Lack of power

[Dave Mann]

On my way back from the lunch time meet in Litton where only 2 RN's had braved the cold I called in on a friend who had refitted the dynamo following repair and thought he'd got the timing one tooth out. I removed No 1 plug and the distributor cap and turned engine to No1 firing and noticed the rotor arm wasn't turning so well and tried turning it. It's an auto advance distributor and the rotor arm turned over half a turn, I removed the distributor base plate and saw this      . All the bits were there just in the wrong place with the missing D plate under the weight, all I can assume is that the screw securing the rotor arm shaft had loosened enough for everything to come adrift. The screw wasn't tight.

[Dave Mann]

I took it home and reassembled it correctly but if I tightened the rotor shaft screw it locked the auto advance mechanism also the pegs which engaged with the D plates were only just engaging. As usual the internet didn't provide any information and after peering into the assembled works I spotted a washer under the rotor shaft. It was dismantled, the washer, a fibre one, was removed and hey presto everything assembled correctly.

[Ivor Hawkins]

I love it when a plan comes together!