The 'E' Type Forum

I need to check my points.
Would some kind person tell me the socket size that I will need to purchase that will fit on the large damper nut so that I may
turn the engine.
Thanks.

Don't worry I got the info from Harry's garage.
It is 1 5/16''. I guess that is AF?

Now to buy one. Could be expensive, so try e-bay first.

Thanks.

Just stick the car in top gear and nudge it until the points are fully open.

Hi Peter,
Tried that, a bit too difficult to push and check position of cam at the same time.
Used to successfully do that on a mini I had.
But that was a transverse engine with the dizzy right at the front.
Plus it was a lot lighter!

Placed order on the net for a socket. ?7.89, not too bad.
See what happens.
Thanks again Peter. I bought your excellent book "The Essential Buyer's Guide" at the start of this adventure.
Is there any other place when the chassis number can be found other than the front right of the picture frame.
It seems strange to stamp such a vital part of a car's heritage on a structure that will not last more than 20 yrs.

on2wheels wrote:Don't worry I got the info from Harry's garage.
It is 1 5/16''. I guess that is AF?

Now to buy one. Could be expensive, so try e-bay first.

Thanks.

It is expensive.....
http://tinyurl.com/673jz2z

on2wheels wrote:Hi Peter,
Tried that, a bit too difficult to push and check position of cam at the same time.
Used to successfully do that on a mini I had.
But that was a transverse engine with the dizzy right at the front.
Plus it was a lot lighter!

Placed order on the net for a socket. ?7.89, not too bad.
See what happens.
Thanks again Peter. I bought your excellent book "The Essential Buyer's Guide" at the start of this adventure.
Is there any other place when the chassis number can be found other than the front right of the picture frame.
It seems strange to stamp such a vital part of a car's heritage on a structure that will not last more than 20 yrs.

<Shrug> The position isn't THAT critical so long as it's on the peak of one of six lobes. Never fails for me, takes me a couple of goes, but I'm seventeen stone....

Other than the picture frame no, unless it's one of the Series 2 cars with a left windscreen pillar tag, or a Series 3 with the tag and a stamping also directly into the bodywork above the left footwell. I doubt Jag expected the whole car to last much more than 20 years, if that. Design life etc....

Pete

Dave,
That is expensive, ?40!

I hope my socket method works.

Remember that you can twiddle the advance retard to get the points to their fully-open position. So as long as your car shove or socket turning gets the cam close or slightly behind, you can twist the rotor shaft anticlockwise a bit to make sure you're measuring the true max open gap.

Does electronic ignition look any more attractive now?

Pete

Pete,
Wouldn't adjusting my advance/retard mess up my timing?
Nothing wrong with the timing, starting or running.
I just want to check the points gap.

How many owners have written in with problems with there electronic ignition?

on2wheels wrote:Pete,
Wouldn't adjusting my advance/retard mess up my timing?
Nothing wrong with the timing, starting or running.
I just want to check the points gap.

Huh? I'm not talking about adjusting anything, just turning the distributor shaft the way you do to check the centrifugal advance is free and snaps back when you let go. May as well put a drop of oil down while you're at it.

If it helps get the heel of the moving point onto the tip of a lobe you just hold it there while you test the gap with the feeler gauge. 'Simples'.

Anyway, I'm out. We've certainly spent several times longer discussing the task than it takes to do, which is when for me it's time to stop.