Valve in the vacuum line to distributer.

[LenChim]

I have on the distributed vacuum line a little one way valve, I have looked in the parts manual for the 350i engine (I do not have any other manual as yet and it does not show it and for the life of me I ca not see the point of it as it seems to stop the vacuum advance and retard from working. Has anybody got any info? Should it be there? It was fitted the correct way around according to the labeling.

[stevoj]

Yep, there's one on mine fitted with the orange side to the distributor, presumably just allows the suction one way from the plenum.

[Jack Valiant]

Vacuum leak valve supposed to help the car advance to come back to idle lot of people take them out once they become faulty. If its working then leave it in otherwise remove

[adam quantrill]

Mine is gone. As Chris says they aren't critical items.

[LenChim]

Thanks for the information guys, in messing around with the distributor I found that the "cam" for want of a better word had grown a rusty beard so I took the distributor apart and cleaned it all and in the process put it back 180 deg out so screwed the timing. All sorted now. I am just waiting for the weather to clear up so I can take it out for a test run. I have put the valve back in so I will see what it runs like then I will take it out to see what difference it makes. By the way does any one know what the gap between the cam and the sensor should be?