allan Posted July 27, 2006 Report Share Posted July 27, 2006 (edited) Hi, I have an old Lucas 35D8 distributor fitted to my TR7 V8 and I think is is causing the engine to lose power. I have heared that Mallory duel point can require adjusting frequently and that points need replacing frequently, coupled with the cost I have decided to discount the Mallory distributor. Electronic ignition such as Luminition would not work due to my distributor being worn. Buying a new Lucas distributor would be very expensive which leaves the option of getting my existing Lucas overhauled. The problem is that I can't find a company that work on old Lucas 35D8 models. Does anyone know where I can get my Lucas overhauled or, are there any better ideas out there...? Thanks as always, Alan. PS. Does anyone have a good distributor they would like to sell..? Edited July 27, 2006 by allan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyt Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Buy a new electronic unit, you wont regret it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrewt Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Assuming it is sparking OK, the source of the spark is less important than the timing. As such it is definitely worth ensuring you get a distributor from a manual transmission SD1 (ideally a Vitesse) as the manual cars had significantly different advance curves to the auto cars. This can make 10-15 hp difference from the same base/idle timing. If that is what you already have and it is the old OPUS amplifier playing up, one of the best options is to replace the ignition amplifier with a Lumenition one. This will give years of reliable service. Mine is 12 years old & needs no more maintenance than cleaning the optical pick up occasionally. Cheers Andy... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cinnobar Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 (edited) Mine runs a Mallory dual point, who told you the points need adjusting replacing frequently? Mine has done about 3,500miles since being built & hasn't been touched, points are reckoned to run 20K plus withut attention. The other option is to get a Lucas DLM off of a late carbed Defender V8, these are reliable & electronic & completely self contained, not as good as a Mallory but a cheaper option. In fact I have one here which I'd part with if I can find it! As for rebuilds Aldon are the experts & would probably do yours but they ain't cheap, the DLM would be the cheaper option. Edited July 28, 2006 by Cinnobar Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allan Posted July 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Thanks chaps. Andy, is there a question of compatability ie: the drive spindle at the bottom of the distributor are different on some engines? Cinnobar, thanks and......Keep looking....! Regards, Alan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tr8coupe Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 get a mallory unilite fantastic more power and reliable tr8 man Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrewt Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 (edited) Alan Basically there are 3 distributor styles. 1 Pre SD1, this has a peg on the bottom of the dizzy which locates into the top of the oil pump. The cam drives the dizzy which in turn drives the pump. 2 SD1 to last series 1 Discovery/MGRV8. THis inverts the dizzy to drive interface, but has OPUS or better electronics instead of points. the early OPUS doesn't like heat build up, especially when ther is no engine driven fan to cool it. The later external style ignitions are better. I use an early one with a lumenition. no problems ever, as long as i clean the optical pick up every year or two! 3 Series 2 Disco on. Not sure exactly what this looks like, but the dizzy no longer drives the oil pump, so it couldn't be used in an SD1 style engine without modification! I hope that explains it ok? As i said earlier though, make sure you get a dizzy from a high compression manual engined car. Lucas will send you back an advance curve if you tell them a dizzy id number. I asked them to send them all, but they refused as there were too many variants! Cheers Andy Edited July 31, 2006 by andrewt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allan Posted August 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Hi Andy, thanks for taking the time to reply. I have been away and just looked at the forum. I think my engine is an older V8 (engine No 34129698F) and with the distributor being a Lucas 35D8 I asume this is confirmed. The car runs normally until it is "under pressure" up hill in a higher gear where it loses power and "spits" through the carbs (I think it's the carbs anyway) I have a Kenlowe fitted to the front of the radiator. S&S suggested it is the dizzy causing the problem and to fit a luminition kit. However, if I fit a luminition kit to this older and perhaps worn distributor, will the kit work properly on it? Many thanks, Alan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrewt Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Allan Sorry i don't know the numbers concerned, but if your distributor has points it is from a pre SD1 engine, probably P6 Rover. If it has factory electronics it is probably SD1. The P6 is usually a high compression engine. What carburation are you using on it? Is all the inlet tract standard? Maybe you have K&N's fitted or an uprated exhaust (& manifolds?) If this is the case, your carb needles also need consideration. If the needles are standard & other areas are changed, then you may be too lean under load. Rimmers or S&S will be able to advise the best needles if you describe the state of tune of your engine. Also as a basic first step check your timing & points gaps etc. The Lumenition kit will give a consistent spark, but will not resolve the issue of wandering timing! A second hand set up is always an option. if you wanted to uprate to SD1 stuff you can change the timing cover, oil pump & dizzy. All to good effect as the SD1 has a better oil pump than the P6, however it is all or nothing and new timing covers are not too cheap! cheers Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
allan Posted August 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Thanks Andy, You are correct, I think, in suggesting it's a pre-SD1 engine so what you say seems logical. I have now got to ponder the best way forward (the options are many!) and try to eradicate the problem. At least I have enough info to give me a clearer understanding of the problem. Many thanks again, Alan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeyTT Posted August 29, 2006 Report Share Posted August 29, 2006 Instead of sticking with a dizzy have you considered moving to mapped ignition? It's probably about the same cost as the Mallory Unilite, if not a smidge cheaper and you get the added bonus that you can set the ignition curves to match you car and have NO compromises. God that sounds like a sales pitch. I'm using the MegaSquirt ECU on my racing TR7V8, although we are using the fuel side as well it's just as easy to set the thiing up purely for ignition and disable the fuelling side. There is a couple other guys who race who are doing the same thing primarily to save cost but still retain all of the features of a high end DTA, or Emerald type system. Just a thought. Mike... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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