Content .. 15 16 17 18 ..

Defender 90 / 110 / 130. Manual - part 17

MAINTENANCE

ADJUST

DUCELLIER DISTRIBUTOR

4-cylinder

Petrol engine

Service

tool:

1861308

Check and Adjust Dwell Angle

NOTE:

The following six instructions can only be

carried out using engine diagnostic equipment and

special

1. Start the engine, disconnect the vacuum pipe from

the vacuum unit and with the engine idling check
the dwell angle

see data. If adjustment is

required  stop  the  engine,  remove  the  distributor
cap,  rotor  arm  and  dust  cover,  slacken  the  fixed
contact retaining screw and using the eccentric-post
end  of  the  special  tool,  as  illustrated,  make  an
appropriate  adjustment.  Tighten  the  retaining

screw, reassemble the distributor and recheck the

dwell angle.

Check and adjust dwell variation

NOTE: A dwell variation outside the accepted tolerance

see data

can be caused by a mechanical fault or

wear within the distributor.

This

may be checked as

follows:

2. Disconnect the vacuum advance, start the engine

and increase the speed to

2000

A variation

outside the tolerance given in data indicates that
the distributor has a mechanical fault which cannot

be rectified by adjustment.

reconnect

vacuum pipe, start the engine and increase the
engine speed to

2,000

and release the

throttle. Check the dwell variation and

if necessary

adjust by tuming the eccentric

‘D’

post with the

special tool (female

‘D’ end). Setting the dwell for

variation may alter the basic setting and

this

must be rechecked at idle speed.

Check vacuum advance

NOTE:

the vacuum unit has been removed

or the

distributor dismantled, the vacuum advance must be
checked and if necessary adjusted.

4. Disconnect the vacuum pipe and connect a vacuum

pump to the unit.

Start and  run  the engine at idle speed  and using  a
timing  light,  slowly  increase  the  vacuum  and  note
the  point  at  which  vacuum  advance  starts  and

compare the figure with that given in data.

Adjustment of the serrated cam, with the special
tool, one tooth at a time, will alter the point at

which vacuum advance starts.

MAINTENANCE

RENEW LUCAS CONTACT BREAKER SLIDING
CONTACTS

4-cylinder petrol engine

The contact set should be renewed every 40.000

(25,000

miles).

Remove the old contacts

1. Remove the distributor cap.

2. Remove the rotor arm.

Remove the retaining screw and lift the contact set

4. Press the contact set spring and release the

complete from the plate.

terminal plate and leads from the spring.

Fit

new contacts

5 .

10.

Clean the points with petrol to remove the
protective coating.
Press the contact spring and fit the terminal plate

with the black lead uppermost.
Fit  the  contact  set  to  the  moving  plate,  ensuring
that  the peg,  underneath the contact  pivot, locates
in the hole in the moving plate.
The sliding contact actuating fork  must  also locate

over the fixed peg.
Loosely secure the assembly with the

plain

and spring washer.
Check that the contact leaf spring locates properly
in the insulation shoe.

Adjust gap

11.

13.

14.

Rotate the crankshaft until the contact heel

the highest point

of a cam.

Adjust the gap by inserting a screwdriver blade
between the

shaped notch and pip and twist the

screwdriver.
Insert a

(0.014 to

0.016

in) feeler

gauge between the points and adjust to a sliding fit
and tighten the retaining screw.
Fit the rotor arm.

RENEW DISTRIBUTOR CONTACT SET

engine

Fixed contact type

2.
3.

5 .
6.

and remove the distributor cap.

Withdraw the rotor arm.
Remove the contact breaker spring anchor nut and

lift off:
(a) the top-half

of insulation bush

(b) the low tension lead (black)
(c) the capacitor lead (orange)
Remove the contact breaker retaining screw, plain

and spring washer and remove contact set
assembly.
Remove the complete insulation bush.
Fit the contact breaker set ensuring that the

post protruding from below  the contact set locates
through the hole in  the cover plate into the hole in
the end of  the vacuum  unit actuating lever, secure
with the screw, plain and spring washers.

continued

MAINTENANCE

Assemble the contact breaker spring insulating
bushes and electrical leads, as illustrated,

the

following sequence:
(a) lower bush

(b) spring
(c)

tension lead

(d) capacitor lead
(e) top bush

and secure with the anchor spring nut.

cam lubrication pad.

