Wiggly dizzy

[Steve Jones]

Agree with Winston and Alan. The the length of the 'spout' is critical to obtain the correct mesh. I've converted many 009 distributors but can't tell you what it should be as each time I take the dimension from a Lucas DJ4. If I was to write it down somewhere I'd only loose it!! When doing that you must remember to make allowance for the thickness of the clamp plate. I'm very happy with my 009 type distributors. I would say I've never had a failure but that would, inevitably, lead to a failure! In saying that, I did have a drive gear split along its length though the pin holes as I was getting ready for my first timed run in Ramsey on the IoM a few years back but that proved to be the result of a long standing crack in the gear at that point. There are many 009 type distributors out there of variable quality at a variety of prices but I have a specific source to buy the distributors from. I always do my own conversion so I know exactly what has been done and always change the points, cap, rotor arm and condenser that come with it for items made by Beru obtained from https://www.machine7.com/ Of late, I also extend the distributor shaft so that it comes to the bottom of the drive gear. Probably not absolutely necessary but it just seems 'better' to me than having the gear hang off the end of the shaft.

Steve

[Steve kay]

Raking through the paperwork I find that the distributor has in fact been on the car since April 2017, so not exactly new. It came from "Austin Reproduction Parts" a  009 modified by Willie MacKenzie and so not just a VW or similar off the shelf  job. As my electrical skills are minimal and I do not have a machine shop, I just installed the dizzy and set off, greatly impressed by the improvement. I therefore rely on advise on what to do next, both how to avoid the problem recurring and what to do about the currently worn gearing.

[Dave Wortley]

Steve, as Winston suggests, check that the meshing point on the dizzy gear is the same as the original Lucas one. Talk to the supplier if it isn't but also get the bush at the commutator end replaced. Hopefully it's just a worn bush and not a worn journal on the rotor. While it is in bits make sure the skew gear on the rotor is not too worn. I think you can get a new pair of gears from our cherished suppliers. I have found that you need to check on these gears every year or so (say 2000 miles) and wipe out the old grease and replace with new. Two blobs each a little bigger than a garden pea on your finger is adequate. Too much and it finds its way onto the commutator.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Bob Culver]

My car was acquired by my father in 1940 with 40,000 miles. The only let downs with original parts was failure of this gear at about 95,000, and steer arm at about 70,000.

[Steve kay]

The distributor is en route back to the cherished, and very tolerant and even tempered supplier. The wear is far more than might be expected, but a reason might be discovered. One issue is that sets of pairs of gears are no longer available, to allow new and compatible gears to be put on, so the new dizzy might find itself in the close company of a more worn armature end.

[leaf200]

On the Bosch distributor the grove is for an o ring. If you use it as a location point with a bolt as per the Lucas unit it will mesh wrong. Worth checking

[Nigel Ricardo]

I have 3 distributors from Willie and haven't had any problems, if it was from another supplier I could understand it.