I-6 mallory unilite does not spin

[Tommy]

Hey guys,

 

After buying a used I-6 mallory unilite - no vac advance - from ebay (I know), I opened the box to find that it does not spin.

 

I've been in contact with Lantoga, who sold this to me. He tested it on a SUN distributor testor before shipping it out. It was very nicely packed, and most likely not damaged in shipping. No cracks or fractures on cap or rotar.

 

When it was tested on the sun machine, the clamp that attaches to the aluminum base for the timing cover is not used; the machine has its own clamp. It passed the test, and was put back together to ship (to me). He believes that the problem is the bolt that attaches this clamp is too long, and I need to take her apart and loosen this bolt. If she spins freely after loosening, the problem would be a bolt too long. I have never taken a distributor apart from the bottom-up.

 

My apologies for not using correct terminology for the labeling of the dizzy parts; I've never taken one apart before.

 

Below are some pictures of trying to get to this base... and to refresh your memory on this model:

 

Distributor:

 

Rotar off:

 

The furthest I've gotten:

After the clamp-washer that is coming off horizontally, I cannot get any further down. It is possible that the round washer that sits below it may be designed not to come off.

 

As it is now:

 

Thank you for any help in getting to this screw!

[Tommy]

After talking to him again, it seems like I should approach this problem from the "bottom-up", instead of the top-down method shown in the pictures.

 

I'll keep this updated (with pictures) after I "remove the gear" via the roll pin at the bottom of the dizzy.

 

If nothing else, this thread will serve to link to photos of this model of distributor to other internet users. Apparently I'm not the first to look for them. There's V8 unilites out there, but no I-6 to be found.

 

Thanks! Any input appreciated.

 

 

Tom.

 

 

 

EDIT: update

 

I took her apart last night (Wednesday 4 Nov 2009).

The top can be completly lifted out through the removal of the spindle pin (can be seen as a hole, beside the large base clamp, in the first picture). After not wanting to budge, I tapped the bottom of the shaft quite hard with a hammer, to break what was a rust seal on the inside of the shaft. Cleaned it up, put it back together, spins freely. I re-lubed it with graphite grease, though there may be a better type of grease to use. Graphite will not seize or clump. The rust, after cleaned up, was minimal.

 

Labeled pictures to follow for anyone in a similar situation

[Evan Purple240zt]

Great pictures, should be helpful for others with this issue.

[PalmettoZ]

Hey-

 

Do you have a Mallory part number for this distributor? Thanks-

[Tommy]

4563901 without advance

4763901 with advance

http://www.malloryperformance.com/MMYApplication.aspx?makeName=nissan&modelName=240z&yearName=1972&modelDetailName=&brandID=6'>http://www.malloryperformance.com/MMYApplication.aspx?makeName=nissan&modelName=240z&yearName=1972&modelDetailName=&brandID=6

 

Taken from Mallory's website

http://www.malloryperformance.com/

[Tommy]

Here is how to take apart and put back the unilite:

 

Spindle Pin removal: Use a flat punch, not one with a point

 

Base removal and washer orentation (slides down):

 

 

Clamp removal (loosen while mounted to adjust advance):

 

 

 

I had to tap mine with a hammer, from the bottom, fairly hard, to get this to push out the top:

[/url]

 

 

The shaft has now come out the top:

 

Washer orentation (has not been flipped)

 

 

Washer orentation (One just of the first two washers):

Yes, the background is the email from the seller. Very knowledgable.

 

 

There is one more washer below the above two. It's orentation looking down is:

 

 

That's it. No pictures of cleaning it up and puting it back together, I just used these pictures to do it.

 

 

 

[Tommy]

This being kind of a guide already, here's how I went about getting the damn thing back on, alligend, and advance set:

 

 

1. Took off the old (280zx) distributor. Made alligment marks.

2. Found the new distributor doesn't spin

3. Got the distributor to spin, allignment marks are gone. I begin:

 

4. I need to find TDC on the compression stroke (where I want the distributor to give spark to #1 plug). It helps to take the wife out of the kitchen for this. Pulled #1 plug and had her sit in the drivers seat, slowly cranking the engine in small jerks. Put my finger over #1 plug hole.

 

Air sucking in = Exhaust stroke.

Air blowing out = Compression. (think compressed air wants to escape).

 

5. On the compression stroke, I looked for the [yellow] allignment groove on the pully. When it was close to 0*, she stops cranking. Not having A nut big enough to fit on the engine block, I put it in second and rocked it forwards in small "jerks" to allign the groove exactly with 0*. Note you can also rock backwards if you overshoot. Checked this logic with a screwdriver. #1 piston is Top Dead Centre (screwdriver will not go in).

 

6. Alligned unilite rotor exactly with the arrow on the module, and made allignment marks. Put the distributor cap on and made allignment marks. The distributor, exactly now, wants to give spark to #1 plug wire (and #1 Piston is TDC on compression).

 

7. Mounted distributor. Enging needs some advance to start. Loosened clamp to give about 10-20* static advance (rotate counterclockwise -- think: if spark comes earlier, this is advance). Car started. Next set is to set total advance.

 

8. I don't have a fancy timing light, and my grove goes from 5* retarted to 20* advance. I set the mark to exactly 20* advance, and made a second [white] allignment mark on 5* retarted. When this white mark is at 0*, the actual advance is 25*.

 

9. Total advance is reached at aprox. 3500-3800 RPM for the unilite. We are looking for 35-37* total advance. While I increased throttle to 4,000RPM, my wife rotated the distributor until the second mark read 10* advance (Actual advance is now 35*).

 

10. She held the distributor in place while I tightened it down. Checked it once more while tightened to make sure total advance was actually 35*. It is.

 

11. At idle, I now have 5* advance and the car will not start from cold (or get low-rpm peformance). To change this, we need to lower the ammount of mechanical advance inside the distributor. To do this, these screws need to be moved inwards, to limit mechanical advance:

 

 

 

Anyways, I'll get around to doing that tomorrow. I've had good results from 18* below TDC at idle. Hope this helps someone.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Tommy
Spelling