Distributor Removal

I wanted to simply remove my Lucas distributor on my 1988 XJS to do some work on it. I read Kirby’s book, and am a bit confused that I need to make sure which way the rotor is facing? But the rotor has a groove in it, and can only go in one way, correct? Or is this because the shaft will turn and I need to realign rotor direction? Do I do this before or after seating the distributor?

I assume I just undo the nut, lift the distributor out, and when I put it back in, make sure the gears mesh and point the distributor/rotor exactly the same direction that it was?

The crank will not be turned while out. Just wanted to make sure I’m not missing something before I totally mess up my timing.

Thanks

If you haven’t already jumped into this, take a marker or paint stick and put a mark on the dist. body lined up with another mark wherever is close to it. Put a second different mark on the dist. lined up with the tip of the rotor. As you remove the dist., the rotor will turn a few degrees - and you have to allow for that difference when you put everything back together. I think you already know pretty clearly what is going on…

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Ok, am I being stupid? I took nut off adjusting screw, but the dist doesn’t want to come out. Do I need to take off entire vee top plate?

No. Inside the dist. body there are three allen head screws, and three slotted holes below them. Mark everything for future reference and dist. should come out. Bear in mind that I personally have had no need to remove my own dist., and everything is coming from Kirby’s “Book”!
(Which you should read!!)

There are 3 holes in plastic cover. Unscrew 3 alen head bolts and distributor will come out. Unscrew those bolts evenly and slightly lifting the distributor. Bolts will not fall out, they will stay in their slots.

Thanks. I did read Kirby’s book, but must have missed the three Allen bolts. I am only removing it so I can do easier bench work on it. Replacing vacuum advance and pickup wires. I find it difficult to do detailed work on it in the vee. Any specific torque on Allen bolts?

Ok, have distributor out. A close look, is this wheel (inductor rotor?) supposed to have chips taken out of the teeth? Looks wrong to me.

NO! That star wheel is RUINT! And I’ve never seen that. You’ll definitely need a new one.

Oh boy, but where do I find one?

Midnight requisition from someone else’s Jag!

So I assume this is a part i cannot buy? Is a used distributor the only way and hope it’s star wheel is ok? Any chance of a NLA part?

These star-wheels typically last forever unless someone didn’t align pickup coil after some sort of repair work on distributor. Maybe after changing vacuum advance? I would guess now you need new star-wheel as well as new pickup coil. I would be surprised i coil pickup tip has survived such abuse… Used distributor might be the way to go for you as you might find more damage while disassembling further. Springs in lower part of distributor might be easily damaged while pulling rotor arm or star-wheel.

Contact David at Everyday XJ. Good source for parts. This may explain why your engine misses!

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I’ve decided to go with the pertronix II electric conversion. Not bad for about $150, which is cheaper than finding a star wheel and new pick up. And it might even run a wee bit smoother. The rotor seems to bounce back, and i can easily turn shaft, so hopefully when I do Kirby’s rebuild, all will be good.

I called and asked pertronix about the appropriate unit for my 86 v12. They said that none of them would work. YMMV. I did not test.

I know, I saw that they state the LU1121a only covers XJS’s from 82-84. But it also says it’s made for the Lucas 36DM12 distributor, which my 1988 XJS def has (and I thought all CEI Lucas distributors are). As far as I know, when Jag went from Opus to CEI, there were no changes in ignition until the Marelli, correct?

I’ve ordered parts before where the year knowledge may be wrong. Whoever you talked to could just be reading back the same catalog ref I see. Unless it was a tech person?

I’ll let you know how it works out.

Hmmm, just saw this on Terry’s Jags.

LU1121a: This kit will only fit the Lucas 36DM12 Distributor that is used on HE V12 Fuel Injected with a Digital P System.

As far as I know, my 1988 has a Lucas 36DM12 and a Digital P system? So…

OK, I called Pertronix. It’s all a bit confusing, but the LU1121 is NOT for fuel injected models. They said the distributor does not have enough room in it for them to create something.

DOH!

Lol. There’s like a quarter acre under that lucas dizzy cap. Perhaps no room is code for no market.

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