JJC Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 I'm confused by another gasket (see post on thermostat cover on TR2 forum). Trying to refit the distributor, it's a real pig to get the pedastal fully down even with both dogs lined up. But the immediate problem is the gasket which provides end float for the distributor. Having worked out I need about 5 thou, I bought a gasket, but so far as I can see the hole in the middle is smaller than the shoulder on the distributor pedastal. The gasket is around 48 mm and the pedastal is about 55. Are bits of my engine off a tractor or what? Help! JJC Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted April 1, 2010 Report Share Posted April 1, 2010 Ah, so the gasket is important? I bolted the distributor back in place with just sealer...because of the aperature mismatch problem - I assumed it wouldn't matter... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Smokey Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 I don't know whether it's important, but the shop manual is very specific as to the clearance required and the procedure for fitting the pedestal. I'm not an expert, but I'm not sure they would have been as specific if it was meaningless. Anyway, I have always followed the procedure, but the gasket supplied by Moss was much too thick to get the correct clearance. I finally convinced them to get some correct ones earlier this year. They're a little too thick at 6 thou, but much better than the 16 thou they were supplying before. It shouldn't be difficult to line up the dogs. What I did was line up the bottom one first with a long screwdriver, and then line up the tang on the shaft with the slot in the oil pump. Because you have to mesh the drive gear on the camshaft, the shaft will turn as you lower it, so you start the tang off by some degrees so it lines up when it turns as it drops. Hard to explain, and it took me some practice. The key is the long screwdriver and a small flashlight to line up the slot on the oil pump. You do want to get it righ - it drives the oil pump. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 The clearance is very important otherwise it bears down too much on the oil pump drive shaft and can sheer the end of the shaft or not engage properly and fail to drive. Gasket paper is available in different thickness and its easy enough to take a pattern and make your own up. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JJC Posted April 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 Thanks for all the replies. It is important to get enough end float, and you do need a (very) long screwdriver to line up the oil pump before dropping in the drive shaft. But none of that is the problem. The first one is why is the new gasket apparently too small in internal diameter, and the second one is why does the distributor pedastal get stuck with 1/8th to go? The pedastal will go right down every now and again so I guess I'll find that problem eventually, but it's the gasket/shim that bothers me. If the gasket is right then I've got an odd ball pedestal. Is that possible? Or is the gasket wrong? Has anyone else used gasket/shim 125251 recently? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted April 2, 2010 Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 Sorry to butt in on this thread! I had a twiddle with the rotor arm today and it felt loose and free (as it should). I have a huge number of original gaskets so probably have the correct one - how many fractions of an inch thick should it be? ...I understand mm better though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JJC Posted April 4, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 Sorry to butt in on this thread! I had a twiddle with the rotor arm today and it felt loose and free (as it should). I have a huge number of original gaskets so probably have the correct one - how many fractions of an inch thick should it be? ...I understand mm better though... Hi - the thickness should depend on the end float required for the drive shaft and distributor drive on any given engine. The manual shows you how to measure the required gasket thickness using a washer. The Moss gaskets are 6 or 20 (I think) thou thick. There are apparently 16 thou ones around as well. I'm not very good at mental arithmetic these days but 1 inch is 25.4 mm. What would be really helpful would be the diameter of the hole in an original gasket. And possibly the distance between centres for the stud holes. Imperial or metric, I can probably find a calculator somewhere! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted April 4, 2010 Report Share Posted April 4, 2010 (edited) Hi, below are the dimensions (in mm I'm afraid). I spent most of yesterday re-fitting the distributor in line with the workshop instructions. In the end I used a .18mm gasket - probably not much different from the sealant but better safe than sorry! If you PM me your address you can have this gasket - it's a bit crinkly but should be okay - 0.18mm thick I think. Edited April 5, 2010 by randall977 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JJC Posted April 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2010 Hi - thanks for your brilliant drawing and very kind offer of the gasket. I've already cut up the Moss one and "fitted" it! I'll check the dimensions though and let you know how the Moss one compares. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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