14 replies to this topic

[stevo-1991]

hi everyone i am going to be putting new points & condensers into my dizzy . the dizzy is marked lucas 43D4 >-> 3887
just wanted to know if this is a standard mini dizzy or if its off something else the engine is a 1380 .



cheers steve

[dklawson]

The answer is "maybe".

The 43D4 and 45D4 can be used in a Mini with an A-series engine. The other four digits (3887) identify that the distributor was made the 38th week of 1987. There should be another number (probably with five digits). That number is the one that identifies the advance curve and application (what car) the dizzy is for.

[stevo-1991]

cheers just had another look at the dizzy & there are some more marks i can see now that i have cleaned it up a bit.

it looks like someone has scratched 100 AY into it & 16/10/87 ive also found these numbers 41844A the engine is a 1380 as welll


cheers steve

[GraemeC]

Then it is an Aldon modified 'Aldon Yellow' dizzy and the conversion was carried out on 16/10/87. The 41844A is the original Lucas designation but is not longer relevant with the Aldon mods carried out.

There is a good chance it will suit the 1380 but exactly how well suited it is would be down to what cam is installed - the Yellow does produce a fair bit of advance (24 degrees) which may be too much for some cams.

[stevo-1991]

cheers for all the information everyone . i do not know what camshaft is installed as i was given the engine so i dont really know anything about what it has got inside it or what sort of bhp it will produce it had been sat for 3 years ive turned it over a few times & there is bags of compression & i did have it running for a few minutes before it was removed from the car . im just in the process of servicing it atm . would i be able to get the points & condesers at a mini parts shop or are they for a different car ?


cheers steve

[GraemeC]

Points, condensor, rotor arm & cap are all standard 43D4 (or 45D4 - uses the same bits) and are readily available from MiniSpares or similar.

That is unless it has been retro-fitted with electronic ignition in which case you won't need points and condensor

[stevo-1991]

what does the aldon yellow converion do to the dizzy or why would someone normally do this conversion ?
im trying to find out as much about this engine as possibe you see as i dont know what sort of work it has had done on it because someone gave it me .


cheers steve

[stevo-1991]

anyone ?

[bmcecosse]

They increase the overall advance by filing the arm on the bob-weight, and 'maybe' they fit slightly different springs to the bob-weights. General clean and overhaul - presumably all new points/vacuum unit etc - and then charge a small fortune for the thing! Maybe when you look inside th new advance will be stamped on the bob weight arm. It will be dizzy advance - so effect will be X 2 on the engine. ie - If it is marked '15' - that will be 30 degrees advance.

Edited by bmcecosse, 17 July 2009 - 09:07 PM.

[Nightrain]

what does the aldon yellow converion do to the dizzy or why would someone normally do this conversion ?

Basically if the engine is altered in anyway, the VE (volumetric efficiency) will change. If you improve the VE, you filling the chambers with more fuel (air & petrol). Because there is more fuel in the chamber it now takes longer to burn, because it takes longer to burn the ignition requirements will also alter.

Aldon will alter the amount of advance the dizzy gives and the speed at which the ignition timing is advanced.

[stevo-1991]

but i cant seem to find any timming marks near the crankshaft pully to get my timing spot using the timming gun ?












hope the picture links worked ?



cheers steve

[dklawson]

Perhaps you have an early engine. Others can tell you when the transition occurred, but early engines only had timing marks on the flywheel which could only be observed by removing the diamond(ish) shaped metal cover plate on the clutch cover.

[stevo-1991]

Perhaps you have an early engine. Others can tell you when the transition occurred, but early engines only had timing marks on the flywheel which could only be observed by removing the diamond(ish) shaped metal cover plate on the clutch cover.

could anyone tell me when changed the timing marks on the engines ? as i could do with learning as much about this engine as possible ? i have got it in the car now & its ticking over lovely .

[Nightrain]

Pretty sure it was when they changed to A+ in the early eighties. Quite often when bigger engines are fitted the cover is swapped for the earlier cover, because of clearance issues with the engine breather. You could mark where TDC is and then, beg, borrow or buy a advanced timing light. Halfords had a Gunsons advanced light for under forty quid last time I was in there.

[dklawson]

Perhaps you have specialists in the U.K. who can offer a kit similar to that offered by Advanced Distributors in the U.S. The kit shown in the link below is a transfer/decal for the front pulley on an MG-Midget. The kit includes a bolt-on pointer. Midgets/Sprites had an issue with their original timing marks not being visible once the engine was installed and this kit was developed to address that problem.

http://advanceddistr...Kit_404923.html

Of course, you could also make your own pointer and corresponding marks on the front pulley.