Vacuum advance questions

[JPW231]

Had my car serviced yesterday, excellent service from Top Gear Automotive in Wolverhampton - thanks Mart.

One of the things for me to look at replacing is the vacuum advance valve.
Even though the car was running fine I removed this earlier. To add insult to injury I dropped one of the fasteners when I put it back on and still haven't found it.

My question is does this vacuum unit have to be installed in a certain way? When I removed it it just slid out, although I'm now assuming that it must connect to something within the distributor as it is running like a bag of nails & I could only just limp it into the garage tonight :-(

My Steve Heath bible tells me next to nothing, so any advice please.?

[EGB]

You need to jiggle it on until catches on an unseen hook inside the dizzy body. One cross head screw is easy but the other is a pig to screw.

[Alexdaredevilz]

I had to drill out that little hole a tiny bit for it to hook on when I bought mine

[JPW231]

Thanks guys.
Would it be running like a bag of nails if it hasn't connected?

[Alexdaredevilz]

When mine broke I got less mpg and it felt lazy

[Quietlybonkers]

Mine wasn't sucking either, but it just needed a new bag.....perhaps I'll get a Dyson next time.....?

[Alexdaredevilz]

I hear those lady boys suck well, try one of then

Got your car back yet?

[JPW231]

When trying to fit the vacuum advance arm onto the distributor, do you have to push it up or down?
Need to get this back on & see if it stops running like a bag of nails :-(

[Barkychoc]

More than likely the bits it hooks onto inside the dizzy has moved - take the dizzy cap off, remove the rotor arm then undo the 3 screws holding the plastic cover in place.

As you turn the dizzy shaft you should see the metal bit move that engages with the end of the vacuum arm.

Theres a little metal peg underneath it that's goes in the end of the vacuum arm. Its a case of getting them together then screwing the vacuum module back on.

While the vacuum module is not connected your timing is all over the place hence crap running.

[JPW231]

Is there any risk in messing anything else up by taking off the distributor arm and cover plate?

I assume that it can only go back in one orientation?

[EGB]

JPW231 said:

Is there any risk in messing anything else up by taking off the distributor arm and cover plate?

I assume that it can only go back in one orientation?

Email me. Have some setting advice from Blitzracing.
I was lucky with mine, it just hooked on with a jiggle.