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Triumph TR6 - Distributor Alignment

Ok, after a 2 year rebuild my engine is almost done. To the experts out there, when I put my dist. in (w/timing marks & #1 piston @TDC) the roter no longer points to where Wire # 1 use to be. Does the position change during a rebuild or did I do something wrong with the dist. drive gear ? I thought I had the slot the right way when I put the gear in. The bottom end and cam were install professionally by an expert shop so I am pretty sure that part is right.Steven ,Don ,pete Rick,any help
Don K.
DON KELLY

Don,
Just to remind you of what you already know, the cog that takes the drive from the cam shaft will fit anywhere against the camshaft, two ways onto the oil pump drive shaft, and only one way on the dizzie shaft. If the bottom end was fitted for you by a mechanic, the oil pump will be at a random angle - no insult to the man, he would have done that anyway, then proceeded as I will relate.
The secret, I think, is to start by setting the oil pump to the right place in its rotation, using the position of the dizzie as your guide.

With the engine at No.1 TDC firing stroke (NOT induction!), set the dizzie in your hand to No.1 plug contact. Observe the angle of the ridge on the end of dizzie drive, and work out where the drive cog will need to be to engage with it. NB that the drive slot is offset!
Now see where is the cog to oilpump key(underneath), and adjust the slot on the top of the oilpump shaft to correspond. A thinnish screwdriver is good for this. Then insert the cog, remembering that the hypoid drive demands that you insert it 20 degrees or so rotated so that it will slide into engagement with the oilpump shaft.

Now install the dizzie, and check with a lamp and leads that the contacts break about the right place. You will probably have to remove the drive cog again and adjust the oilpump shaft, several times to get it right. Even then, you may have to rotate the dizzie on its mount to get it absolutely right.

This is all easier to write or say than do, but may become clearer if you have the parts in your hands, beside the engine.

Good luck!
John
JohnD

John-
I installed the oil pump . The oil pump shaft is that adjusted from the top or do I hve to do that from the oil pan side? I nstead of sleeping I lay awake trying to ponder this situation. i came up with more or less the fix you relate but yours is alot more exact.
Thanks
Don
DON KELLY

The drive for the oil pump is an upstanding blade. You can adjust the pump drive shaft by pulling your distributor gear and turning the upright blade in the direction needed to place the distributor drive gear in the proper orientation. Something to consider while you have the distributor drive gear out is to make a pre-oiler prior to engine start. You can use the shaft of the drive gear as a model to make a shaft that will mate with the oil pump and extend up where you attach it to a drill. When you are ready to pre-oil the engine, spin the pump using the drill and the shaft that you made, stop, use the shaft to align the oil pump drive blade to the proper orientation, install the distributor drive components and fire it up.
SteveP

Don,
John has it right. Even to the multiple attempts to get everything aligned. I think four tries was my record. It is important that you set the drive free play correct as too little will cuase binding and premature wear. If you don't have one I suggest you purchase "The Complete Official Triumph TR6 & TR250" by Robert Bentley, isbn 0-8376-0108-8. The installation and free play are very well covered. When rebuilding my 6 I found this book to be a great help. It has an excellent wiring section, and we all know how much that is needed. I ordered mine through Moss Motors, but with the isbn you can get a book store to get it for you. If you prime your pump as directed above you will notice that the oil will run back out when you quit turning. This is normal for a gerotor pump. It's the reason your oil pressure hesitates a second or two when you first start the TR6.
Joe J.
Joe Justice

Joe -
I sleep with that manual under my pillow. The book tends to confuse me until I have done some of the exercises a few times. I came back in to double check John advise .
Don K
DON KELLY

Much thanks for all the help. Once I did it, it was easy do again so I could fiddle around so the alignment of the advance diaphram was alittle more square to the world. This leads me to my next (?) Since there is play with the advance and there is a little movement with the cog of the gears, is it OK to do the adjusting I just mentioned?. I always thought that the dia. was to close to the head and the tach connection was pointed in a cantered position when it was timed right. Since the P.O. had rebuilt it once Maybe he didn't care how the alignment was.Am I correct in my assumption of adjustment?
Don K.
DON KELLY

Steve,
That's a point about spinning up the oil pump before first start. You need a reversible drill as the oil pump goes anticlockwise, when viewed from above.
John
JohnD

John
Thanks for the heads up on the direction. Any ideas on what to build the shaft out of. While the cog was out I took measurements of the groove .
Don K.
DON KELLY

Don,
If you can get access to rod steel stock, a piece of that of suitable size and length.

More readily available would be to buy a cheap screwdriver, cut the blade off and slot the cut end. Brutal but effective! Or some threaded rod - often available in DIY stores - the thread doesn't matter. Anything round and long that is the right size and strong enough - wood might not be the latter.
John
JohnD

This thread was discussed between 23/02/2002 and 25/02/2002

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