Hi all
I am looking at my distributor and wondering whether there shouldn't be a
vacuum line attached to the ... well vacuum retard unit. This is not my
question... just wait. The timing was advanced right off the timing scale,
which left the vacuum capsule tight up against the alternator with no vacuum
line attached. There is a small threaded pipe sticking out of the capsule
which is where I would expect one to be attached.
>From my recollection of what I have read on the list, and what I see in my
Haynes manual, the '79 Spit in North America came with an electronic
ignition (Lucas 45DE4 - It is no longer there and I do have points.) This
explains why there is a 3 wire plug coming from the wiring harness and going
nowhere (but close the the distributor). It appears the PO (or the PO's PO,
etc ... there were ten before me... and I'm envious of Reid) retrofited a
different distributor and left the vacuum retard unit jammed up against the
alternator. Again, according to Haynes, it looks like a Delco Remy. There
is a clicking thumb screw on one side.
But I digress. After setting the timing to 10 BTDC, I am left with only
1/4" gap to the alternator ... hardly enough room to attach one of the
rubber elbows and thermowhatchamacallit plasitic vacuum line.
THE QUESTION: Can this be rectified by playing musical chairs with the plug
wires at the cap end and twisting the distributor 1/4 counterclockwise at
the clamp plate? This would put the axis of the thumb screw approximately
perpendicular to the motor.
This just in...the current thread regarding Paul Tegler's flaky advance
makes me ask: Should I bother connecting this?I have a stock single
Stromberg carb?
Len Lubbers
Ottawa, Ontario
'79 Spitfire (11th owner and held the longest ... but it is for sale, you
know)
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