I recently purchased a 76 Midget. From everything I can find this engine
should have a distributor with a vacuum advance, (Lucas 45DE4). But after
closer examination (when I went to check/adjust the timing), it does not. I
have looked for identification markings, etc on the pick up unit, etc. There
are no markings. On the electronic control module there is an RCA and two
sets of numbers, 68263 and 8137 I believe - they are kind of hard to read.
Does anyone have an idea of what make, model, etc this ignition set up might
be. Should it have a vacuum advance. The distributor appears to be after
market in that the wires for the pick-up unit have been RTV'd to hold them
out of the way.
Oh, yes - Setting the timing as specified in the handbook and Haynes manual
(2 ATDC), the engine runs like sh-t.
After scratching my head several times, I looked in an old shop manual that
was in the car. It specifies for 72 to 77 HC 1500's that the timing should
be 10 BTDC. I set the timing to 10 BTDC and the engine idle smoothed right
out, the engine seems to have plenty of power. Is this timing a problem?
What else needs to be checked?
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