3.5 distributor problems

hi everybody i was hoping some of you might be able help me out. I have got a 3.5 v8 110 defender 2 door and it was starting to run a bit lumpy so i decieded to investigate and began by looking at the distributor i removed the cap and looked for signs of arcing and then wiggled the rotor arm from side to side and pulled it of to look at it every thing looked ok so i reassembled it and try to start the landy and it wouldnt start just a bit of backfire i am new to landrovers and petrol engines and don't know what to do next without causing more problems i think its electronic and not points all help would be greatly recived and a big hello to the forum i am thinking that i might of dislodged something in side the distributor?

If you pulled the rotor arm up and off without holding the reluctor (assuming its electronic ignition) and the rest of the assembly then you may have pulled the advanced weights out of place. So it won't run at all. If you're careful enough you can take it apart in situ and put it back together the way it should be, with springs and weights connected properly.

Does it have an ignition amp on the side of the distributor, or even an ignition amp/lump under the oil? If it has an ignition amplifier then its electronic ignition.

Hi thanks for the help here's some photos of the distributor

Hi do I remove the sirclip on the rotor and try to remove the wheel thing or take off the stuff around it

does anyboby know or have any pictures or anything to help me strip and rebuild the distributor all help greatfully recieved

I was thinking it might be better to replace the whole unit does anybody know if powerspark are any good

hi I have been trying to sort it out and I thought I would find tdc before I started taking the distributor to pieces there wasn't any obvious marks on the crankshaft pulley so I took out spark plug 1 (passenger side front correct me if i'am wrong) and turned the crank with starting handle until piston reached the top and found there was a small tippex mark on the pulley but the rotor arm was pointing to cylinder 8 on the dizzy cap I moved the distributor without marking it first but theres no way I could have moved it that much as the vac unit would hit the manifold has the rotor arm moved somehow or I am doing something wrong. all help welcomed cheers tom

Sounds like advance springs need reconnecting and can only be 180 out if you don't remove distributor

Also check carbon contact in distributor cap

where are you?

market rasen ,lincs

do I need to take of the surclip on the rotor and then take of the little wheel then remove the plate with the contact to be able to get at the springs

No, 3 post screws and plate lifts off from memory.

I've taken the three post bolts off but the little cogged wheel stops me taking off the plate off, theres a little black plastic inspection plate on the bottom near the cap clip and I think I can see the weights inside and it does look like the spring have come off

Well I think I've proper poo fingered it! I tried to remove the small cog wheel which was stopping me from removing the backing plate by taking the sur clip off the wheel and applying some pressure from underneath the wheel and it went ping. The outer distributer shaft came off - I think there might have been a clip at the top of the inner shaft which held the outer shaft in place which is now lost. I've now realised there is play up and down and side to side in the shaft and I'm now thinking of replacing the whole distributer. Does anybody know what the best reasonably priced replacement would be? The landy is running on petrol and lpg. Also are there any members nearby Market Rasen, Lincolnshire that would be interested in earning some cash fitting and setting it up for me? Cheers Tom

simonbbc (best british classics) was selling rebuilt ones? or just gaybay in general

thanks think I will give him a call

Hi folks I got a dizzy coil leads and plugs from simon BBC fitted them and the landy ran fine so took it to work (90 mile round trip) and when I arrived at work and it was running lumpy and conked out this got worse on the return journey I noticed that the rev counter was flicking down then back up when I got home I use timing light to check the timing and the light seemed to be missing a beat as well does this point to some electrical fault all help would be greatly welcome thanks

tommytup said:

Hi folks I got a dizzy coil leads and plugs from simon BBC fitted them and the landy ran fine so took it to work (90 mile round trip) and when I arrived at work and it was running lumpy and conked out this got worse on the return journey I noticed that the rev counter was flicking down then back up when I got home I use timing light to check the timing and the light seemed to be missing a beat as well does this point to some electrical fault all help would be greatly welcome thanks

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Sounds like the alternator is on its way out. What's the battery like? Maybe check voltage before starting the motor then start it up and check voltage with engine ticking over see what results you get. If you do a search you'll find the values you should look for. Either way, it would be sensible to test the alternator or just bite the bullet and get it refurbished.

You can DIY the alternator if you are reasonably handy with a soldering iron but it might be just as easy to take it to a local auto electrician, get new voltage regulator, bearings, slip rings and brushes, that should do the trick and will be cheaper than a new alternator and you'll know it's been done which is better than an unknown second hand alty.