Thread: disco 3.9 v8 distributor problem

going on my Rangie ditributor sounds like youve pulled the shaft appart. at the bottom of the dizzy there are two weights which are spring loaded. Its not difficult to pull the dizzy apart and rebuild it just lay every thing out methodically as you pull it apart. There is retaing lugs at the bottom of the shatf to stop the gaer comming off. Of course it may well be completly diffrent on a Disco in which case Ill get shot down on flames and some one with more experiance than I will ell you the right way!

Not 100% on this but I think the shaft is held in by a circlip, and by tugging you may have dislodged it - or worst case broken the circlip.

If you remove the distributor - remember to mark the body in line with the rotor position and add marks on the lower of the dustributor and the front cover first so it goes back in the right place., you might find the offending article - if it's broken - just hope the bits haven't dropped into the engine.

Its a Lucas , distributor, its not like I pryed it of with a screwdriver. Time to get greasy I spose .

From memory this is quite a common fault and its a little plastic part that breaks if you pull up too hard on the rotor shaft.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php't=22087

Been there and done that.

Got pics somewhere on file. It's a piddly little part that is an interference fit between the two parts of the shaft.

You're going to need to take the dizzy out to do this properly and retime the motor statically before it goes back in. The fix can be done with the dizzy in place but access is a bitch unless you're tall and without beer gut. BUT before you move the dizzy put a reference mark there for what WAS the correct timing position for the dizzy assembly for No 1 TDC.

Happy to talk you through it if you want (pm me and and I'll return one with my number.)

Thanks everyone for your help. Well I dont feel such a goose now, its obviously another case of bad British design. I have removed the distributor, and have to re attach the counterweight springs, any one got a better picture than RAVE.

Does any know where I can get the little plastic thingy that goes in the top ? Common-sense would suggest a circlip, would have been a better idea MR LUCAS.

Or the kit (RTC5971 DISTRIBUTOR SMALL PARTS KIT - ROVER V8 )


Andrew

I got pics of everything, and Coopers in Sydney helped me out. I probably have the receipt for the correct part number. Will look tomorrow for you.