Re: Kids, Cars, and a no start LBC

ryan marro wrote:

> My distributor has the "tin man's hat" (vacuum capsule) on it, but has a
> rubber cover over the nipple that should/would connect to the carburettor

In 1977 British Leyland may have intended it that way.  My 1977 Austin
Marina has that exact fitting on the distributor and is correct according to
the emissions diagrams.  They must have had a batch of 45D4 distributors for
use with the Zenith Stromberg carburettor that were not supposed to have a
vacuum assist.  The vacuum unit is there but unused.  Other models years
were different.

I think the lack of vacuum advance is to achieve lower exhaust emissions in
the later years and I plan to reconnect the advance if the distributor will
in fact yield an advance with vacuum applied.  Just apply  a vacuum to it
with the engine idling and a timing light connected to find out.  The
benefits should be better performance and improved fuel consumption.

Fred