4K Distributor Not Sparking Properly

[popandwar]

Hey,

 

The problem is my distributor isn't sparking on first or second unless I push it towards the firewall.

 

It's not the plugs or leads and it has a new cap, points an rotor arm.

 

I replaced the distributor not a week ago (it was having the same problem only the old dizzy had heaps of play in the rotor arm cam)

 

The recently installed one had the car running really nice until one day I had the revs high as I was climbing a hill and something relating to the carby/accelerator cable came loose and the revs skyrocketed. I undid the acc cable guide thing and put it back onto the spring mechanism and tightened it up, the revs had now dropped and the car was running really rough at idle.

 

It was then I realized using the screwdriver method that first and second weren't sparking. It will run well under a bit of load but only occasionally and if I push the dizzy towards the firewall then you can hear it idling better implying that its sparking.

 

So what is the problem? Did I somehow ruin the new(er) dizzy when the cable guide went or are the gears that power the dizzy perhaps worn somehow?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It's such a weird problem and its doing my head in.

[ke70dave]

What do you mean push it towards the firewall?

 

you talking about spinning it ? (ie adjusting ignition timing) or phyiscally pushing on the distributer.

 

As if its bolted in properly then it shoudlnt really move anywhere even if you do push it.

[popandwar]

Yeah pushing on the cap not twisting it. As if the dizzy is on a very slight angle. But I know that's not the case and I'm right in thinking that the distributor retaining bracket is the only thing holding it in place? I tried loosening the bracket pushing it to where it sounded right and tightening it but it didn't work. I've tried two different caps and still no luck.

[popandwar]

And there isn't any play in the actual shaft/sleeve where the dizzy meets the engine I'm just putting pressure on the cap

[rian]

How do you know it's not the plugs or leads?

You should also try replacing the capacitor.

[Mechanical Sympathy]

Yeah I'd be checking the capacitor. Or more specifically, the wire and connections to it and the points where they pass through the insulator, at the back of the distributor where the cap sits on it - as that's the only thing I can think of that might be affected/wriggled by leaning on the cap.

[springersrolla]

so what is it youve changed or eliminated out of the equation? with either dizzy you put in, was the timing set right by a timing light, does the car run if you pull each spark plug lead off a a time and does it change the idle, if youve changed dizzy and its still doing it thats not your problem. is the adjustment bolt tight???? lots of things to check out to help us diagnose the problem

[popandwar]

Ok so I bought a new cap, rotor arm and plugs. I eliminated the leads by swapping them over from what was sparking and there was still no spark. The replaced dizzy worked fine until the acc cable problem. Timing was done (with a timing light)

The timing now isn't constant it will be on one spot for a second a jolt to another then back for a bit. (If that helps)

The dizzy is clamped down as tight as I can get it so it's not moving in that sense. I have a replacement condenser that I'll install tomorrow and ill double check the points connection as well tomorrow. Thanks for all the replies, will keep you updated.

 

And yeah when it's running rough at idle I'll pull first and second out and nothing will change but will want to stall if I pull out third or fourth leads.

Edited September 19, 2013 by popandwar

[Mudgy]

Is the cap on right? (ie cap tab is in the dizzy's notch?) Does it sit flat?Possibly an advance weight has come loose after the hi revs. Look under the advance plate there usually are 2 x weights on the shaft.I once had an ol HB torana towed in to me, the weights had broken their tension springs, and acted like a pipe cutter, taking the whole top off the dizzy.