Distributor Drive Gear Question

[John Gervais]

I received my newly rebuilt/recurved distributor from the Distributor Doctor today! 

When I unpacked it, I noticed he'd installed a new distributor cap and rotor - the cap having thick brass contacts.  Cool - I'll use this...

So I oriented the engine to TDC (crank pulley notch aligned with the big tooth on the timing chain cover, cylinder #1 rocker gear loose/rocking) with old distributor rotor pointing to #1 cylinder and removed the old distributor from the block.

I then installed the new distributor, and proceeded to move the plug wires to the new cap.

Here's where the fun starts and I really don't understand this...  I guess I need some help.   9.gif

My number 1 cylinder spark plug wire is sitting at around 5 o'clock, number 3 cylinder at 2 o'clock, number 4 cylinder at 10 o'clock and number 2 cylinder at 7 o'clock.

This is something I didn't expect - it's as if it's all rotated 90 degrees clockwise at the cap.  When the engine is at TDC, the rotor points to #1 cylinder, so the drive gear must be correct, right?.

I did have the drive gear removed a few years ago, and I can't remember why I did that.

Is there a chance that I've simply messed up when I static timed the engine by possibly rotating the dizzy body too far?


In the event that I need to remove the drive gear again and re-install it, does anyone have any photographs or good advice beyond the Haynes or workshop manual?

[94touring]

You may have simply rotated the body too far when setting it up.  I did that initially on the 123 I installed on the maroon mini build.  Yours probably sets up different than the 123 but I imagine the principle is the same. 

[John Gervais]

Aha!  Just had a thought - I'm using the Luminition Optronic electronic ignition and do you'll think it could be possible that I've set the 'chopper' onto the dizzy lobes 90 degrees off?

The attached image will hopefully illustrate what I've done -

[John Gervais]

It starts just fine, drives just fine, just looks a bit 'funky' if you know the A-series and look at the plug wires...  They're 'shifted'...

I still need to properly adjust the timing, but having quickly installed the dizzy and taken it for a spin around the block and a short jaunt up the highway, the car is running cooler, quieter and more civilized.  It's not as 'savage' as it was before, but maybe some of that will return once I get things set up 'properly' - that'll of course involve more twiddling with the carb again...

[94touring]

Oh well shoot if it's running fine, then yeah probably that part you posted is off 90. 

[John Gervais]

I feel like I'm solving the problem - backtracking through my steps.

Check this image out and you'll see that those little bumps should have been on the lobe peaks.  So, I installed the chopper 90 degrees out and have since forgotten all about it...  Muppet... :-[

Reading the instructions again really helped.  I recon that because the chopper was such a tight fit, that I just installed it where it felt most 'natural' and figured it'd be good enough.

[94touring]

Good to know.  I've never had my hands on one of those dizzies and had never seen that part you posted till today. 

[John Gervais]

I like this electronic ignition kit a lot - sure, it's not 'compact', but I like the optical principle.   77.gif

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/electronic-ignition-kits/lumenition-optronic-classic-collection-contact-breaker-replacement-system

I just wish I'd oriented the chopper correctly...  Oh well, the FK117 fitting kits come with both a 4-blade and a 6-blade chopper and since we've got the classic races here this weekend, maybe there'll be a 6cyl. MG owner who has a 4-blade chopper to trade for a 6-blade chopper that I'll never use.

I also like the smiley options available - they add flavour.  Cool -