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INSTALLING NEW DISTRIBUTOR


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Hi,

I am away from home, back Friday. When I get back I need to give the TR2 a service and a roadworthy before heading off on Wednesday on a 3,000 mile trip to Adelaide for our National meet.

I have a brand new distributor which I would like to fit before we go, the old original is not in good condition and has caused a few ignition issues.

I did a distributor on my other TR2 6 months ago but am having a mental blank, probably because I have been away from the cars for 10 weeks.

What do I need to do to remove the old distributor and fit the new one.

From memory.

Set No 1 to TDC, with the rotor button pointing at No 1 plug.

Remove old distributor.

Then I am having trouble remembering how the new one goes in to get it in the approximately right position to do the timing .

Also, the new distributor is a Moss one, through our club spare parts organisation. I assume they don't need mapping to the engine.

Cheers John

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John, assuming the TR2 is no different from the TR3 through TR6, if you follow your steps for removal, the new dizzy should drop in with the rotor still pointing at approx number one plug. The drive is offset so it can only fully seat in the correct orientation. You will probably have to redo the timing once the new unit is in place.

 

Stan

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7 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi John,

   make sure that the pedestal is fully seated before you try to tighten it down.

The oil pump drive shaft needs to be engaged correctly.

 

Roger

Thanks Stan. Yes they are the same as the later cars. The timing will be easy to set once I get the dizzy seated.

Thanks Roger. Yes, been there and done that. When I rebuilt this TR2 in the early 80s I couldn't understand why I had no oil pressure. It took an hour or two to figure it out, no damage done as the engine has covered many miles since.

As I recall, the meshing of the distributor drive gears mean the shaft turns as it slides down so it is a bit hit and miss getting the pedestal protrusion to line up with the slot in the oil pump drive. Is there a trick to this?

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Aha, didnt realize you had also removed the drive gear. The gear needs to be dropped in so that it ends up with the slot offset in the correct orientation and at the desired angle. It also needs to engage with the oil pump so it can be a bit of a fiddle requiring a few attempts.

 

 

TR3 dizzy.JPG

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On 10/9/2018 at 2:29 AM, Fireman049 said:

John ~

You'e not the famous Count John McCormack the wonderful Irish Tenor are you??? :D :D

Tom. ;)

I can't count the times I have been asked to sing Macushla but I can't hold a beat or a tune. Not related as far as I know, but there are two other John McCormacks (father and son) in our TR Register, maybe one of them can sing.

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Thanks all. I got back home from Italy last night and went out to check on the cars.

The TR2 started after a few cranks and ran well. Apart from a dicky connection on a tail light which was easily fixed she passed her MOT this morning. Not bad considering she sat untouched for 10 weeks.

The new dizzy slipped in easily. She started straight away after a static timing, a mate has my timing light so that job will be done tomorrow.

Already it is clear the idle is much improved. It is smooth down to 5-600rpm now, before around 700rpm was the minimum. A short test drive didn't reveal any issues, it is raining so a decent test drive can wait.

The TR6 was also standing for 10 weeks so took a lot of cranking to fire. But it did start and in a test drive today she ran sweetly and now starts at the touch of the key.

Pretty pleased all round.

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7 hours ago, cjstoodley said:

John,

Interesting that after a 10 week tour round Europe your first priority on returning home is to "check on the cars" !!!!

Chris

 

I did say hello to our living at home daughter first.

The state of the cars, especially the TR2, was weighing on my mind with a 3,000 mile trip in the 2 starting Wednesday. 

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Hi Chris,

             you need to get out more - tour Scotland, Ireland, France.= - they are fabulous places in a TR.

My 4A mileage is somewhere between 10,000 & 15000 miles each year.

 

So no, I do not have the club insurance.

 

Roger

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45 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Hi Chris,

             you need to get out more - tour Scotland, Ireland, France.= - they are fabulous places in a TR.

My 4A mileage is somewhere between 10,000 & 15000 miles each year.

 

So no, I do not have the club insurance.

 

Roger

You're not wrong Roger !

Have only just got the car on the road and had no idea as to how I might use it - have put about 500 miles on in 3 weeks so perhaps I'll have to amend my policy ! 

Chris

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Hi Chris,

      many people take their cars off the road over the winter period. Some drive through the winter on unsalted roads.

A lovely warm Summers day is good TR weather, but also a nice crisp sunny winters day with frost on the hedgerows

 

Enjoy your car, team up with your local group

Roger

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got home from the TR Register, Australia National meet in Adelaide.

My wife and I travelled in our 1954 Triumph TR2 from our home in Sydney with up to 8 other TRs and were away for 10 days.

All up we did 2037 miles, 3259 kms through NSW, Victoria and SA. I expected to do more miles but the runs around Adelaide were shorter than I anticipated.

We had a great time with old and new friends on the road and in the lovely city (or large country town) of Adelaide.

The car didn't miss a beat and used 1 litre of oil, no coolant. She averaged 30.9mpg, best was 33 cruising at 70mph with the top and sidescreens on and the worst 27.8 in the Adelaide Hills chasing other cars.

No additional rattles or squeaks (it has very few) and everything works.

The new distributor proved to be a fantastic item. The one it replaced was the original albeit overhauled a few times. It felt like I had 10-15% more power (The throttle went to the floor on only one hill where before it was a pretty regular occurrence), fuel consumption is down about 15% and the engine ran for more smoothly up to 4500-4800rpm.

The best of TR ownership. Very pleased.

Edited by John McCormack
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On Facebook I'm afraid. I don't normally take many as my wife and friends take heaps.

There are quite a few on the TR Register Australia website.  (http://www.tr-register.com.au/)

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On 10/27/2018 at 9:25 AM, John McCormack said:

On Facebook I'm afraid. I don't normally take many as my wife and friends take heaps.

There are quite a few on the TR Register Australia website.  (http://www.tr-register.com.au/)

Some great looking cars on that link John. 

Looks like a good turnout too - but you do have the weather on your side it would seem !!!

Chris

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 10/14/2018 at 11:21 AM, RogerH said:

Hi Chris,

             you need to get out more - tour Scotland, Ireland, France.= - they are fabulous places in a TR.

My 4A mileage is somewhere between 10,000 & 15000 miles each year.

 

So no, I do not have the club insurance.

 

Roger

Roger, this secobd time round, I feel inclined to do what you do. I hate mileage restrictions and yes, there's my wife's car, but I prefer to use the TR whenever I feel like it. So insurance is going to be an issue. Do you have a normal, all-year round insurance, without any discount for classics, and if so, do you have agreed value and wreckage rights? How do you organize your insurance?

If you consider this private information, ignore me or we can write via PMs which I have now mastered. Best, David

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5 hours ago, RogerH said:

Hi David,

          I have a normal Peter James classic insurance. 

PJ only do cover with no mileage restrictions at no extra cost.

Two cars (4 & 4A) on the policy - works well.

 

Roger

That's brilliant! Yes, I've noticed a few times your asides about anormal annual mileage. I feel exactly the same about it. But do P.J. cover you for the two main advantages of Classic Car policies, and, namely, wreckage rights, in the event of a write-off, and related to that, agreed valuation, both important factors, in my opinion?

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3 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Hi David,

Yes - it is a normal classic car insurance - but nicer.

 

Roger

Thanks. That is what I was hoping. Veery clever. Sometimes solutions are not where you expect to find them. I'm not too fussed, if it' more.

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