Fitting a new distributor?

[dw350i]

Is this job as simple as it would appear? or are there any known issues i should be aware of?

[wedg1e]

Aye, piece of cake. Unless you're trying to fit one from a Mini, or maybe a garden tractor?

Remember to offset the rotor arm by a few degrees to allow for the twist as it engages the cam drive and Fanny is your maternal relative

[350zwelgje]

Not difficult physically, but to get it right first time (timing-wise) have a look in a haynes manual that covers Rover V8s.

Basically you can lift the old distributor after undoing the bolt that clamps it down, but the rotor turns like 20 degrees when you lift it out. It will be lot longer due to the shaft that drives the oilpump. Beside the different types of distributors (so get the right one), there are two types of oil pump drive (slotted, and not-slotted).

By the way, this only applies if it is a pre-serpentine engine. Otherwise just forget it........

Rob

[dw350i]

So it is easy! the only issue was realizing that I had to turn the oil pump drive slightly to get it engaged. It started up first turn and sounds OK. What is the advisable timing on this for standard unleaded?

[wedg1e]

dw350i said:

So it is easy! the only issue was realizing that I had to turn the oil pump drive slightly to get it engaged. It started up first turn and sounds OK. What is the advisable timing on this for standard unleaded?

8 deg BTDC as a starter...

[dw350i]

As a starter? what am I to look out for to know if it needs to be changed from 8?

[wedg1e]

dw350i said:

As a starter? what am I to look out for to know if it needs to be changed from 8?

Take it for a thrash. Advance ignition until BMW M3s recede in the mirror. Then tell me how to do it, 'cos mine won't

Seriously, I hear people say that you keep advancing it till it pinks, then back off half a splidget. I dunno; mine's at 8 BTDC and I don't fanny around with it. Maybe I should, but I rebuilt it once and I don't fancy doing it again... oh, I run on 95 RON as well. Maybe 98 RON needs a different technique

[350zwelgje]

Think that 8 degrees is for 98RON (my setting), and running 95 is at a few degrees less. Thought that there is a better way proposed to get the timing right on a RV8 by V8racing, something like 24degrees at 2400 revs....(COULD BE WRONG!!! - as just speaking/typing of my head!)
If you do a search, probably it will come up in one of the many threads on it.

By the way, less degrees boils down to less power for our RV8s. So Ian perhaps time to advance more and put 98 in to blast the competition of the road?

Rob

[shpub]

There are many different dizzys for the Rover V8 and TVR often used ones with different vacuum weights to match cam profiles. The 520SE's original engine was one such example. wouldn;t run nicelt on a standrad diff and had the weights modded eventually. Worth keeping the old dizzy to swap them over or even considering getting the dizzy overhauled or rebuilt rather than replaced.