Oh, THAT'S why it wouldn't start...

[Nick Salmon]

Drove the RP yesterday, no problems. This morning it would not start. A look inside the distributor showed why. I am amazed it ran at all yesterday.

Mental note to self: Do not overgrease the drive gear...

   

[Chris KC]

Still at least your distributor bushes got a drop of lubricant Nick....

[David Stepney]

Some models of that - and the earlier distributor - have a screw-down grease cap to lubricate the spindle. I rebuilt a distributor the other week and filled the cap, expecting it to be no more than a cosmetic fitting and useless. But, no, just one turn of the cap and grease came out at both the bottom and the top. I don't know what the official instructions regarding its use were, but based on the usual Austin advice to grease everything every 500 miles, I'll bet it was, 'fill the cap and screw it down fully every time you fill the petrol tank'. I can't remember ever greasing the spindle when the car was in daily use and doing 15,000 to 19,000 miles a year.

I give mine half a turn every service. Only had to refill it once in 20K miles.

[Tony Griffiths]

Some models of that - and the earlier distributor - have a screw-down grease cap to lubricate the spindle. I rebuilt a distributor the other week and filled the cap, expecting it to be no more than a cosmetic fitting and useless. But, no, just one turn of the cap and grease came out at both the bottom and the top. I don't know what the official instructions regarding its use were, but based on the usual Austin advice to grease everything every 500 miles, I'll bet it was, 'fill the cap and screw it down fully every time you fill the petrol tank'. I can't remember ever greasing the spindle when the car was in daily use and doing 15,000 to 19,000 miles a year.

I give mine half a turn every service. Only had to refill it once in 20K miles.

That sounds about right!

[Charles P]

When mine wouldn't start this had happened.

Sadly it was a modern replacement part, less than a year old from a well known vendor (not an A7 specialist). Just poorly made from the wrong material.
Bought a new set from the Distributor Doctor that were made from the right, fibrous material, not just plastic.

   

[Steve kay]

A magneto is quite a good idea…..

[Hugh Barnes]

I think the honourable member meant to say, 2 magnetos are a good idea. One under the seat for when the first one packs up...

[Charles P]

A magneto is quite a good idea…..

Harder to swap out components than a coil system when fault tracing, but they do have much to commend them, especially rotating magnet models

[Steve kay]

Just at the moment I am all too aware of the challenges of fault tracking. A certain machine built in Pickersleigh Road in 1935 using Malvern's finest plywood and an engine made in Dagenham, having run delightfully, developed an ignition problem still defeating slow and careful replacement of coil, consendser, HT leads, rotor arm etc etc....what else is there. Meanwhile an alleged 1924 Seven with no electrics whatsoever and magneto ignition always fires up when the fuel level is carefully checked. Of course it would have a spare magneto if the question of a reliable rewinding business can be solved, after the retirement of previous magneto specialists. Must hastily return to work in case Editor Howard sees that one of his writers is skiving instead of writing.

[Howard Wright]

Just at the moment I am all too aware of the challenges of fault tracking. A certain machine built in Pickersleigh Road in 1935 using Malvern's finest plywood and an engine made in Dagenham, having run delightfully, developed an ignition problem still defeating slow and careful replacement of coil, consendser, HT leads, rotor arm  etc etc....what else is there.  Meanwhile an alleged 1924 Seven with no electrics whatsoever and magneto ignition always fires up when the fuel level is carefully checked. Of course it would have a spare magneto if the question of a reliable rewinding business can be solved, after the retirement of previous magneto specialists.  Must hastily return to work in case Editor Howard sees that one of his writers is skiving instead of writing.

I’m watching you!

Howard