Timing in a SuperSprint

[Angus]

I am attemting to refit the distributor on my 1991 Supersprint after the rotor arm disintegrated and smashed the pickup sensor. Of course the bits are obsolete, but I have managed to overcome that particular problem. Now my question is:

 

Whats the secret to putting the thing back in the car so that the timing is not out ? If I line No1 cylinder at TDC are there some magic marks to line up to get the distibutor spindle in the correct alignment relative to the distributor body ?

 

Any help much appreciated. Rgds, Angus

 

Angus Denny

 

Surrey AO (retiring)

[Angus]

Well I've had so many replies that I must have got you al completely stumped !! Well you can now stop scatching your heads - I think I have found the solution:

 

The helical gear on the end of the distributor spindle that meshes with the camshaft has 11 teeth. That means 11 possible positions for the distributor, each one being 360/11 (approx 33) degrees apart. Rather than trying all positions, what I did was to put the engine at TDC on No1 cyclinder on the firing stroke (No4 inlet and exhaust rockers moving - feel them through the oil filler on the rocker cover).

 

Then with the distributor just poised above its mounting hole I rotated the spindle until the rotor arm was approximately opposite where the No1 electrode in the distributor cap would be if it were fitted.

 

I then pushed the distributor fully home into the block. Unfortunately doing this caused the spindle to rotate slightly because of the helical gear meshing which meant that I had to allow for this in the initial position of the cap.

 

Having reassembled the retaining bolt and cap, I tried for a start. Not surprisingly it didnt want to know. A few half-hearted farts and that was it.

 

I then did everything again - removed everything, found TDC, and lifted out the distributor. I carefully rotated the spindle 1 'tooth' and replaced it. Refitting everything, and this time it worked - the engine fired first time !

 

I now need to fine-tune the timing on the strobe light, but at least the distributor is in the right place.

 

Next time I think I will put some marks on the dissy so that refitting is straightforward !