| Author | Message | ||
     Michael G. Duckworth (Hampton_89rr) New Member Username: Hampton_89rr Post Number: 29 Registered: 04-2003 |
Recently removed my distributor from my 89 RR and sure enough the shaft for the advance mechanism has seized. Has anyone run into the same problem and any suggestions for loosening the mechanism. Thanks. | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 159 Registered: 05-2003 |
Can you just buy a new advance mech.? Replace it with a new one now or you'll be doing it again sooner rather than later. | ||
| A. Ali (Alia176) Member Username: Alia176 Post Number: 131 Registered: 03-2003 |
If the plate (base) that's turned by the advance mechanism is a little tight, chances are that your counterweights need to be freed. These weights are located under the base plate and may need a shot of WD40. See if you can turn the rotor freely with your hand and it should spring back. If not, then the counterweights need some lube. If the vacuum advance doesn't hold vacuum by sucking on it, then you need a new advance unit too. Some points to ponder about.....! | ||
| Michael G. Duckworth (Hampton_89rr) New Member Username: Hampton_89rr Post Number: 30 Registered: 04-2003 |
Thanks everyone. It does appear to be nothing wrong with the vacuum advance - it appears to be the mechanical advance. (I have read a lot the last couple of days and think I may be grasping a little more about advance mechanisms.) Thanks for the advice on the WD40. I took the whole piece out and soaked it in WD40. I can now start to move the rotor and the counterweights are moving and coming back with the springs. How common is this with the Lucas Distributor? I have been reading a lot about the Mallory Distributors and considering maybe switching sometime in the future. | ||
| Jason Bradley (Jbradley) New Member Username: Jbradley Post Number: 17 Registered: 04-2003 |
I am trouble shooting a distributor myself. Can you post any good links you have found. Here is the only good one I have found,. http://www.singingcamel.com/html/distributorrbd.html | ||
| Michael G. Duckworth (Hampton_89rr) New Member Username: Hampton_89rr Post Number: 31 Registered: 04-2003 |
I have not found a lot of good information about the Lucas distributor. However I have reviewed RPi Engineering's webpage on the Mallory distributor as well as Century Performance. http://www.rpiv8.com/faq-mall.htm http://www.centuryperformance.com/mallory/index.asp I am still working on mine and will try to get it running with the Lucas. If I run into any problems, then I will more than likely switch. Thanks for the singing camel webpage. It may help me remove the portion of the shaft that holds the rotor arm. That is the part frozen to the drive shaft. | ||
| Jason Bradley (Jbradley) New Member Username: Jbradley Post Number: 18 Registered: 04-2003 |
Thanks for the links. Mine is also frozen on the drive shaft. I have been working it by hand and spraying it with PB blaster to get it to free-up to remove it. I will remove the springs and try to pull that sucker off with some serious vice grips and then clean it/ sand it back to where it "springs" back. The vac advance is original so it is probably shot as well. Seems the Mallory is a common replacement but I am too cheap to buy anything new for this old rover. | ||
| Michael G. Duckworth (Hampton_89rr) New Member Username: Hampton_89rr Post Number: 32 Registered: 04-2003 |
Can anyone explain what difference in performance between a mechanical advance that is frozen and one that is not. I have finally been able to get everything cleaned up and currently waiting on the Distributor Repair Kit for final assembly. Since I believe the mechanical advance was frozen from the day I purchased the RR, I am wondering how it will perform with the mechanical advance fixed. Thanks. Thanks, Michael | ||
| Jason Bradley (Jbradley) New Member Username: Jbradley Post Number: 19 Registered: 04-2003 |
Mine starts eveytime but will die if you don't hold your foot slightly on the gas to keep it going and runs as if it is on half the cylinders - very gassy smell and not all the power I am used to. SInce it has not been burning all the gas there is serious carbon rich build up all through the various vac lines and plenum and on the plugs. I will drove the holy helfire out of it when it is running again to blow out he carbon and use some snake oil additives via the plenum to help get it out the exhaust. | ||
