You definitely need to find what is causing the cutting-out first.
Replacing things willy-nilly is expensive and you could be left with the
same symptoms as before! When you get the cutting out does the (electric)
tach drop or ignition warning light come on? If so there is a problem in
the ignition LT circuit which may or may not be in the distributor. If the
tach is steady it could be HT or fuel. Hesitation under acceleration and
loss of power can be caused by fuel problems as well as ignition. With
ignition the change in vacuum causes the points plate to twist inside the
distributor which flexes the wires. In time this can lead to a wire
breaking inside the insulation and only making intermittent contact when it
is moved. This type of problem will cause an electric tach to go erratic.
Worn bushes in the distributor will cause a sloppy shaft and hence timing
and dwell irregularities, but it would have to be very bad indeed to cause
cutting out. They can be rebuilt but the big problem is the centrifugal
advance springs, which are unavailable. Before making any decisions you
really need to plot the centrifugal curve and compare it with those on the
web site below - select 'Spanners' and 'Dizzie Curves' and look for your
distributor serial, probably should be 40897 or 41155. Also check the
vacuum advance - replacement capsules are available but expensive. If the
centrifugal advance is way too steep the springs are probably shot in which
case you might as well get a replacement rather than rebuilding, although
one may just have come dislodged. As for which replacement, most people who
have one will tell you it is right for your application. Ask them how the
centrifugal and vacuum advance specs compare to the original.
PaulH
http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wil Boucher" <william@greenmgb.com>
To: "Max Heim" <mvheim@attbi.com>; "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2002 7:28 PM
Subject: RE: Dist. replacement.
> One thing that happens is that I will be driving along and all seems fine,
> and then all the sudden the engine loses power... and sometimes just dies
> completely...
>
> Most times there is major hesitation (where I am afraid the engine is just
> going stop running) when I begin acceleration...
///
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