Problem with vac pipe

[alexander]

Strange one for me the engine tick over is rough with the vacuum pipe connected , much better when disconnected and better at starting. The distributor vac advance is working, when I suck on the pipe I hear it drop back. Any suggestions what’s going on as I’ve always thought that you get the problem I have when vacuum pipe has a leak.
Thanks
Alexander

[Keith Clements]

Of course make sure the pipe is blocked when it is off as this will affect mixture.
If you have a strobe see what happens to the advance timing when you connect the pipe.
It could be the wrong advance being delivered by the vacuum diaphragm. It should be 10 deg max.

[alexander]

Thanks for the pointers, still could not get the car to tick over with vacuum pipe connected. Changed the distributor and tick over now back to normal with vacuum pipe connected. When I get time will investigate what wrong with the problem distributor.

[Keith Clements]

Probably a sticking base plate.

[alexander]

Update, finally found time to open up the distributor and found that the Bob weights were stuck wd 40 got them swinging out but not certain if that was the problem. Too busy using the car to swop the distributor at the moment to see if problem solved.

[Forumadmin]

I doubt if many people oil their distributor but it does require some light oil. Some dizzies have an oiled felt under the rotor cap that I suppose was intended to oil the cam. The base plate pivots, advance weight springs, and the bearing all need a yearly dab of oil.

I do not think WD40 is a good lubricant.