FI Trigger Points Install, How to do it? Options

[Eric Taylor]

What's the best way of installing the trigger points for the injectors? Do I need to remove the distro?
Thanks,
Eric

[type47]

really, you do, unless you are a contorsionist. imagine removing the screws out of the side of the dizzy body then not having enough room to clear the trigger points from the sheet metal... dropping the screws down the engine tin...

[McMark]

Yes, remove the dizzy. Make sure to unbolt the clamp from the case. Don't pull the distributor shaft through the clamp.

[Eric Taylor]

I did a test dizzy removal on the 2.0 wreck and it came out like the pic. Is this what I want? I had to move the vacum can to the side to do so. If it comes out like this, does that mean I don't have to re time the car?
Eric

Oh yeah, what kinda of lube do I want to put on the distro when I put in the new set of contact's?

[Dave_Darling]

You will need to re-set the timing. You'll get pretty close if you turn the distributor until the idle RPM is the same as it was before you started.

You might be able to work around the vacuum dashpot, but chances are pretty good that it'll be easier to remove the mounting screws for it so you can get it out of the way.

Use the Bosch distributor lube on the cam for the trigger points. One tube is a lifetime supply for about six 914 owners, so see if someone in your area already has a tube of it.

--DD

[Eric Taylor]

So it is ok to pull it like that? I was very afraid that I had screwed up when the drive shaft did not come out. That is a relief!
Eric

[ChrisReale]

Take the dizzy out. Inspect the gasket also. It is really easy to put the dizzy in 180 degrees off, so pay attention

[ThinAir]

So it is ok to pull it like that? I was very afraid that I had screwed up when the drive shaft did not come out. That is a relief!
Eric

Yes, it's supposed to come out like that - without the lower shaft. If you look at the end of the lower shaft (or the end of the dizzy that you pulled out), you'll note that there is a notch/tab arrangement which is NOT in the center, but offset so that you can't get it mixed up.

It's hard to get to the nut for removing the bracket without rotating the dizzy so to help get the timing back again, I rotate the engine so that the rotor is pointing to the slot in the dizzy case before I pull it off. Once I get the dizzy reinserted I just rotate it back so that the rotor is lined up again. It's still a good idea to recheck the timing, but the odds are pretty good that it will be dead on where it was before.

[trojanhorsepower]

Like every one said that is what it should look like. I hate to point out the obvious so if you already know this, sorry. There should be a thick O- ring in the groove on the shaft, and a spring that goes between the dist. and the dist drive shaft (the part that staid in the motor).

Good luck

-Pete

[Dave_Darling]

[If you look at the end of the lower shaft (or the end of the dizzy that you pulled out), you'll note that there is a notch/tab arrangement which is NOT in the center, but offset so that you can't get it mixed up.

In theory, yes. In practice, evidently you can sometimes get the thing in there 180 degrees off. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

--DD

[ThinAir]

I suppose there is always a way, but I've never found it. Although I did have a Datsun pick once where the distributor shaft was installed 180 degrees out, but then I had to put the dizzy in 180 out as well. You gotta work pretty hard I think to get the dizzy installed 180 out if the distributor shaft is correctly installed.

[Gint]

Because the motor turns twice for every one revolution of the dizzy, it's quite possible to end up 180 degrees off. The secret is to align the rotor to the same place it was in when you pulled it, and to not allow the engine to move between the time the dizzy was removed and when it gets replaced.

Oh, BTW, BTDT

[mike_the_man]

Out of curiousity, what happens if you don't remove the clamp with the dizzy? Is it bad to pull it through the clamp? Will it wreck something? Wondering cause I just did it on the weekend. Oops! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Dave_Darling]

It won't automatically wreck anything, but your chances of scraping up the O-ring on the distributor shaft are much higher.

--DD

[mike_the_man]

The O ring is just rubber, right? So, if I just check it and make sure that it's all good, it should be ok? How much oild would squirt out if there is some minor scratching? I'll inspect closer tonight and figure out what to do. Oops.

[ThinAir]

Because the motor turns twice for every one revolution of the dizzy, it's quite possible to end up 180 degrees off.  The secret is to align the rotor to the same place it was in when you pulled it, and to not allow the engine to move between the time the dizzy was removed and when it gets replaced.

I forgot about that possibility. I've had it drilled into to me that you NEVER turn a Type IV engine with the distributor removed so it never entered into my mind that you would. Turning the engine with the dizzy out, but the shaft still in, can result in the distributor shaft no longer being correctly aligned at it's base with the gear on the crank. The result is a distributor that is really off the mark on timing.

[nebreitling]

i unwittingly did this recently. i didn't put the distributor back into the engine deep enough (not usually a problem for me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool_shades.gif) ), so it never 'caught' the distributor driveshaft. then, i turned the engine, expecting it to start! figuring out what i did wrong was a long --though ultimately relatively simple -- process of re-aligning everything back to normal from TDC (which, exacerbatingly, wasn't marked on my fan).

all of which is to say, don't do this! it mildy sucks...

(of course, now i can R&R a distributor and re-time the engine in a matter of minutes....)

[Eric Taylor]

Well I got the trigger's installed alright, the car turned over and everything on the first hit of the key. I don't know if the timing is off, but it's running. Thanks, for the advice. It does however look like this did not solve the problem. I'll start another thread for help on the rest of it.
Eric