Does your distributor need to be rebuilt-serviced?

[Haasman]

I realize I am unfamiliar with the symptoms of a "bad" distributor.

Yes, I lubed the center shaft pad, I check for free centrifugal weights movement, and I can time the engine.

Are there obvious symptoms to look for? Surging, hesitance or flat spots in acceleration?

Additionally, re-curving the advance?

Thanks.

[John Z Goriup]

Jeff,

it's been my experience that Jerry Woods does the best job locally in rebuilding, refurbishing and, if necessary, re-curving 911 distributors. Not the cheapest, but I've been totally satisfied with his work and I got my distributor back looking like new in one week.

The other shop I know does excellent ( and possible less expensive work ) is Vintage Werks in Salt Lake City.

JZG

[Haasman]

Thanks John. Appreciate your recommendation.

Any symptoms of a failing distributor or one that needs a rebuild?

[Frank Beck]

Most common symptom is idle hanging up.

[ESully]

There are a few things you can check if your willing to take the distributor out and dismantle it. The hardest part is getting the circlip at the top under the fiber oil pad out.
There is a tendency for the fiber washer by the bottom gear to fall apart. This would allow too much up and down movement of the shaft. It can be easily replaced by driving out the pin holding the gear on.

Mine also had the phenolic plate that the weights ride on falling apart, along with the small fiber washers holding the weights. I took the original piece out and photocopied it. I then went to the local plastic fabrication shop and purchased some material that met or exceeded the original and made a replacement. I was able to find the fiber washers for the weights and bottom gear at the local hardware store.


You can use a timing light to see if the advance is following the curve in the Bentley. This is for my 1973. If it is outside of the graph, it would be best to send it out to the experts that would have the springs and weights needed to adjust.

[Haasman]

Good information. Thanks.

Frank-

Most common symptom is idle hanging up.

As in idle won't fall back to 900 RPM +/- ?

E Sully- Great stuff. Thanks for taking the time to post this. Interesting how the total advance is about the same for the T and S motors, yet less on the E. Wonder is that related to cam profile as well?



After 40+ years pull out my distributor and going through it makes a lot of sense. If nothing more to confirm all is good and clean.

[Frank Beck]

Frank- As in idle won't fall back to 900 RPM +/- ?

That's correct.

[Jon B]

Interesting how the total advance is about the same for the T and S motors, yet less on the E. Wonder is that related to cam profile as well?

The distributor advance curve was the same for all three engines. It's a range between the two long lines (diagonal & horizontal) in that graph.
The vertical lines indicate the "Action Range of Speed Limiter". There probably wasn't enough room to place all three cut-out ranges together, with arrows and notations, so they dropped the "E" range below the others.

Notice that the graph represents distributor speed and distributor advance, not engine speed or ignition advance.

Jon B.
Vista, CA

[Haasman]

Jon- good call out. I assumed Engine RPM.

[ESully]

Jon is correct, curve is the same for all T, E, and S. Only the rev limiting rotor is different.
As noted in the above graph, distributor speed is shown, which is half of engine rpm. Sorry if the chart was confusing. Range is between lines.
In this graph engine rpm is shown. For example, at 3,800 rpm the range would be between 22.5 degrees and 30 degrees BTDC.