5ltr distributor question - URGENT!!! - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

blueoval · 07-09-2003, 00:00

Well it looks as if my Dizzy has a bent shaft according to my mechanics dyno diagnostics. I'm not sure what I should do:

Should I get a new dizzy from ford and probably pay big $$$? or

Should I get say an IC&E or a SVO or mild performance dizzy instead?

I need to know fairly soon coz my car is idling crap the way it is and I need it fixed.

What kind is yours? What should I do?

blueoval · 07-09-2003, 21:31

Anybody know what I should do? It looks as if a new dizzy will set me back up to $600 and a good 2nd hand one about $200+.
I'm thinking of going the latter!

Aussie6 · 07-10-2003, 05:51

Do V8 electronic distributors suffer from bent shafts? Sure bushes wear, but how does the shaft get bent? I thought that would affect only older 'mechanical' points distributors? The advance control is still mechanical (springs/diaphram) inside the distributor? I thought late model electronic dizzies were at the stage where they really only distributed the spark from a single coil to each of the 6-8 leads...the ECU or a module controls the coil switching and timing.

Sometimes you also gotta be careful looking at oscillascope displays too, since what looks like a fault on the scope can be an intended specification/characteristic by the manufacturer...a Volvo embarassed me like that once.

EDXR8 · 07-10-2003, 06:05

I have never heard of an EFI 5.0L Winsor bending a distributor shaft, but I guess there is a first for everything. If it is the distributor that is stuffed, just get a second hand stock one, its all you will ever need.

Shambles · 07-10-2003, 08:00

Have you considered getting your dizzy rebuilt i.e new bushes? I had a Cleveland Electronic dizzy done a while back and it only set me back about $130

XR8 Lamah · 07-10-2003, 14:06

As per EDXR8, never heard of it . . . ( not that it counts for much fro me :) )

I'd certainly want to know HOW it got bent ? Sounds weird to me - where is it bent ?
It'd suck to get a new one and have it bend as well . . . Much as I know you want a quick fix (oh the pain of not having a car ! :( ), but I reckon some further investigation might be in order . . .

blueoval · 07-10-2003, 16:35

well the dudes said that dizzys get bent by high revs and old age. I must admit I dont drive like a grandma but on the other hand I dont thrash it. I dont know, I've never had this problem before. It sucks coz at the moment I have idle problems where the revs sit at 1100rpm in idle (park or nuetral) and it feels like its wanting to stall up in drive. (you know like your ready to race someone with foot on brake and xcellerator). I has been doing this on and off for a while. Thats why I wanted it checked out.

Do you think I should ask if the bushes are stuffed or would it be better to get them to get a 2nd hand dizzy to prove the point? They are willing to get that dizzy for nothing at first.

They also said that the difference between cylinder 1 and 8 was running out by 8 degrees. and when normally the oscilloscope is supposed to read a straight line it's actually reading a curved line. (what ever that means)

I'm not sure, so any advice I will welcome.

XR8 Lamah · 07-10-2003, 17:27

Hmm . . nothing at first, but how much after that ? :)

If its not much money, it might be worth going the second hand one - altho I'd certainly be asking how old the second hand one is !

I'd also call a ford wrecker and ask them how much for the dizzy from a car similar to yours - if its less than the mechanic's by much . . . Dizzy's are pretty damn easy to change ( 1 bolt and voila ! ) - Altho on second thoughts, there might be value in having the mechanic change it - if there is something else that caused the bend, at least they'll bend the second at *their* cost :)

blueoval · 07-10-2003, 17:41

yeah they told me that a 2nd hand one will cost about $200ish. But I wan them to do it, so then if anything happens I can get to fix it at their cost.

I mean it's a costly excercise but i've just about had everything else replaced and apart from bottomend and heads, this is one of the last things that needs doing.

The other stuff that needs doing is left hand oxy sensor(right one done not long ago), water pump gasket, harmonic balancer and a final dyno tune. These things will be all done at the same time, and I HOPE that those problems will be dealt with for the last time! Cant afford much more after that.

Aussie6 · 07-10-2003, 18:26

Sounds like classical bent shaft/worn bushes scenario. It is basic thing to look for on an oscillascope. I guess your car is old enough to be having this problem. I would be tempted to get an autoelectrician look at it tho and/or get the distributor reconditioned. Those older V8 dizzies are still mechanically controlled advance inside dizzy aren't they? Not computer/module controlled? Could be an opportunity to 'recurve' the amount of spark advance your dizzy gives under various conditions. Maybe get it done in conjuction with a dyno tune, which you mentioned you were getting anyway. A used one will surely be worn almost as bad as yours?

That's still assuming this is the cause of your main problem, which I can't say for sure. Tho if timing is varying 8 degrees from one cylinder to the next, then things aren't going to be smooth!