Retroanaconda Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 Okay, no more fuel leak Still no go, so I'm looking with suspicion at the ignition system. Only problem is, I have absolutely no idea where to look. I took an HT lead off, and put a spare plug on it, turned it over on the handle (found it!) and no spark at any point. Off with the dizzy cap then: I am under the impression that there should be a pair of contacts which cause the coil to fire when they open? I can't see anything moving when the engine is turning over, aside from the bigger arm in the middle. Could someone point out to me where these contact parts are and how to adjust/replace them? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_P Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 The points have that red piece of plastic which is the cam follower on the points. The cam lobe on the distributor (below the rotor arm - which is removable) pushes the contact points open. The contacts need to be clean from corrosion. The opened position gap should be set somewhere around 10 to 15 thou (I think, not got book to hand ). To remove them, you undo the little nut on the left. Be careful to not lose the plastic washers. To adjust, you unwind the screw slightly so that you can rotate the base plate. When you get the desired position, tighten it up again (but don't go ape on it, same for little nut). For your future reference of parts, that's a Lucas 45D distributor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 So it looks as if my engine (which is a suffix A, so probably the original 1972 engine) has had a later (suffix D on) type distributor put on. I will see if I can adjust it up properly, can't see any 'gaps' anywhere at the moment. Probably get a new set of contacts, a condensor, and a set of HT leads anyhow as they're all reasonably cheap. After that it's just the coil left to be suspected! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Get a sidelight bulb an connect it between the contact (the one that goes to the coil) on the side of the dizzy and the engine block. (Don't remove the existing wire). The bulb is in parallel with the poinrs and should flash on and off as you turn the engine over. If it stays on:- The contacts aren't closing or the wire from the terminal to the actual points is broken. If it doesn't come on at all:- There is no 12v feed to the coil The coil is open circuit The contacts are shorted to earth The condenser is shorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 You need to get the workshop manuals. Read them over and over and it kindof sinks in. They may be in the technical section here Otherwise try this: http://www.landroverweb.com/Land-Rover-Range-Rover-manual-pdf.htm I usually print out the pages for what I'm working on, laptops and engine oil are a bad combination. It really helps with the names of stuff and the like. A haynes manual is a fairly good substitute as it is mainly a copy of th workshop manuals. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 I have both the official workshop manual and the Haynes, just perusing the Distributor section now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 It lives! After much reading of the manuals I now understand what all the bits are and what they do. So I looked carefully at the dizzy while my brother turned the engine on the handle, and I saw that the contacts weren't opening at all. Got my screwdriver out and adjusted them so that they did open (didn't have my feeler gauges with me so couldn't gauge what gap I had created though, just set it so it *just* opened), put the dizzy back together and turned the key. To my amazing surprise she fired right up! Bit smokey, but then I imagine it would be having been laid up for 9 years. So very very pleased, just to know that the engine is a runner is such a relief Looking at the actuating arm on the points, and the four-lobed cam on the dizzy shaft, there appears to be some wear on both. With that in mind, and my reluctance to spend money on new parts for what is effectively a very old fashioned system, when it all goes back together again later in the year I'm going to put Megajolt on it if I have the money to spare Thanks for the help all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Excellent! The smoke may have been the oil you put down the bores burning off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 The smoke was definitely the stuff you put in the bores, I checked my compressions last week, had one low so I did them again with oil in the bores to see what the difference would be. When she was restarted the smokescreen was impressive for a minute or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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