignition and the shaft seems too high as the retaining bolt is 4 to 5 mm above the body. Also, lots of people have turned the crank expecting it to be seized. I do not know what to do. Is it 180 degrees out? is it even the right distributor? Who knows? Can anyone provide an idiot guide for an idiot to walk them through setting up the timing on what may be a real bargain or, as fishermen say, a total piece of Carp.
P.S Yes, I am one of those people who only contribute when I'm in the mire but having owned Mogs for over 40 years, that appears to be my natural position!

[svenedin]

So what you are saying is your distributor from a 1098cc presumably a Lucas 25D will not go fully home into your new 948cc engine? The drive dog on the distributor has a slight offset to it so it will only go in fully the right way. Put your finger down the distributor drive hole and feel for which way the slot is pointing. Then align the drive dog on the distributor as close as you can and try to fit it. If it won't go all the way give the rotor a wiggle as you push it home. If it absolutely won't go try the distributor drive rotated 180 degrees. Make sure the pinch bolt on the distributor mounting plate is loose. This has worked for me as with the engine fitted it is hard to see down the distributor drive hole in the block. Once you have the distributor fully home you'll need to have the timing roughly correct in order for it to fire but get the distributor fitted properly first.

You can see the slight offset in this photo.

Stephen

IMG_8874.jpeg (999.16 KiB) Viewed 950 times

[svenedin]

Assuming you now have the distributor installed properly.....


You asked about how to set up the basic timing, at least good enough to get the car to start. You have electronic ignition. You asked for an idiot's guide so I hope this is not written in an over simplistic way!

This is what I would do.

You have to identify TDC on cylinder 1 on the compression stroke. Just knowing piston 1 is at the top of its stroke is not enough as it could be on the compression stroke or the exhaust stroke. To find out, remove the spark plug from cylinder 1. Fit the starting handle. Put your thumb over the open spark plug hole as if to seal it airtight. Now turn the starting handle slowly until you feel compression rising in the cylinder (it should feel as if air is trying to push your thumb off the hole). Now you have identified cylinder 1 is on the compression stroke. Go under the car and look for the finger pointer timing marks on the timing chain cover. The bigger pointer pointing straight down is TDC, the next smaller pointer is 5 degrees B (before) TDC. Turn the starting handle clockwise whilst looking for the timing mark (a small notch) on the rim of the pulley. Turn until the pulley timing mark is just past the big pointer but not as far as the next finger. Very roughly you are at 3 degrees BTDC now.

Go back up top, remove starting handle being careful not to turn the engine. Replace spark plug.

Check the ignition leads in the distributor cap go to the correct spark plug. The distributor rotor rotates ANTICLOCKWISE when the engine is running (an arrow on the rotor shows the direction). The first cylinder to fire is 1 and then anticlockwise on the distributor cap 3 then 4 and lastly 2. Firing order 1, 3 ,4 ,2.

Now turn the distributor body so that the rotor is roughly aligned to fire cylinder 1 (look at the cap, identify the lead going to cylinder 1 and align the rotor so that it would fire that cylinder. Gently nip the pinch bolt up so that the distributor is not loose but could still be turned by hand.

Very roughly speaking when looking from above from the distributor side of the engine, the rotor points in the 3 O'clock position. The flying saucer vacuum advance points forwards towards the radiator.

Now check your wiring to the electronic ignition. Coil connections and connection to distributor. Do NOT guess this. If you connect it wrong polarity you can destroy the electronic module. Look up the instructions for your unit if necessary.

Now you should be ready to try to start the car. Small tweaks of the distributor anticlockwise/clockwise until best running is achieved.

Good Luck!

Stephen

[1958trebor]

Hi Steve, you do yourself an injustice. That is the best, most easily followed set of instructions I could have wished for. I have spent yesterday afternoon attempting to find 'TDC' using a small screwdriver. Then, on my back, trying to align almost invisible timing marks, only to find the engine backfiring like a pig and flames coming out of the carburetor. Your tip about feeling for the compression stroke was pure genius as was the reminder that the distributor goes ANTI-CLOCKWISE! I had done everything clockwise. Why? I don't know. I used to have a gang of mechanics who, having taken the p*ss out of the local bobby again, would always sort out my latest drama. Sadly, they have either retired, died or run off with a 24 year old Thai lady, so I'm pretty much having to learn from scratch. Your 'Idiots guide' is just right. Not all of us have spent 40 years on the shop floor etc etc and your sort of easy to follow instructions will help us to keep our cars going for longer. May thanks, Bob.

[svenedin]

Bob,

Very glad to hear it is all sorted and your thanks are most appreciated. I am not a mechanic but I try my best.

Stephen

[Monty-4]

Sounds like it paid off!

Not a bad deal for an engine. After having machining done and buying bearings, an oil pump, gasket sets, pistons, piston rings and a load of fixings a reconditioning could come close to the price you paid. Plus it takes a lot longer and requires existing skills or a lot of reading!