- Location
- United States
I'm in need of a few spare parts for some of my old distributors (trail spares), so I'm looking for inexpensive non-functioning vacuum advancers with bad diaphragms. Either of the two flavors below would work.
Wanted NM Non-Functioning Vacuum Advancers for Early F Engines/Non-US F Engines
- Thread starter 4Cruisers
- Start date
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63cruiser
SILVER Star
As i understand it, the problem generally was that the bad diaphragms were next to impossible to repair/replace. Have you solved this problem?
Pretty sure I have at least one of those hanging around in n my dizzy parts box. Free with your next order...just remind me.
- Thread starter
- #4
I found a '76 Celica distributor on eBay for $17.95 with a single advance port and octane selector thinking that the diaphragm was shot - it was. I followed the leads of @duffontap and @NeverGiveUpYota here on MUD and pried the housing apart to check it out. I used full strength Simple Green to repeatedly soak the diaphragm to dissolve the rubber and expose the fabric. It turns out that the fabric Toyota used in that era of vacuum advancers was a very fine metal screen/mesh. I don't know what was used on later (FJ60) vacuum advancers, maybe the metal screen/mesh was still used then. I brushed on multiple thin layers of black liquid electrical tape, which is a rubber based product, until I thought it would work. I fitted a section of 5/8" rubber hose over the back of the housing (the side that goes on the inside of the distributor body) along with an adapter so I could use my hand vacuum pump to pull a vacuum. I added a few more layers of liquid electrical tape until the restored diaphragm held vacuum. I then checked the spring inside the vacuum housing that returns the rod to the non-advanced position to make sure it exerted enough pressure. It didn't, so I inserted a thick flat washer inside the housing under the spring, then temporarily clamped the two halves of the housing together. I hooked up my hand vacuum pump to the vacuum port to make sure the diaphragm would hold vacuum and pull the rod to the stop (the two thin nuts threaded on the rod). Everything looked good so I re-crimped the two halves of the housing together. I don't know how long the fix will last. It was mainly just an experiment.
Here's the finished product - it's not pretty but it works, at least for now. The rod is a smaller diameter and a different length than on an early FJ40, and it would take some work to fit this, but it could be done. I might try to do that and test it out on my '71 FJ40, which has a '76 2F with a non-US octane selector distributor.
Wow. That is awesome. I love diving into things like that just to see if it can be done. Probably would have used the plasti-dip like I used on my bugcatcher windows.
The only other major impediment to using the early dizzies is the worn out bushings on the counterweights. But there are a plethora of basically worthless vacuum retard dizzies to pull lightly used counterweights from.
I wish this were in tech. Moderator?
The only other major impediment to using the early dizzies is the worn out bushings on the counterweights. But there are a plethora of basically worthless vacuum retard dizzies to pull lightly used counterweights from.
I wish this were in tech. Moderator?
Kudos @4Cruisers! So you tried it w/ a mityvac and it held? I agree too w/ @65swb45 that I would have used plasti-dip. And thinking back the guy who rebuilds distributors in NJ said he’d send me some of the fabric he uses to rebuild the diaphragms... if you felt inclined to do more I could contact him. Just lmk.
- Thread starter
- #7
After posting this I moved on to looking at options for a single port advancer for an FJ60 distributor in an older Land Cruiser without an HAC system. What could replace the FJ60 (or late FJ40) advancer, freeing up hard to come by good dual port advancers for later 2Fs with HAC systems? Here's a thread I started earlier on that subject:
I won't give up the details of what I came up with just yet, but it's super simple given the correct single port advancer from other common Toyota applications. Let the rampant speculation and head scratching begin
.
I won't give up the details of what I came up with just yet, but it's super simple given the correct single port advancer from other common Toyota applications. Let the rampant speculation and head scratching begin
.- Thread starter
- #8
Well, the repair on the '76 Celica advancer didn't hold - I wasn't too hopeful though. But it was a good learning experience.
In my first photo, I've been able to find a couple of the advancers shown at the bottom of the photo. I'd still like to find several more advancers with bad diaphragms, either flavor.
BTW, I'm still working on a suitable single port advancer for the large cap distributor.
In my first photo, I've been able to find a couple of the advancers shown at the bottom of the photo. I'd still like to find several more advancers with bad diaphragms, either flavor.
BTW, I'm still working on a suitable single port advancer for the large cap distributor.
I tried the plasti- dip on mine worked for a while then failed. Bought a city racer distributor and used advancer from it. Works/fits perfectly, now I have smog legal functioning original distributor. It is however in need of new bushings as it is impossible now to have both dwell degrees in spec while keeping actual points gap in spec. Does anybody out there do bushings in these distributors?
Curious why you didn’t use the whole distributor Dennis?
I would inquire w/ @4Cruisers on the bushings topic for sure ,
i sent him my 1977 USA spec . Distributor a while back , for my shop job
clients truck , he Totally Dissembled it and did his thing , it returned
to me in a timely manner , & when i installed and subsequent Test Drive
post setting timing , with a Fine tune method Using A Vacuum Gauge
instead of simply relying on the BB method I was Taught @ The T-TEN
program in College , the clients 77 fj40 ran and drove like a dream ,
and smoothly like New through the entire H42 power range gear shifting
process , and i will admit , I absolutely pushed the Accelerator completely
to then Floor each up shift , for a 2F 1977 original miles engine ,
" BAT OUT OF H#LL " quick ............
i can't recall if he replaced the bushings per say but there were alot of NEW
and or NOS Yellow zinc Parts both inside and out , including the
advancer assy exterior diaphragm and all , Both Cap hold down clip things ,
the entire wire from YAZAKI connector , to inside including to my amazement
the black rubber cup boot on Exterior too ........
and most of all that impressed me is he included the OEM TOYOTA parts bag
taped around the Dist. shaft for the Dist. O-ring itself , part# 90099-14090
i have been screwed by SOR's SAE imposter 1 too many times !
the 1977 shop client is still a regular shop client of mine ,
and the OEM TOYOTA 1977 Refurbished Dist. assy @4Cruisers built for me
still functions Perfectly , going on 3+ years now strong !
Credit is Due when Credit is due , and this is a case i feel strongly about
sharing my personal and professional experience NO more NO less .
Thanks Again @4Cruisers for a FSM by the book repair and much more then
i could imagine cosmetically in fresh " yellow zinc Sparkle " im a sucker for
personally
kindly
Matt / AKA ToyotaMatt
Owner ,
Rising Sun Mechanical ,
Annapolis , Maryland
&
Small Bushiness owner / operator
VintageTEqParts.com
I did use breaker plate, springs, weights, points, etc. I could not find any info on how to change bushings and I have never done it before. I did not just use whole distributor is because I was afraid they would notice at smog check. I am nervous enough when I go in --- even though I have passed every time
Toyota Matt thank you for heads up about 4Cruisers
Toyota Matt thank you for heads up about 4Cruisers
- Thread starter
- #13
I ran across several threads recently talking about getting both dwell and point gap in spec at the same. I'd go with @65swb45 's advice here (Post #10):
Frustrating
forum.ih8mud.com
I've never got down into a distributor that far, so don't know if the bushings can be replaced, or if it's even feasible. Everything I've done is the refresh of a few older distributors with new parts - other than advancers, caps, rotors, points, and condensers, mostly cosmetic stuff.
