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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 123 will not push home

I have just spent a frustrating morning trying to fit my wonderful new 123 distributer to my 1275,try as I might, I cannot get it to push the final 1/8 inch or so to engage the drive. I am rotating the rotor arm to get it to engage, I have oiled the "0" ring, I have also tried it without the "0" ring, or the clamp.
The old unit still goes in easily, and points to no 1 with crank at TDC.
Short of hitting it with a hammer, I am running out of ideas, any help appreciated.

Dave
Dave Barrow

No hammer...

Do a side by side check of the gear wheel, on the bottom of the dissy

Is it catching in the clamp, is the clamp facing the correct direction... the clamp does have a 1/8 inch lip with a radius

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

remove the clamping plate and do a trial fit without it. Pardon me even mentioning it but you do know the cross-peg is offset and it only engages with the offset D in the end of the drive gear in one position? If it still won't fit then remove the drive gear (or better, grab a spare one)and bench-test the fit.
David Smith

David,

I almost mentioned that, but wasnt sure how to phrase that, im glad you did.

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Thanks guys, I have tried without the clamp, and the "O" ring, the old one drops in easily, but the 123 just will not go far enough to engage. I have measured the new drive shaft against the original, and they look identical.
Tomorrows plan is to cut down a spanner so I can get to the bolts, loosed the clamp, bring the clamp up to meet the disi, tighten the clamp, and then retighten the bolts while pressing down on it.
I have read elsewhere that they can be tight, but I did not think I would have to use this much force.
Dave
Dave Barrow

Mine didn't want to go in either, I think it was a combination of the new o ring and the clamp not being loose enough. I know that you've already checked this, but that was the problem with mine.
G Lazarus

This thread was discussed on 03/04/2015

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