Removing and replacing the distributor on a T3.

[falcone]

Just a question for a dunce - ie ME!!!!

Dummies guide :-)

I am not very mechanical but was looking at the distributor on my T3 and it got me wondering.

I have never removed the distributor and was wondering what do you need to do to remove and then put back in place?

Apart from undoing bolts and changing gaskets :-)

What do you need to look out for in both instances so as not to effect timing of the points?

Put at TDC which cylinder or something different?

And if you were to put back a DIFFERENT distributor is there anything you'd need to watch out for?

Interested to know and couldn't find anything telling you what to do on the web and the Haynes manual didn't seem to explain?

Not come across anything on the web as to how to do?

Dave

[rodekyll]

No, not at tdc.  Here's how I do it -- there are other methods:

Crank the engine by hand to near where the points should break and turn on the ignition.  Continue rotating the engine until you see a set of points break.  There is usually a tiny spark when that happens.  Use either the alternator bolt or a screwdriver in the starter ring gear (through the timing hole) to find the break point.  Turning the rear wheel with the bike in gear will not be precise enough.

Mark that distributor rotor and housing location relative to each other and the engine block.  Do not disturb the crankshaft any more.

Remove the fixing bolt for the distributor clamping bracket and loosen the other one.  It's a difficult area to access.  I use a 13mm distributor wrench which has some severe bends here and there to sneak into the access location.  Swing the bracket out of the way.  If you can't get it out of the way, remove it completely.

Pull the distributor up.  You may need to wiggle it a little to free it from gunk.  You will notice that the shaft rotates about 30º as it disengages the helical drive gear on the camshaft.  You will want to have the rotor that same 30º off your index mark when you reinstall.

Do your business with the distributor and then reinsert with the shaft its 30º out, and once everything is seated, replace the clamping bracket and bolts loosely.

Reconnect the wires and turn on the ignition.  Turn the distributor body until you see the points break.  This will be good enough to restart the engine.

Do your static/dynamic timing for each set of points and go for a ride.

[kidneb]

Never in history has this operation been explained and described with all the crucial and tricky details mentioned in such a clear end short text 

[rodekyll]

Never in history has this operation been explained and described with all the crucial and tricky details mentioned in such a clear end short text 

   Thanks!  I hope it helps.

This is the perfect opportunity to mention that Wildguzzi is donation supported and available only because of the personal efforts of Luap.  If you like the information you get from the many members here on the many subjects we have experts in, consider making a new year's resolution to donate soon after the first of the year.  It's your contribution that make it possible.

[falcone]

Thank you for that :-)

AND a good prompt I have donated, been some time :-)

David

[Chuck in Indiana]

Yes, Experience can be a tough teacher. First, she gives you the test. Then.. she gives you the lesson.  Some times, the lesson can be expensive. There are many on WG that keep us from learning that lesson the hard way.
A donation is cheap.
It irks me sometimes, when someone is broken down in BF Utah, posts on here, gets their answer and rides off, never to be heard from again.. unless something else breaks.

[rodekyll]

The thing that irks me most about the folks who ride off without reporting back (besides all the hours that go into everyone thinking and commenting that go unacknowledged) is that the discussion probably included many ideas on what to do about he problem and we never get to find out who's idea and what it was that fixed it.

[Tom]

 :1: on that. 

[Dukedesmo]

Good explanation above; essentially mark the position and don't turn the engine so that when it goes back, it goes back in the same place.


I learnt the hard way, didn't actually remove the distributor but removed the camshaft and whilst I put it back in correctly the distributor obviously (though not to me at the time) moved, meaning that when I tried to start the bike it wouldn't run but made some big back fires.


Actually fairly simple to reset it once you know how and why.

[mtiberio]

The way I do it is to line the motor up at the static firing mark for one of the cylinders (make sure you are on the compression stroke). Then I take the distributor, and turn the drive gear until the point cam is about to open the point for the side I aligned the motor to. Then I insert using the 30 degree warning noted earlier. Then I can spin the dizzy while seated, and see the points go from closed to open, and set it to just be ready to open. With this method, I have set the dizzy on many bikes, and find that when I fire up, I'm quite close to spot on.

[Simon_London]

Rodekyll

What if you don't have points?

[rodekyll]

Rodekyll

What if you don't have points?

If a guy doesn't understand his ancient don't-got-no-points ignition well enough to adapt the distributor removal procedure, I'd be questioning why he's removing the distributor in the first place.   

[elvisboy77]

Rodekyll

What if you don't have points?

That is a good question.  I think as long as you pick a point to return to on reassembly you should be fine.  Just mark all the pieces in the puzzle and line them back up.

Hope this helps.  Good luck!  I just got a T-3 FB and it also has electronic ignition.  What a nice bike!

[mtiberio]

Rodekyll

What if you don't have points?

if you have a Dyna, there are line up marks on the rotor and sensor. Use them and my instructions.

[n3303j]

I read the procedure. Sounds simple enough. Never pulled dustributor with engine in place. Will the distributor come out of my '77 850-T3 without tangling with the spine tube? Or must I drop the enginea bit?

[guzzisteve]

Yes, you have to take the cap off to clear, it's close.

[n3303j]

Thanks!