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Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:00 pm
by westernair
Glenn is the ultimate authority when it comes to these types of distributors, and a great guy. He should have the parts. If not I can look through my parts box and see what I have if you do not find a closer source.
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:36 pm
by berger
Thanks again Shawn, I bought a drive off of Glenn tonight!
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:03 pm
by berger
This arrived in the mail today. Glen threw in some shims and a fibre washer too.
Could someone tell me how loose the drive should be on the dizzy? I know it should spin, but is it a stiff spin?
Sent from my iPhone
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:59 am
by Stekay
I should be completely loose. I'd aim for a shaft end play of .015".
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:12 am
by berger
Stekay wrote:I should be completely loose. I'd aim for a shaft end play of .015".
Thanks.
When the dizzy is reinserted, do those drive teeth need to be seated a certain way?
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 9:27 am
by berger
Found this diagram. It is for a VW, but I believe the drive or "dogs" require the same alignment.

Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:16 am
by Stekay
It will only go in the correct way because of the offset illustrated. It should not bottom in the coupling when tightened or all your free play (that .015' or so) will be taken up and it will not be turning freely and will wear.
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:19 am
by berger
Stekay wrote:It will only go in the correct way because of the offset illustrated. It should not bottom in the coupling when tightened or all your free play (that .015' or so) will be taken up and it will not be turning freely and will wear.
I am not sure what you mean by bottom in the coupling?
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:58 am
by Stekay
Simply put, if when the distributor is seated AND clamped down, you should still have some axial (vertical) free play in the shaft.
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:42 pm
by berger
Stekay wrote:Simply put, if when the distributor is seated AND clamped down, you should still have some axial (vertical) free play in the shaft.
Is the free play tested by pulling up on the rotor and shaft?
Thanks for the help....Motorcycle dizzy's are much easier!

Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:41 pm
by Stekay
Yes, up & down.
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:36 pm
by berger
Ok, the weather wasn't as cold tonight, so I decided to tackle the distributor drive. I took some photos of the dis-assembly. I think there is way to much movement and I don't think it is shimmed enough. Where is the .015 measured?
Distributor removed while at TDC. You can see where the drive engages.
You can see the gap best here. This is with the shaft at its lowest.
Should there be this much play?
Shaft pulled up all the way.
This is a video of the axial movement (click image)
Drifting the pin out.
Disassembled...you can see there was what appears to be one metal ring and a fibre washer.

Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:25 pm
by berger
Does anyone know if the Pinz distributor gear is supposed to line up like the VW? At TDC, the VW pic is perpendicular to the case, with small segment towards the pully, whereas mine is not quite perpendicular.
Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:44 pm
by berger
I got it assembled today. I am still not sure if I put on enough shims or not, but when I got it installed, she fired up easier then she has in a while. Still some fine tuning to do, but hopefully this is sorted.....
You can see here that it is a much better fit and less movement than before....(I did remember to install the spring clip)
There is still some axial play when pulling up on the shaft....to much...to little???
Click me...

Re: Distributer loosening...again.
Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 6:37 am
by berger
Wouldn't you know that reading the Repair Manual is actually helpful??

I guess I was always looking at the distributor instructions in the Electrical Section when I should have been in the Engine Section....
I found this tid-bit of info last night in the manual that
does match the info I posted earlier about the orientation of the distributor drive in the block for a VW.....
Before I left for work this morning, I just had to check....Of course the manual tells you to pull the drive pinion and re-seat, but not how!! Using a 1/4" piece of fuel line, whittled slightly at one end, I inserted it into the drive, lifted, and viola!! I slowly re-seated it, slightly offset towards the fly-wheel, until it caught the gear and pulled it left, or perpendicular with the block ("driving direction").
Timing check will come later....