Can’t refit Distributor!

[F3eng1911]

Hi. I know, I know, sounds silly but during my rebuild, I just can’t get the distributor to go in the hole again. I had it in, but when I fitted the engine, I then had to remove it again to get the starter in. Am I missing something here... it feels like it’s hitting something before it fully seats and won’t go any further . I’ve been fiddling, tweaking and turning to try to get it in but no joy. The internal drive gear looks at about 2/40 position and main pulley at TDC. Distributor drive lugs set to match. Looks good to go but just stops that last half inch. Pulling hair out, please help...it should be simple right...cheers.

[Not_Anumber]

I had the same trouble when i changed my distributor very recently and for a while I even doubted it was the right diameter.

The trick is to keep turning the inner shaft round until it engages. Bear in mind the distributor (and camshaft) turn once for every two turns of the crankshaft. If the distributor seems absolutely nowhere near ready to engage then its worth rotating the crank once (full 360 degrees back to TDC again) and then trying the distributor again. Turn the inner shaft a few degrees in either direction to find the point where it engages with its drive gear and it will slide into place. Line the body of the distributor up so the rotor arm points towards where the number 1 spark plug lead is in the cap, semi tighten the distributor's clamp so it will still move but wont turn too easily and you should now be good to start setting up your timing.

[Ian F]

Garry - you have got the clamp completely loose I trust? Not attached to the block and loose around the distributor?

Ian F

[F3eng1911]

Thanks so much folks! Just read your replies and rotated 180 degrees. Can’t say why it wouldn’t go in before as I hadn’t rotated while it was out! But, rotated and it slid right on in! Great. Thanks again for your swift help ...problem sorted. Till the next one eh! !

[Ian F]

Good result!!

Ian F

[Vic Butler]

I presume the distributor drive hasn't been fitted 180 degrees out. It happens. Decades ago I bought a nearly new Gold Seal engine for £10 for my 1955 Series 2 Morris Oxford. It wouldn't start and we eventually discovered the distributor drive was 180 degrees out. 2 & 4 plug leads swapped and then it ran .

[Lakesailor]

I had the same problem, but only for a minute or so. The drive lugs seem to be a very precise fit. The OP did have the offset in the drive and the distributor matched up, did they?

[Bourne]

I thought it better to add my question to a useful, relevant thread rather then start a new one…

I swapped out my old distributor today, as the condition of the Points had deteriorated (it will be restored). Despite loosening the bracket I was not able to get the old distributor to turn or come out and in the end I had to remove one of the bolts holding the bracket onto the engine block. After the old distributor was finally out, I replaced the bracket then installed the replacement distributor. I had better luck getting mine in then the original poster.

My headache though occurred after finishing setting the timing. No matter how tight I did up the bracket, the distributor can still be turned without too much force. The third poster on this thread on the MG Experience Forum suggests this is actually correct; and indeed I was able to drive the car on a 10 mile test drive without an indication of a problem. However it seems odd to me that the distributor can’t be stopped from turning; given it would be so easy to knock it whilst playing with the engine or something like the spark leads and muck up the timing!?

Any advice and guidance on what is “normal” would be gratefully received.

Thanks

David

[Ian F]

David, it should be perfectly tight and unable to turn. You didn't say what your replacement distributor is, but could that have a different diameter where the clamp sits?

The most likely scenario is that the distributor isn't inserted far enough. The diameter where the clamp sits is narrow, and just below that the distributor is not wide enough to clamp.

I suggest you take distributor and clamp off and trial fit on the bench. You should see then exactly how it fits.

Ian F

[Bourne]

Ian,

You are absolutely right: the Distributor that came out was a 45D4 and the replacement was a 25D4. I’ll pull out and reseat as you suggest and will edit this post to confirm the outcome.

Thanks for the D&G

David