Distributor fried - thoughts for replacement/repair?

[SARCruiser]

[FONT=&quot]I was up having a little bit of fun this last weekend when my cruiser started acting up. Misfiring like crazy, no power and a few backfires that scared the begeezus out of my two friends and I (and a few rafters). Long story short, I managed to limp it about halfway home down the canyon when she backfired one last time and totally died. 26-mile tow bill later we were back home with my Cruiser in the garage trying to figure out what the hell was wrong.

My friend and I pulled out the carb (Weber 38) and completely tore it down and cleaned everything out. Nada, still would not start and it's getting plenty of gas.

Tested for spark, no spark. Tested the coil for correct resistance, coils was bad, replaced the coil, still no spark.

Popped the cap off the rotor and found the issue:

So I'm not sure if the o-ring went bad or what but there has definitely been water getting in there for a while now and when I pulled it off, there was still water on the inside of the cap and pooled in the distributor. Oh and did I mention that until I started searching around on here I had no idea there was supposed to be a vacuum line on the cap to vent it? Previous owner didn't bother to hook that up when he put in the Weber.

So here's my question: Should I try to pull this one and clean it up, replace bad parts, etc... or just get a rebuilt unit from NAPA or MAF or somewhere else?

I'm not overly familiar with this older style of distributor and the prices I've been seeing look like it's almost as expensive to buy the replacement parts for the stuff covered in corrosion as it would be to just buy a rebuilt unit. Let me know what you all think!
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[Joe_E]

Same thing happened to me when I ran a Weber w/ desmog.
The inside of mine was like yours and was too far gone with corrosion to rebuild.
The stock OEM set up with the filter and vacuum to the cap was an obvious winner in my opinion.

Post up in the wanted section you want a good dizzy, i'm sure you'll get plenty of replies.

 

[Southeast Overland]

PM Trollhole - he might be able to help you out.

 

[lehiguy]

If the bearing is still good, and it most likely is, just replace the pick up coil and you should be golden. Or better yet, get it recurved. I'm guessing from the amount of corosion that your mechanical advance was non existant, but that should clean up with a wire wheel.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

If the bearing is still good, and it most likely is, just replace the pick up coil and you should be golden. Or better yet, get it recurved. I'm guessing from the amount of corosion that your mechanical advance was non existant, but that should clean up with a wire wheel.

I was thinking that too.

I have an FJ60 distributor on my 76 2F, and while I have it vented, I don't have air being drawn through it. Gotta work on that this summer after these pictures.

Any thoughts for a vacuum source that won't induce too big a leak?

 

[seanzy1105]

DUI HEI! kick a**

 

[lonelydriver]

I've got a working Dizzy off an 83 60 if you're interested send me a pm

 

[Mace]

Didn't the vents just go into the cab?

Not a positive or negative pressure??

 

[Spike Strip]

Standard products makes a new pickup assy for that -- I see a guy on ebay, occasionally, selling it for $80. Napa lists for $175 ...

Ignition Pickup Coil 1981-87 Toyota Land Cruiser:eBay Motors (item 400047207483 end time May-11-09 12:01:31 PDT)

Auction is closed, but you might try emailing him.

Or you can always send to Jim C. for a rebuild. ...

 

[lehiguy]

Didn't the vents just go into the cab?

Not a positive or negative pressure??

Yes, it did go into the cab.

 

[Joe_E]

Didn't the vents just go into the cab?

Not a positive or negative pressure??

One line goes to a filter in the cab. The other goes to the air cleaner via an ASV I believe. I believe aspiration draws air through cap keeping it dry.

 

[Butt Ugly Chuck]

One line goes to a filter in the cab. The other goes to the air cleaner via an ASV I believe. I believe aspiration draws air through cap keeping it dry.

Yup, except through a VCV. Part of that system in this case was probably ditched for the Weber conversion.
Butt

 

[Joe_E]

Yup, except through a VCV. Part of that system in this case was probably ditched for the Weber conversion.
Butt

ASV,VSV,PVC,PCP,STP, what's the difference?

