Relating to the "Hot Distributor" discussion

To All:

Find below a copy of my response, sent to Grahame on 19 July 2006 and again on the 25th.

As you can see from his email address, he expects the government of Queensland (Australia) to pay for his private communications. The fact both of my responses failed to arrive sez his boss may not agree :-)

-Bob Hoover

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- service copy sent 072506

Dear Grahame,

Thank you for the thoughtful message. You'll be happy to hear that many share your opinion with regard to installing the distributor at any orientation, although I am not among them.

I also appreciate the effort you've taken to provide the photos. However, in one of them you show the lower edge of the neck of the distributor extending well into the opening. I suspect the distributor you're using as your photographic model has had its clamping ring removed. Normally, the lower edge of the neck is about 3mm higher than shown.

With regard to the inlet vs outlet business, I don't think it really matters. The hole & groove is clearly there to facilitate lubrication of the steel bushings that were introduced with the aluminum-bodied distributors. The fact the location of the groove is different on distributors meant for the Type IV engines makes it pretty clear that it's meant to align with the 'window' in the respective crankcase castings.

The basic fact is that when a distributor is installed so that the oiling channel does NOT have access to the window it results in accelerated wear of the distributor shaft & bushings as well as premature failure of the capacitor or of after-market electronic components (ie, Pertronix, etc.). Such 'mysterious' maladies have a habit of landing on my door-step. Oddly enough, when I point out the most probable cause a surprising number of owners insist that can't be right. Just as you have :-) In which case I simply smile and wish them good luck.

-Bob Hoover

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Original received last Wed. and responded to within 24 hrs.

-rsh

Good pictures and opinion. I don't know all for sure because I've never had a "hot distributor problem" and I'm satisfied that I never will after all these years. I mean my distributor has never been hotter than the case it is attached to or the oil within.

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Thanks Bob for your reply, as to your remark about the email address, yes, I am allowed that privilege. I will investigate why I did not receive your reply emails. Yes, the clamping ring is not there, but I thought the discussion was about the orientation of the groove. I will rectify the pics. However, are you suggesting I have a Type IV distributor? Because there is no way the distributor (groove) in the pics will line up with the window. I also believe (which you also preach) if you don't ask questions, then you will remain ill informed, I value your wisdom, that's why I wrote to you!

Grahame from Australia

I think it does matter. The arrangement of the various components and features all seem to have specific reasons. Thye vacuum can on a Type 1 is normally fitted in the 7 o'clock position for practical reasons and the oil hole/groove seem to be always on the left (or down side) of the distributor shaft. The positioning of the firing points on the distributor could be argued as 'convenient to ignition cable routing'. Placing the drive shaft correctly and installing the distributor with the rotor at #1 means that all these specifics are met (as well as avoiding the mis-timing that would be caused by assymetric cam distributors).

Specifically what makes this clear? Again, I see the position of the Type 4 vacuum can (in the 3 o'clock position) as for practical purposes, so where is the oil hole in relation to the window on a Type 4?

"Grahame Rumballe" wrote in message news:KVcCg.62$ snipped-for-privacy@news.optus.net.au...

Have cleaned up the pics and put them here

Grahame from Australia