HIya brickies,

Broke the teeny little red wire in my distributor for my 86 245, had a spare from I think a junkyard 86 which has a smaller shaft than the one I removed but used the right rotor for it. Anyway I installed it I thought the correct way the engine starts real fast and knocks like mad. So I am guessing I did something wrong. I marked the housing of the old distributor and the block and also the position of the rotor relative to the housing of the distributor. Installed the new one roughly how it says in the Bentley manual and it looked like it went right in how it's supposed to not off by more than a mm or so on both marks. and the adjustment bolt went right where the last one did. Can I rotate motor over by hand until timing pulleys and belt is on its correct marks for TDC and check where distributor rotor is pointing? If so where is it supposed to point in that position?

Thanks,

Mike

Well took the old distributor with the broken red wire and took the top circlip off then used two screwdrivers on opposite ends to pry the circular wheel off the rusty shaft after letting the shaft and wheel sit for a day with Marvel Mystery Oil on it. Bent the wheel a little of course getting it off then broke the bottom circlip and took the plastic cover off to get at the wire. Soldered the wire together and heatshrunk it then painted a part of the black wire that got nicked with JB weld to reinsulate it. Made sure wires were positinoed so they wouldn't get nicked again by the wheel. Got a couple of new circlips that worked at hardware store, put the wheel on a flat piece of steel and tapped it with flat hammer seemed to be pretty straight after that. Reassembled first the bottom circlip then hammered the wheel onto the shaft using 14mm deep socket and hammer making sure that the keyway was lined up, then hammered the teeny little key in after the wheel was on, then tested to see that the wheel was rotating correctly then put the top circlip on. Installed in the car, marks line up as they should now, started right up. Only problem is that it is still knocking, timing is pretty spot on, I'm thinking maybe this knocking is separate problem. What are the chances that I dropped something small into the intake when I was changing the intake manifold gasket causing a knock? Will research problem on BB and probably this is a problem for a mechanic,thanks for the help.

Well thought I had rod knock and was checking for sources of a new motor but all of a sudden the knock seems to have quieted, then there was a whining then it was gone and the motor seems better behaved than it ever was. Wonder if the intake manifold gasket that I replaced has been leaking awhile and LH computer was not used to no air leaks so it was too rich causing knocking when I replaced it? Really not sure maybe it is rod knock it just went away. So fingers crossed, not really sure what the issue is/was really sounded like videos I watched of rod knock. If you think your motor is rod knocking maybe let it idle for awhile then leave it couple days then try idling it again maybe it'll clear up like mine before you have to go all drastic and replace motor.

Add "SeaFoam" to you oil. Drive 100-150 miles. Drain oil, change filter and ride on. Sounds like a valve tappet getting resistance due to all the Hot soak / baked oil when we shut the engine down. SeaFoam will cut through the varnish like substances that creates the resistance and causes.the valve stem / tappet noise. Just did.my 1988 Volvo 740 turbo wagon. The tic / tapping noise was increasing daily until engine was up to operational temp. Added the " SeaFoam " and drove for 160. Changed the oil and car is quite now. Thinking about doing this every other oil change within a few hundred mile of a schedule oil change.

Thanks a lot for the tip, did this to my 740t and quieted right down gonna change oil asap per your tip gonna try my 240 too thanks a lot! I use marvel mystery oil in oil sometimes with oil changes but since I only use 1/2 qt per oil change maybe its more gradual than this.

Mike

What do you mean, Smaller shaft ? Is the distributor drive gear the same size.?

Okay thanks again Art! Well the one I installed's shaft with keyway on the end that the rotor sits on is smaller. But looking at the two distributors side by side the body of the smaller shafted one is a lot shorter. Smaller one 0 237 520 004 Bigger one 0 237 506 001 . Might explain why I can't get the smaller one to line up exactly as it should by 10 degrees either side. Both gears have 12 teeth but err they look a little different.....Might try repairing/ replacing hall sender in old one now. Thanks a lot will post solution.

Quick answer is yes, if you put the timing at TDC, your rotor should point at the notch just left of the electrical connector.

If all was running great before the replacement, you could just peek behind the top timing cover at the top sprocket and its timing mark to confirm TDC. I might not trust the marks at the damper in case the crank pulley has slipped.




--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.