 

[SARCruiser]

If the bearing is still good, and it most likely is, just replace the pick up coil and you should be golden. Or better yet, get it recurved. I'm guessing from the amount of corosion that your mechanical advance was non existant, but that should clean up with a wire wheel.

I'm hoping this is what I'll be able to do, just replace that pickup and be good but short of the ebay guy that someone else mentioned, all the pickups I've seen have been almost as much as complete rebuilt dizzy.

Does bring up another question I had. Is the stock dizzy in an 87 supposed to be mechanical or vac advance? Here is a broader picture of mine:

That module on the front is a part of a vac advance, correct? It has two ports but only one is hooked up to what I believe is the vac port on the Weber? (see below) Should the other one be hooked up to something too? I've been using the stock airbox with the adapter to the Weber so I have plenty of vacuum ports to use since she's de-smogged (well, basically, but that's another thread for another day).

DUI HEI! kick a**

I've seen a lot of stuff on here about guys who have had to replace coils and caps in the DUI HEI with quite some regularity. Is that still the case or has that issue been resolved by the manufacturer?

I've got a working Dizzy off an 83 60 if you're interested send me a pm

Sending PM. But you probably have already realized that...


Bottom line is that with using this truck for Search and Rescue, I just need it to work and keep working so whatever gets me that goal, I'm all for. Big reason I bought a cruiser in the first place but it seems like I've been spending a lot of time chasing down gremlins from projects the previous owner just kinda half-assed.

 

[ProwlerDriver]

similar question for a similar situation-- I have the weber setup and was going to run the vaccuum for the dizzy off of one of the ports on the intake manifold. (specifically- the l shaped port right next to (on) the port that hooks to up to the brake booster) Is that a good spot?
Then run the other (bigger vacuum port) vented to the cab?

 

[FJ40Jim]

A direct vaccum connection can go to the dissy cap, but it will need a restrictor so as not to be too large a vacuum leak.

 

[lehiguy]

I'm hoping this is what I'll be able to do, just replace that pickup and be good but short of the ebay guy that someone else mentioned, all the pickups I've seen have been almost as much as complete rebuilt dizzy.

Does bring up another question I had. Is the stock dizzy in an 87 supposed to be mechanical or vac advance? Here is a broader picture of mine:

That module on the front is a part of a vac advance, correct? It has two ports but only one is hooked up to what I believe is the vac port on the Weber? (see below) Should the other one be hooked up to something too? I've been using the stock airbox with the adapter to the Weber so I have plenty of vacuum ports to use since she's de-smogged (well, basically, but that's another thread for another day).

I've seen a lot of stuff on here about guys who have had to replace coils and caps in the DUI HEI with quite some regularity. Is that still the case or has that issue been resolved by the manufacturer?



Sending PM. But you probably have already realized that...


Bottom line is that with using this truck for Search and Rescue, I just need it to work and keep working so whatever gets me that goal, I'm all for. Big reason I bought a cruiser in the first place but it seems like I've been spending a lot of time chasing down gremlins from projects the previous owner just kinda half-assed.

Your distributor has both vacuum advance (needs to plumbed to PORTED vacuum on your Weber) and mechanical. Judging by the looks of it, your mechanical advance had died, but you should be able to bring it back around with some carefull cleaning. I highly reccomend getting it recurved by a knowledgeable guy, it made a HUGE difference on my old 2F.

 

[ProwlerDriver]

A direct vaccum connection can go to the dissy cap, but it will need a restrictor so as not to be too large a vacuum leak.

How can you restrict the vacuum flow when connecting to the intake manifold? What would i use?

Not trying to hijack, I figured this is relevant for the thread.

 

[SARCruiser]

How can you restrict the vacuum flow when connecting to the intake manifold? What would i use?

Not trying to hijack, I figured this is relevant for the thread.

No worries man, I have some of the same questions while I try to figure out WTF the previous owner did to this truck.