Thanks again to all that responded so quickly AND for correcting me on the
retard
vs advance unit. I now understand that the vacuum retard unit was only part
of the stock electronic unit.
After cleaning up the unit I can now read on the distributor that it is a
Lucas 25D - obviously not a Delco Remy as I thought earlier. Haynes shows
only a 45D4 or 45DE4 for Spitfires. Here's a question: What
is the 25D off of?
Len Lubbers
Ottawa, Ontario
'79 Spitfire
-----Original Message-----
From: L&B Lubbers <lubbers@sympatico.ca>
To: Spitfire (E-mail) <spitfires@autox.team.net>
Date: August 11, 2000 6:59 PM
Subject: Vacuum Retard unit
>
>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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