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MG MGB Technical - distributor failure

help
79 mgb
lucas distributor
45de4 41693a > 4978
with an added piranna ignition box.

distributor failed completely. the center shaft wobbles and the rotor has really chewed out the cap.

1) does anyone know of a shop or someone in the near washington d.c. area that could rebuild the distributor? or someone out of area that i could send it to?

2) does moss motors or victoria british or other such places rebuild them? if so-----
( yes, i know i could call them)

3)where can i get parts? i might try to rebuild it myself. although this 3rd option is not a high priority, i'm not sure i have the skills or all the tools to do it.

thanks,any help appreciated.

john


john sutter

John, Lucas distributors will fail. This is not uncommon. The fact you have the number from the distributor is the key item. Go on line to Moss Motors, British Victoria, The B Hive, Lbcco, Brittek, they will have a replacement unit on the shelf ready to ship within 24-48 hours. I wouldn't even bother to attempt a repair on that. Just get a new unit

cheers

Gary :>{D
79 mgb
gnhansen

John - Not close to DC but no better place to send your distributor than Advanced Distributors http://www.advanceddistributors.com/ Jeff can make your distributor look and operate like new. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

John-
Replace your ruined distributor cap with one from Blue Streak. It will perform better and outlive the reproduction Lucas ones.

Dave has it right. Sending your distributor to Jeff Schlemmer is like sending your carburetors to Joe Curto. If anybody can fix it, Jeff can. In fact, it'll be better than new, with an ignition curve that's appropriate for modern-formula unleaded fuels.

Sadly, the supply of real Made-in-the-UK Lucas distributors has dried up. They are now assembled using metric screws, so they are now made in either India or China, although still cast as a Lucas part. Lucas TVS in India actually marks their distributors "Made in India", so they are obviously not those! It is still a small mystery as to who actually makes them, but it has been narrowed down. The ignition curve is now better since they have changed manufacturing sources, but the distributor makes use of lower quality shaft bushing materials that probably will not last more than about 50,000 miles, the center pivot on the contact breaker plate is plastic and will wear quickly, the vacuum advance control capsule is rarely the correct specification for the engine that it is designed to be used in, and the ignition curve is never optimal. In fact, the new 45D4s are much like snowflakes – no two are ever the same (at least in terms of the ignition curve). Another issue with some of them is the points cam – they can offer up to .010” (.254mm) different lift at each of the 4 lobes, causing a major problem with setting the dwell angle and getting the distributor to run properly. Fortunately, this problem can be remedied by eliminating the need for contact breaker points through the installation of an electronic ignition system.
Steve S.

"Lucas distributors will fail. This is not uncommon"

That's like saying 'people die'. Factually correct but for each individual not for many years and many many tens of thousands of miles. Even with Steve's Indian or Chinese copies.

First time I've heard of anyone supplying a curve modified for modern fuels, what is it? Most people say these people and John Twist will supply a guaranteed original curve by selecting and tweaking springs, which like the 123 distributor aren't really relevant to modern fuels.
Paul Hunt

Paul, if you send a distributor to Jeff at Advanced Distributors with information regarding your compression ratio, your cam, your fuel, etc. he does tweak the springs and arms to provide an optimized advance curve. His work is highly regarded and I've never heard anyone complain about the results or workmanship. He does many many distributors and has worked out the curves and his process.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave is right, Jeff will do the job.
My son Brian [BMC-British] has him do them regularly.

SF
Dwight
DCM McCullough

This thread was discussed between 04/10/2008 and 06/10/2008

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