The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

The Number One Club for owners of Triumph's range of small saloons from the 1960s and 1970s.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 7:53 am

All times are UTC




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 3:41 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:08 am
Posts: 691
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
I have just spent an hour trying to get the rear bolt into the distributor mounting on my 1850 and all I have to show for my troubles is a badly grazed arm and a foul mood. I have lost count of the number of times I have dropped it to lodge somewhere out of sight. There must be a way of inserting it - whatever did the service agents do back in the day? I'm sorely tempted to really tighten the front bolt and leave the other one out. Please help. My sanity is at stake here.

_________________
Mike
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 4:09 pm 
Offline
TDC Cheshire Area Organiser

Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
Posts: 1405
Location: NANTWICH.
Hi Mike, if you have any welding rod? (the old thin stuff) Make a holder to go around the bolt with a small piece on the top and you can guide it into place and still turn it with fingers until you get it in a few turns and then pull the rod off. If you cant grasp what i mean? Let me know and i do it to a bolt and send you a photo :D

Tony.

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057 :bluewave:


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 4:31 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:08 am
Posts: 691
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Hi Tony, sounds like a plan. A photo would be helpful if you don't mind.
Mike

_________________
Mike
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:50 pm 
Offline
TDC Cheshire Area Organiser

Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
Posts: 1405
Location: NANTWICH.
Hi Mike, you can use copper wire from 2'5 twin and earth if no welding rod. Just bend to shape. :D
Hope get the gist, it's a bit hard to explain. :wink:

Tony.


Attachments:
IMG_2307_1.JPG
IMG_2307_1.JPG [ 109.09 KiB | Viewed 350 times ]
IMG_2308_1.JPG
IMG_2308_1.JPG [ 120.28 KiB | Viewed 350 times ]

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057 :bluewave:
Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:40 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:00 pm
Posts: 282
Good tip Tony.

I would also add 2 things:

1. If you have removed the distributor makes sure the threads in the retaining plate for the mounting bolts are clean, run a tap through them if you have one. Similarly clean the threads up on the bolt and "test" screw the bolt in before refitting the distributor.

2. I think the original bolts had a point on them - maybe wrong - to help guide them into the hole. If yours have not then it is easy to grind or file one on. If you do run a nut on the bolt first so you can unscrew it after to clean the thread up if necessary.

Did both these on my Sprint recently when I changed the distributor, had no trouble getting the bolts back in just with my finger tips.

Roger

_________________
1975 Sprint Man O/D in Honeysuckle Yellow
1971 Stag Auto White

Too many cars, too little time!


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:19 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:08 am
Posts: 691
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Thanks gents. Tony, I see what you mean and I have plenty of old mains cable I can strip to give me a piece of copper wire. Roger, putting a point on the bolt is a good idea. My bolts are flat ended., but I know the threads are nice and clean and free running.

_________________
Mike
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:59 pm 
Offline
TDC Member

Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2008 2:52 pm
Posts: 2303
Hi Mike, My way of doing this is to fit the front bolt, then rotate the distributor until its adjustment is at one end, and the front bolt is holding the distributor in place. This then gives you a datum to drop the rear bolt in at the end of the adjustment range and start to tighten it.. At which point you can reset the distributor to the middle of its adjustment range, and reset the timing dynamically.
Then finally retighten both bolts.
Tony.


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 3:57 pm 
Offline
TDC Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:08 am
Posts: 691
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Tony, thank you, thank you. The trick with the loop of wire to hold the bolt worked like a charm and it is now in and tight. Phew! Hopefully I won't be removing that for a loooong time.
Mike

_________________
Mike
(1969 MGB GTV8, 1977 Dolomite 1850HL, 1971 MGB roadster now all three on the road)


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:16 pm 
Offline
TDC Cheshire Area Organiser

Joined: Wed May 17, 2017 6:28 pm
Posts: 1405
Location: NANTWICH.
My pleasure Mike, so glad it worked for you. i have used that many times in the past. A shame it wont work on nuts :lol:

Tony.

_________________
NOW A CLUB MEMBER 2017057 :bluewave:


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: AhrefsBot [Bot] and 23 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited