matchbox dizzy question L16....521

[ramzoom]

On my L16 in the 521 I am trying to replace the dual point with a matchbox distributor...I can get it dropped in but its not in the correct position...I want the electronic box away from the exhaust but then the distributor is in the wrong position..I get TDC lined up on the mark but the dizzy wont go in with the box away from the heat...Am I missing something? the shaft has a fatter side and the thing just wont line up like I would think it should to the receiving end in the engine..I hope I make some sort of sense to you guys...lol

What stupid thing am I missing here?

It's the only thing keeping me from dropping my truck off at the painter today...

Thanks ahead of time..

 

 

[DanielC]

When I put a matchbox on my 521/L-16, I had no pedestal, or timing plate. 

I set the engine at 12 degrees before TDC, #1.

I used the L-16 pedestal, and modified a L-16 timing plate to work with the matchbox.

Then I centered the adjustment that holds the timing plate to the pedestal, and put the distributor into the pedestal, and made a mark on the side of the distributor body, in line with the spark plug tower.  This is where the rotor must point.

I carefully removed the distributor, and looked at the bottom of the drive slot in the distributor.

 

Then I dropped the oil pump, and turned the distributor drive spindle to match where the drive slot in the distributor is.

 

Post 25. on this page has all the details.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/30606-my-ratsun-datsun-521/page-2

[kelowg]

move plug wire around 180 degres on cap itself and try again.

[datzenmike]

move plug wire around 180 degres on cap itself and try again.

 

This does not move the rotor only the wires which are now 180 out. Daniels description is excellent and allows the rotor and the rest of the dizzy position to be moved anywhere you like.

[Charlie69]

I always use the distributor base and the distributor timing plate that is stock to the matchbox I am installing.  Daniel C is correct in setting up the oil pump drive shaft.  I set the oil pump drive shaft to a position that sets the matchbox facing the radiator with the engine setting at #1 TDC.  I remove the distributor cap and the tower the rotor is pointing at is now #1 and I wire the rest of the distributor cap accordingly to the firing order and the rottation. 

 

Here is what the books show.

 

 

Doing it this way will put you 180 degrees out from what the books say is correct but as long as you wire the cap accordingly it does not matter you will be in time.

[mklotz70]

If you need to move the rotor for some reason, dropping the oil pump and rotating that shaft is the way to do it.  If you only need to move the body a 1/4 turn or so, just reorient the wires.  So....if you move the body enough to clear and the rotor is now point at the next wire, make that tower plug one and move the rest of them 1 position.  They will be in the same orientation to each other, but the body will be rotated one tower.  If you need to move it two towers for enough clearance, move them all two.  That will get you running and to the paint shop......you can reclock the pump shaft later if you want.

[Charlie69]

Thank you Mike for helping to clarify what I wrote.

[mklotz70]

LOL sure!  Had I read more closely, I probably wouldn't have posted :)