More Distributor Tech - Small Cap Equivalent to Non-US 19100-61080 (1 Viewer)

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4Cruisers

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I had a couple of distributors laying around (actually, I have quite a few), as well as a good supply of parts and supplies, so I thought I'd try to build an equivalent to the popular non-US 19100-61080 points distributor.

One of the distributors was a late F engine vacuum retard distributor that @ToyotaMatt graciously donated to my distributor R&D collection. Even though I discovered that it can't be converted to vacuum advance, I realized a few weeks ago that most of the parts can be re-used to build other distributors.

Here are the basic ingredients:

1. A like-new aftermarket electronic distributor of a type I've never seen before (thanks to @Green Bean). The housing is in great shape, and very close dimensionally.

2. An early F vacuum retard distributor like those above.

3. A new early '70s OEM 2M distributor.

4. A new mid-'70s OEM 4M distributor.

5. Various parts from other Land Cruiser, non-Land Cruiser, and Toyota forklift distributors.

Apply a healthy dose of @ToyotaMatt's skunk works mentality, top it off with a little labor of love, and you end up with a close replica of the 19100-61080 non-US small cap vacuum advance distributor.

Here is a photo showing all of the ingredients at the time I started the build:

mongrel-distributor-jpg.2803406


Before I finished, I had substituted a few different parts where it made sense. For instance, I used a different octane selector knob (an OEM metal one versus the aftermarket plastic one that came with the advancer), and a new, thicker McMaster-Carr phenolic washer on the distributor shaft, which allowed me to bring the thrust play back into FSM specifications. I also substituted an aftermarket made-in-Japan distributor cap for the aftermarket Toyota forklift cap.

New parts from other non-Land Cruiser Toyota distributors include the points cam, later type OEM upper breaker plate parts and points, external condenser, octane selector cap/sleeve/gasket, wire harness clip, distributor cap clamps, mechanical advance weights, and miscellaneous hardware. The distributor housing and vacuum advancer are from the aftermarket electronic distributor, and the shaft, gear, mechanical advance springs, and lower breaker plate are from the vacuum retard distributor.

Here are a few photos of the completed distributor. BTW, I plan on installing a new OEM rotor before putting the distributor for sale in the MUD classifieds. This refurbished distributor will be an excellent high quality alternative to the non-US 19100-61080 small cap distributor.

Hybrid-Small-Cap-Distributor-1.jpg


Hybrid-Small-Cap-Distributor-2.jpg


Hybrid-Small-Cap-Distributor-3.jpg
 
thanks for experimenting and also for answering a question i couldn't seem to find. I believe i have a retard dizzy and wondered if it could be switched to an advance dizzy, now i know it cant.
 
thanks for experimenting and also for answering a question i couldn't seem to find. I believe i have a retard dizzy and wondered if it could be switched to an advance dizzy, now i know it cant.
Don't give up hope yet. I pulled a non-working early (1/75 through 8/76) 2F vacuum retard advancer from my stash last night. Today I was going to cut it open to see what limits the actuator rod travel to ~1.5mm instead of the ~3.8mm travel needed to get ~10 degree distributor advance. If I can modify the internals I have three of those advancers that work well. I can modify one and trial fit it into the spare distributor housing fitted with a breaker plate to see if it works.

BTW, what year Land Cruiser do you have? Does it have the original distributor?
 
I have a 74,I have no clue if what I have is original or not. When I cleaned up the dizzy the numbers came off of the decal. From what I can tell it’s the original but I have no way of truely knowing. I can upload some pics later. Should it be a lost cause (retard dizzy), I can send it to your for your experiments. I’m using a GM HEI now but feel the curve isn’t right, of course I’m no expert. Just seems to be off instead of a steady advance.
 
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Don't give up hope yet. I pulled a non-working early (1/75 through 8/76) 2F vacuum retard advancer from my stash last night. Today I was going to cut it open to see what limits the actuator rod travel to ~1.5mm instead of the ~3.8mm travel needed to get ~10 degree distributor advance. If I can modify the internals I have three of those advancers that work well. I can modify one and trial fit it into the spare distributor housing fitted with a breaker plate to see if it works.