| Randall Smith (Mr_smith) Member Username: Mr_smith Post Number: 128 Registered: 04-2003 |
You can avoid this problem by putting a couple of drops of oil in the center tube of the dist(where the rotor presses on). Your engine will be peppier when the mech advance is working. Generally speaking; the amount of time it takes for the combustion process to take place does not increase as fast as the engine speed increases. So the mech advance ignites the mixture more degrees in advance of TDC as the rpms go up. Vacuum advance is used to advance the timing about 2 degrees when the throttle is just barely cracked open. Less dense charges burn slower so the timing gets advanced a little to start the burning sooner. If you took the vac advance off and threw it in the trash you would never know the difference. Randall | ||
| A. Ali (Alia176) Member Username: Alia176 Post Number: 133 Registered: 03-2003 |
Excellent advice from Mr Smith as always. My .02 cents....be very careful when removing the rotor as the little plastic piece that's inside (dist top hat) is very fragile. They're cheap to replace from LR and should be done anyway. By now, I can safely assume that all RRCs have high mileage. Be watchful of the springs that you remove from under the baseplate. And, use a brass feeler gauge to set the reluctor gap once everything is back in place. My opinion on replacing the dizzy: not really worth it due to the fact that practically every dizzy system has a weakness. Whether you have an optical, infrared or magnetic picup, these "modules" are sensitive to voltage spikes, water, or dirt, etc.. As far as performance gains....our vehicles are pigs with tiny engines! I can see the power argument on high revving engines that RPI sells for racers. I think more power can be realized by simply replacing the timing chain and gears with a higher quality part like Cloyes, Edelbrock,etc. And replace every vacuum hose under the hood. Leaky hoses can contribute to a poor(er) performing engine. I do recommend that the entire dizzy is replaced due to the bushings that wear inside the shaft housing. These bushings are difficult to service, and will allow a certain amount of "wobble" on the shaft. This wobble can translate into a tired engine to experience even worse performance. Let's face it, we need every bit of hampster power we can get outta these engines! Sorry for the long babble! Ali '91RRC | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 169 Registered: 05-2003 |
O.K., when I bought my RR in L.A., I drove it around on the flats. It seemed fine. When I drove it home, I had to drive over Tehachapi Pass. When I started going uphill, on any kine of grade, it would lose power, stumble, run rough. Thought I was f'd. I ended up shifting to 3rd so the RPMs were up. It ran O.K. in third and I was able to make it over the pass and on to San Jose. 2 days later I had it rebuilt, and it ran like a champ all thru summer and most of the fall 'til another issue waylaid my poor baby. Had I known about the Mallory, I would have just got one and been done with it. The rebuild was nearly 2X the cost of a new Mallory.  | ||
| Brian Anderson (Hans) Member Username: Hans Post Number: 96 Registered: 08-2003 |
I was looking at the Mallory choices, can anyone explain the difference between the Dual Point and the Electric... other than the electric being $100 more? | ||
| Randall Smith (Mr_smith) Member Username: Mr_smith Post Number: 157 Registered: 04-2003 |
Brian Forget about points type distributor. That type of dist has no place on a car in 2004. | ||
| Michael G. Duckworth (Hampton_89rr) New Member Username: Hampton_89rr Post Number: 39 Registered: 04-2003 |
What is the model for the Mallory Electric? I have the one for points. | ||
| Brian Anderson (Hans) Member Username: Hans Post Number: 97 Registered: 08-2003 |
MAL-4768901 | ||
| A. Ali (Alia176) Member Username: Alia176 Post Number: 147 Registered: 03-2003 |
A friend of mine just bought a Mallory Unilite dizzy and a coil. He's very happy so far. He claims that the engine picks up speed smoothly. He's even happier at the prospect of not having a ICM anymore. I think the price for everything was around $400. | ||
| Hendrik Behrmann (Hendrik) New Member Username: Hendrik Post Number: 24 Registered: 09-2003 |
Just to show sbdy�s different opinion: http://www.lrenthusiastforum.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB10&Number =214898&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart= |
