Distributor Question

[David HorsleyParticipant]

Why do some cars with a manually controlled advance and retard have a spring linking the distributor to a lug on the dipstick housing whilst other cars with similarly controlled distributors don’t ?

What does this spring do ?

Does it matter if it’s missing ?

I have the location points for a spring on my 1951 11BL but no spring – it seems to start and run OK without it !

[BernieParticipant]

The spring is to overcome any “stiction” and ensure the distributor returns when the lever is retarded.

If the control is via a solid wire it will push back but if a bowden cable is fitted, the braided inner cable is less likely to have the necessary rigidity to push the distributor clockwise.

• This reply was modified 1 week, 5 days ago by Bernie.

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