Hi all , I purchased this kit

http://minisport.com.au/mini-complete-e ... laelec-kit

I've hit a bit of a glitch while fitting it ,
The old dizzy would fit up flush with the retaining clamp on the block but the new dizzy doesn't go in as far and the clamp is only just catching the end of the rim on the new distributor.
I've had it running so I know it's in the right way but I'm just a bit worried about it not being fully secured .
I rang them up and they suggested to just file the little locators until it fits ,
I have started doing this but it's taking ages so im wondering if anyone has any other ideas I could do?
Is it possible to remove the end of the distributor and swap it for the old one?

Cheers Jarrad

mind posting a picture of where it's not fitting, and the locators you're filing down?

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

It's a bit hard to tell but here's a couple of pictures of the dizzy near the retaining clamp and the two little locators (or what ever they are called )

The joy of aftermarket stuff lately.
I'd take it back... and show them. It should NOT need machining or filing to make fit; if it does, that should be the supplier's problem, not yours.

These days IMO you are better off putting an electronic module (Powermax or whatever) into an old Lucas dizzy than buying a brand new one.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

put a couple of washers under the clamp and space it up off the block
just an idea

Mark

Throw that dog away and get a secondhand one.

what they have told you would be some of the worst advice i have heard , you need to spread the clamp at the bottom open a bit more , then it will fall in

Beanie

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I am the son of the STIG

HOTBRICKS
http://hotbricks.org.au/

'65 NCF MINI.....
'69 MINIMATIC.... 9 year resto still on the go

Hey guys I'll keep playing with it and if it doesn't go I'll swap it for the kit that fits in my old dizzy

Apologies in advance if you've tried these things but thought it was worth mentioning so you don't have to do an exchange.

As mentioned previously, it looks like the clamping plate is not clamping around the correct part of the distributor body. Are you able to open the clamp further so it sits further up the body?

Are the two drive dogs on your new distributor the same dimensions as on your old distributor? If they are too long they may be bottoming out in the slots in the drive spindle.

Perhaps do some measuring and observing, along these lines:

1. Remove the distributor and measure the distance from the block face down to the distributor drive spindle face.
2. Measure the distributor shaft from the base of the shaft (excluding the two drive dogs) up to the base of the distributor. Also, compare this dimension to your old distributor.

This might help you find what's stopping the shaft from going all the way down as it should.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Hi guys rang them up again today and they told me to try tightening the clamp on to the distributor in the correct spot then bolting it into place and use them to sort of pull the distributor down into place (if that makes sense)
I did that and it is now in as far as the old one used to be ,

Question now is that the problem sorted or me pulling it down into place cause further problems?

It starts and runs fine so far

pulling it down probably means the distributor drive & gear is jammed hard into the side of the block - if so it'll grind it away and put all sorts of crap through your engine - and make a mess of your block at the same time

if you take the clamp off completely, does the distributor sit in the correct spot?

I'd be taking the drive out and having a proper look at the whole thing on the bench, it's pretty average

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Hard to tell, but i am with beanie on this. If this was the case, the distributor as a whole was not bedded in fully - held off by the clamp - and the drive slots at the bottom of the distributor were not engaged fully. If this was the case then the item could well have been in good condition but due to the poor ( only just - nature of the fitment) - it is now very second hand looking.
It could need slight elongation or widening of the clamp bolt slots to prevent catching in future.

So I took the clamp completely off this is as far as the distributor goes in

Can you swap drive dogs with your old distributor?

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seeing that makes me want to measure everything and compare it against a standard dizzy - there's something very different about it - maybe it's just the drive dog, or maybe the body is a different size, or maybe it doesn't seat in the drive.... or maybe lots of other things

I reckon clamping it up and using the bolts to pull it up tight has to be one of the worse bits of advice given, ever.... forget how it might be grinding the sh*t out of the block, but how are you goind to adjust the timing on it reliably if you have to do that with it

for $300 I'd be pretty pissed off

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?