If it's not one thing -it's another

[madkaw]

Just venting and asking also. So I get my car back together-finally and drive around-nice!

BUT, I realize that I still have issues-and more.

I had replaced my head gasket and at the same time changed the valve timing-advanced it closer to the advertised number.

Didn't feel much different driving, and in fact my car has never felt as strong as when I first rebuilt the motor about 7500 miles ago. The good is that the Subaru diff I put in is quiet and I have had no issues with it. The 3.90 gearing has made the car feel peppy and I can notice the handling difference of the LSD. The diff did NOT cure my high speed vibration-so more work there.

So after driving around for a while and bringing back to the garage to check timing, I notice my dizzy is doing the hula dance:mad: I adjust my timing and it seems that the mechanical advance was only giving me an additional 10 degrees-whats with that? I pull out the dizzy and see the collar bushing at the bottom of the shaft is barely holding on and the roll pin is elongated-now how long has this been like this I wonder? Now I need to find another dizzy and I wonder what problems this has been causing? The engine is fairly smooth, but I felt that it could be smoother at higher rpms. I am kind of anxious to see what a GOOD dizzy will do for my engine.

Then there is the puddle of oil left under the rear main after driving-here we go again.

[Healey Z]

Oh, I feel your pain. The highs and lows of vintage car ownership. Hang in there.

[5150 will]

Steve, don't know if this'll help out but he might ship? http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/pts/2838111429.html

[Healey Z]

Wow, a brand new factory disti? How rare is that!

[madkaw]

I don't need a new one, though that would be nice! I'm going to just find a used one with a better shaft

[steve91tt]

I feel your pain, I had the Hula dancing distributor issue last year.

[FastWoman]

Wow, it would be tempting to buy the new distributor just "because."

FAIW, you can get a lifetime-warranted, rebuilt distributor from autozone for about $100. The lifetime warranty is important, because the design of the breaker plate mechanism isn't all that great, and you will likely USE the warranty at some point. I'd be skeptical of a used and non-rebuilt part, because of the breaker plate issue. (It sticks and jams as the bearings rust and fall out.)

[madkaw]

Sarah,

called autozone and it's 133$ with core exchange. Yes that's lifetime warranty-just a thought!

Steve-how did your HULA DANCING DIZZY manifest itself, did you notice ignition issues?

[steve91tt]

Mine was bad enough that the distributor shaft would jump out of the drive rod and shut the car down if I reved it to fast. So, yes I guess that counts as an ignition problem. My issue ended up be caused by poor machining of the new distributor I was installing. Swapped it out and no problems since.

[madkaw]

Well i think got away with one. I found some older points dizzys and pulled one of the bushings off of it. The early bushings are a hair bit longer, but everything else is the same. I went ahead and redrilled the hole to next bigger roll pin size-5/32", and it worked.In fact the roll pins at your basic hardware store are the exact right length too!! The bushing was longer above the roll pin, which made it to tight against the dizzy body, but I just sanded the bushing down for a snug fit---NO MORE HULA GIRLS!!

[steve91tt]

Gotta love a cheap effective fix.