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Triumph TR3 - Distributor Gear Shaft

Now that I have been thoroughly embarrassed by not knowing the distributor turns counterclockwise, does anyone have any type of measurement that will tell if the distributor shaft is properly seated in the oil pump? I have set Top Dead Center for No 1. piston, and have tried various shaft positions and all seem to seat to the same depth. A crude measurement that I made was to insert a shaft I have without the gear and try to measure it to from the top of the casting. It was about 1 3/4 inches, then add 3/8 inch for the gear casting.
John Triska

On page 16 of the TR2 Service Instruction Manual(with TR3 Supplement) there is information about "Engagement of Oil Pump and Distributor Driving Gear". There is additional info about Ignition and Distributor Timing on Page 24. If your do not have a manual, I think they are available from the big three. Went through this with my engine about a year ago and as I recall I had to make special washers and use the micrometer a lot to get everything right per the book. After several tries it seems to be ok now.
hjr




hjr

There is a tang or keyway that is off center on the top to the distributor/oil pump drive shaft and a matching positive key on the shaft at the bottom of the distributor. When these are engaged (as per the manuals) the distributor should have the pointy end (the vacuum advance end) "aiming" at sparkplug #1. If it isn't, then you pull up on the lower drive shaft and realign it until the aim is towards sparkplug #1. This should do it. Put it all together and start it up. If it's rough, rotate the distributor on the lower collar till it runs smoothly. Then the fine adjusting can be done withn the vernier adjusting wheel to the lower right of the distributor.

Don Elliott, Original Owner, 1958 TR3A, Montreal, Canada

http://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthreads/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/1919/ppuser/4127
Don Elliott

You are not going to believe this, but between two different engine blocks I have a 1/2" difference in shaft lengths. I have asked guys in my club as well as the person I get my parts from and nobody has ever heard of this.
John Triska

I'm always such a wealth of information. You'll figure it out, John. But it sounds like you have a dizzy that's not right for the car.
Tom

I've seen some huge variations in shaft lengths. Somewhere, somehow, many distributors get reassembled with different parts from different units, and the variations are staggering. Some have larger diameter shafts, others have longer shafts. I had one here for a while that had a shaft about 3/8" longer than any others. Then there are the 22D Jag units that are about an inch longer. Hopefully you have something proper that you can make fit?
Jeff

This thread was discussed between 28/04/2006 and 18/05/2006

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