Hi there! I'm new to the forum but have been looking at and using a lot of the helpful advice I've seen. So thanks all.

Was changing the vacuum advance unit ( completely gone) and found found that my centrifugal was at full advance. Must have been that way for a long time before I got it as the springs were under full tension in the full advanced position.

Questions:

1) can I just take off the electronics and clean up the distributor to free it up?

2) what should I use for proper lubrication assuming I can free up the distributor centrifugal advance to snap back?.

3) is the heavy spring under any tension with centrifugal advance at 0?

 

Firstly, welcome to the Forum.

When time permits, please do an Intro in the New Members Area.

I am going to ASSUME here that you have a V12, and a HE version.

Time is of the essence here, and lots of it.

Remove the rotor, CAREFULLY, coz if it it seized on that shaft and with you pulling UP will destroy those springs, and generally ruin your day. Push DOWN on the metal star wheel, as you pull UP, this stops that shaft coming adrift with the rotor.

Once removed, obtain some Diesel fuel, and dribble a small amount down the hole in that centre shaft. Go away, let it soak, dribble some more tomorrow, and so on, until that shaft begins to move, then CAREFULLY work it, and keep dribbling, until it snaps back.

Now dribble some Full Synthetic engine oil down that hole, work it some more.When that "warm and fuzzy" takes over, you are done, congratulations.

The heavy spring is generally loose when at the released position, the lighter spring has some tension on it.

This sounds complicated, it is NOT, just time consuming, and removing that rotor is the only real scary section of the task.

Damage those springs, and you will have a tough job finding replacements.

Re oil that shaft every year.

 

I pulled the distributor with only the retainer ring giving up the ghost. Rotor was tough but came off clean. I am replacing it but hey, could always use a spare. Let's see how it cleans up.


Here is the dizzy in parts cleaner solvent (non Acid) So far it returns slowly... not snapping back yet but hopefully tomorrow.

The advance was almost completely stuck when I pulled it.

Looking forward to getting the growl back into my cat.

I still can't believe it ran halfway decent with such a stuck advance and nothing in the way of operating vacuum advance. It only started loosing power recently which prompted the diagnostics which yielded these two faults.