Terminology!

Mick Rae

Mick Rae

Active Member
Now don't laugh! But I often find myself wondering if the bit I am looking at is the name I think it might be. I removed the distributor today (2200sc) to rebuild. There is the 'adaptor' that lives down the hole the distributor comes out of, the thing that the distributor meshes with, loose, sits between distributor and drive. Is that the "dog"? If it is not, what is the dog, and what's the "adaptors" real name please?
Okay, go on then, have a laugh at my ignorance......but if I don't ask I'll never know.
Cheers
Mick
 
Hey, thanks, appreciate your good news reply, I got something right for once. Still don't know my annulus from my elbow, but now I got my dog dizzy!
I'm no expert (oh really!) but pretty sure the distributor shaft shouldn't waggle up and down and side to side. I'm still chasing a very intermittent misfire, and this is about all that's left to blame on ignition. Carb all checked, cleaned, rechecked. All rest of ignition checked, swapped, pondered. Only happens when warm, only happens once or twice an hour. Thinking that with points any excess play in distributor might just be a cause maybe, possible?) so off to the Distributor Doctor it goes.
 
Mick Rae said:
Hey, thanks, appreciate your good news reply, I got something right for once. Still don't know my annulus from my elbow, but now I got my dog dizzy!
I'm no expert (oh really!) but pretty sure the distributor shaft shouldn't waggle up and down and side to side. I'm still chasing a very intermittent misfire, and this is about all that's left to blame on ignition. Carb all checked, cleaned, rechecked. All rest of ignition checked, swapped, pondered. Only happens when warm, only happens once or twice an hour. Thinking that with points any excess play in distributor might just be a cause maybe, possible?) so off to the Distributor Doctor it goes.
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Yeah, play in the dizzy spindle on a points equipped car can certainly cause problems. While it’s in for that maybe ask if he has a recurve to deal with modern fuels. A correct ignition curve can really help performance and smoothness.
Do you hear the misfire more than feel it?
 
Good suggestion about the recurve, cheers for that. Will ask.
Regarding hear Vs feel, this miss if definitely feel only, like the engine misses a beat, almost as if it was switched off for a half second, then fine again. I've worked my way through ignition, including setting up a temp 12v coil to bypass ballast wire, all made no difference, so this is last price of ignition puzzle. It's never really stopped me driving, just don't like not knowing what the issue is!
 
Mick Rae said:
Good suggestion about the recurve, cheers for that. Will ask.
Regarding hear Vs feel, this miss if definitely feel only, like the engine misses a beat, almost as if it was switched off for a half second, then fine again. I've worked my way through ignition, including setting up a temp 12v coil to bypass ballast wire, all made no difference, so this is last price of ignition puzzle. It's never really stopped me driving, just don't like not knowing what the issue is!
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Yep, that sounds more like a dizzy related miss. If you just hear a slight misfire as a pop in the exhaust it could be a bad valve or head gasket (had both happen in the past).
 
On two of my four-cyinder P6s I've had intermittent cutting out caused by an internal break in the wire from coil to distributor. Might be worth substituting a temporary length of wire there to see if that fixes the problem.
 
Tried that John, but like all my tries, drive off, fine for 30 mins, was convinced that was it, then nope, miss back. Tried so many things now that as I have never actually came to a halt I drive and accept, but never give up :). Thanks for your thoughts though, much appreciated.
 
If it’s only coming up after 30 mins I’d be inclined to try a new condenser. If it was present from the get go I’d consider the dizzy. But after a period of time it starts happening I’d expect a component over heating and failing.
 
Have tried three or four of everything now, including taking a bit at a time from a working vehicle with same distributor (and it's coil, leads, plugs). I wondered if as things warm up, the slop in the shaft was getting worse, letting a bit more play in, but prob wishful thinking! We will see in a couple weeks, and I will report back...........till then, I am without excuses, will need to tidy up the garden!
 
Mick Rae said:
Have tried three or four of everything now, including taking a bit at a time from a working vehicle with same distributor (and it's coil, leads, plugs). I wondered if as things warm up, the slop in the shaft was getting worse, letting a bit more play in, but prob wishful thinking! We will see in a couple weeks, and I will report back...........till then, I am without excuses, will need to tidy up the garden!
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Dodgy bullet or spade connectors.
Do the 4 pots have the inline ballast wire which gives problems like this on the 8's?
 
Yeah, there is a ballast wire, but ruled that out by hooking up a 12v coil that I could quickly switch to when out on the road, so bypassing the ballast wire, still missed occasionally. All connections been made to sparkle/replaced/contact cleaner. Kinda beat to be honest, but then noted slop in distributor so hoping that's the cure. Whilst perplexing, it's been fun figuring through possibilities (with loads of help here, thanks all, your suggestions have been really instructive). And the other advantage is I know the ignition system, carb etc like back of hand now, which is really a good thing, as it's a tiny bit different from my old MG, which I knew so well I never had anything other than complete confidence for long drives, now getting to this stage with the Rover. I really look forward to getting rebuilt distributor back to see if latest effort is the answer, and regardless, it will run better for sure.
 
Just a thought, is the earth lead/braid connecting the dist body to the baseplate OK? If not it's only earthed where ever the baseplate touches when moving about.

Colin
 
Yep, checked that Colin. Perplexingly, I can go for miles before it happens. For example, couple weeks back, happened once in second gear coming away from a junction, the seventy odd miles without a hick. Stopped for a cup of tea, then missed three times in first few miles, then fine for forty miles, then a single miss, fine for the remaining thirty miles. Next day, fine all the time on a twenty mile journey. In between hicks, car seems to really sing well. Glad to say it's not preventing me getting it out and driving (does cause a look of concern on partners face though!).
 
It's fixed! The distributor doctor is my new hero! They sent back my distributor looking like new, with new cam plate, points etc, no slop whatsoever in it, correctly curved. Fast turnaround and beautiful work. Upon fitting and timing, I noted how steady the timing marks were, how smooth idle was. On driving, revs freely as compared to before. Always felt there was a bit of a flat spot around 40/50, but it's subjective......... however it's now no more, really smooth pulling. And best of all (drumroll!), the misfire I have chased for two years is gone. It's like a new car to drive. Thanks for all your patience with my daft questions. A solid thumbs up for Martin Jay, the DD!
 
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