BTW, what year Land Cruiser do you have? Does it have the original distributor?
If I’m reading you right John, I think you’re saying that two negatives make a positive: a 75-76 retard diaphragm (inboard nipple) on a 69-74 retard dizzy equals vacuum advance?🤔
The thought occurred to me many years ago when I was rebuilding dizzies pretty regularly myself, but I never tried it. I’m glad to see there are still other tinkerers out there.😊
 
If I’m reading you right John, I think you’re saying that two negatives make a positive: a 75-76 retard diaphragm (inboard nipple) on a 69-74 retard dizzy equals vacuum advance?🤔
The thought occurred to me many years ago when I was rebuilding dizzies pretty regularly myself, but I never tried it. I’m glad to see there are still other tinkerers out there.😊
That's right, Mark. I decided to try this after finding out how to easily cut the ends of vacuum cans off advancers to replace the internal springs (to adjust the vacuum advance curve). I've done quite a few of these modifications to date. After reassembly I sleeve the vacuum can at the cut with the appropriate size brass tube, and secure the sleeve with JB Weld. In the last couple of weeks I performed this surgery on a NOS early 2M engine NipponDenso advance/retard advancer, so I have a good idea of what the 1/75 through 8/76 retard advancers look like inside.
 
That's right, Mark. I decided to try this after finding out how to easily cut the ends of vacuum cans off advancers to replace the internal springs (to adjust the vacuum advance curve). I've done quite a few of these modifications to date. After reassembly I sleeve the vacuum can at the cut with the appropriate size brass tube, and secure the sleeve with JB Weld. In the last couple of weeks I performed this surgery on a NOS early 2M engine NipponDenso advance/retard advancer, so I have a good idea of what the 1/75 through 8/76 retard advancers look like inside.
😎
 
Sounds like a plan. Do you have any advance dizzys on the classifieds now? I believe my GM HEI is causing me some timing issues. I plan to stick my retard dizzy in this weekend to confirm. Either way it wouldn’t hurt to have a back up.
 
Sounds like a plan. Do you have any advance dizzys on the classifieds now? I believe my GM HEI is causing me some timing issues. I plan to stick my retard dizzy in this weekend to confirm. Either way it wouldn’t hurt to have a back up.
I've got this one:

 
I may have that question answered in a day or two.
My approach will definitely work. I modified a vacuum retard advancer from a 1/75 through 8/76 2F distributor by backing off an internal nut so that the maximum actuator rod travel is ~4mm, which represents ~ 10.5 degrees distributor advance. Then I replaced the internal spring and adjusted its length to arrive at a vacuum advance curve similar to the advance curve on the early F engine distributors (specifically 19100-60042). Here's a plot comparing the two:

Advance Curves - 2F Vacuum Retard versus 19100-60042.jpg
 
I finished up the modifications to the 1/75 through 8/76 vacuum retard advancer so that it will be a direct replacement for the advancer in the late F engine distributor. It will convert the distributor from vacuum retard to vacuum advance. No modifications to the distributor itself are required. It's easy to install and should work well - no longer any need to toss that distributor :). I'll post some photos later this afternoon.
 
I finished up the modifications to the 1/75 through 8/76 vacuum retard advancer so that it will be a direct replacement for the advancer in the late F engine distributor. It will convert the distributor from vacuum retard to vacuum advance. No modifications to the distributor itself are required. It's easy to install and should work well - no longer any need to toss that distributor :). I'll post some photos later this afternoon.
I tweaked the advancer a bit more and updated the vacuum advance comparison plot. Also took a few photos.

Advance Curves - 2F Vacuum Retard versus 19100-60042.jpg


Retard Advancer 1.jpg


Retard Advancer 2.jpg


Retard Advancer 3.jpg
 

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