Apply a few drops of engine oil to the distributor

Sliding contact type

Adjust points -both types

Turn the engine in the direction of rotation until
the contacts are fully open or the heel of the

contact set is on the highest point of the cam.

10. Using a feeler gauge and the dwell angle adjuster

the side

of the distributor, set the points to a

nominal gap of

(0.014 to

0.016

in).

11.

earliest opportunity check and adjust the

dwell angle

see data

using

turning

equipment.
Fit the rotor arm and distributor cap ensuring that
the

H.T.

pick-up brush moves freely.

1. Release the clips and remove the distributor cap.

2. Remove the rotor arm from the cam spindle.
3. Remove the retaining screw and washers and lift

the complete contact breaker assembly from
moveable plate.

4. Remove t h e nut and plastic bushes from the

terminal post to release the leads and spring.

Discard the old contact breaker assembly.

Clean the new points with petrol to remove the

Connect the leads to the terminal post in the

protective coating.

following sequence:

(b)

red lead tab

(e) upper plastic bush
(f) retaining nut.

the two pegs locate in the holes.

(a) lower plastic bush

Fit the contact set to the moving plate ensuring that

MAINTENANCE

CLEAN

AND

LUBRICATE

ENGINE

DISTRIBUTOR

Fixed contact type

1. Remove distributor cap.

2. Remove rotor arm.
3. Lightly smear the cam with clean engine oil.

Add a few drops of thin machine oil to lubricate the

Wipe the inside and outside of the distributor cap

Ensure that the carbon brush works freely in its

7. Refit rotor arm and distributor cap

cam bearing and distributor shaft.

with a soft dry cloth.

holder.

Sliding contact type

1. Remove distributor cap.

2. Remove rotor arm.
3. Lightly smear the cam with clean engine oil.

4. Add a few drops of thin machine oil to lubricate the

cam bearing and distributor shaft.

5 . Wipe the inside and outside

the distributor cap

with a soft dry cloth.

6 .

Ensure that the carbon brush works freely

its

holder.

7. Lubricate the actuator ramps and contact breaker

heel ribs with Shell Retinax or equivalent grease.

Grease the underside

the heel actuator.

CLEAN

AND

LUBRICATE

DUCELLIER

DISTRIBUTOR

1. Remove the distributor cover and lift

off

the rotor

arm and anti-dust shield.

2. Inspect the contact breaker points; if burnt or

they should be renewed.

Very lightly smear the cam with grease

Shell

Retinax.

4. Lubricate the pressure pad with grease

Shell

Retinax.

5. Add a few drops

oil to the felt pad in the top

the cam spindle.

the engine until the distributor centrifugal

weight pivot post is visible through the cut-out in
the base plate and lubricate the pivot post with a
drop

oil. Repeat for the opposite pivot post.

7. Carefully wipe away all surplus lubricant; and

ensure that the contact breaker points are clean
and dry.

Fit the anti-dust shield.

9. Refit the rotor arm, engage the slot in the spindle

and push down firmly.

10.

Wipe clean with dry nap-free cloth, the inside and

outside

of the distributor cover, particularly

between the electrodes, and fit the distributor
cover.

9. Apply grease to the fixed pin and actuator fork.

CLEAN

ENGINE ELECTRONIC IGNITION

DISTRIBUTOR

10. Refit rotor arm and distributor cap.

80.000

(48,000

miles)

Remove the distributor cap and rotor arm and wipe
inside with a nap-free cloth.

DO NOT DISTURB

the clear plastic insulating cover

which protects the magnetic pick-up module.

Content .. 15 16 17 18 ..