X1/9 Distributor Help

Al O.

Al O.

Low Mileage
Good evening. During the rebuild of my 1979 X (carb), the engine did a mild back flip off my low, wheeled cart. I, sort of, broke its fall with my hand, resulting in a few knarly cuts from the spark plugs. Luckily, and unluckily, new filter crushed, distributor cap destroyed and bent the shaft on the distributor. I purchased a Vick replacement, which fits horribly and requires removing or cutting through the access panel. Looking at a distributor on Ebay. The seller, a junkyard, has no pic posted, won't post one until I buy, listed as fitting a 1982 (FI). Wondering if this might fit my X. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
 
If it is the Bosch FI unit I would think it would work better than the original from a performance standpoint as the advance curve comes on quicker than the 79 which is compromised by emissions requirements. If you need to pass a smog test it may be an issue (or not).
 
I will go look thru my boxes. I know there are a couple distributors out there. One is definitely a 1300 unit from my 78, but I think there is a Bosch unit hiding out there too. Probably for EFI, but pretty sure it will work with any 1500. Don seems confident and he is smarter than me. :)
 
JimD said:
I will go look thru my boxes. I know there are a couple distributors out there. One is definitely a 1300 unit from my 78, but I think there is a Bosch unit hiding out there too. Probably for EFI, but pretty sure it will work with any 1500. Don seems confident and he is smarter than me. :)
Click to expand...
I was confident it may or may not work. That makes me as smart as a coin flip.

I've got a 79 distributor that came with my 79 short block. It came with no cap or box so have no idea if it works. Since I had already recurved my 74 distributor, I have not looked closely at it. My plan was to investigate recurving the 79 unit at some point as I only need 10 degrees of centrifugal advance. On the 74, it took weaker springs and a blocking plate to get the curve right.
 
dllubin said:
I was confident it may or may not work. That makes me as smart as a coin flip.

I've got a 79 distributor that came with my 79 short block. It came with no cap or box so have no idea if it works. Since I had already recurved my 74 distributor, I have not looked closely at it. My plan was to investigate recurving the 79 unit at some point as I only need 10 degrees of centrifugal advance. On the 74, it took weaker springs and a blocking plate to get the curve right.
Click to expand...
I should probably add that whatever I find in a box is an unknown as well. I have lots of parts boxes acquired over the years. I can't remember where some of it came from.
 
dllubin said:
If it is the Bosch FI unit I would think it would work better than the original from a performance standpoint as the advance curve comes on quicker than the 79 which is compromised by emissions requirements. If you need to pass a smog test it may be an issue (or not).
Click to expand...
I'm trying to recall when the differences occurred with respect to distributor advance curves. Was it the change from a points dizzy (MM) to a electronic dizzy (Bosch), from 1300 to 1500, carb to FI, or ???
 
Dr.Jeff said:
I'm trying to recall when the differences occurred with respect to distributor advance curves. Was it the change from a points dizzy (MM) to a electronic dizzy (Bosch), from 1300 to 1500, carb to FI, or ???
Click to expand...
Both. The 1300 used the Ducelier distributor with vacuum retard. The 1500s had a different Bosch distributor for carb and FI.
 
Humm, my '79 has a carb but the same electronic Bosch ignition as my later FI Bertone's. However I don't recall if the advance curve is different. Do you happen to have any additional details on that?
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Humm, my '79 has a carb but the same electronic Bosch ignition as my later FI Bertone's. However I don't recall if the advance curve is different. Do you happen to have any additional details on that?
Click to expand...
They have different part numbers. I think they were posted here at one time.
 
I have the manuals but am lazy. @Brad Garska provided images in the thread two years ago documenting the differences:
D28FADA6-7499-4A7B-99E7-6DC84C548B4A.png
7E6AB152-5511-4810-AFBB-4BB5D24F00C9.png
 
Al O. said:
Good evening. During the rebuild of my 1979 X (carb), the engine did a mild back flip off my low, wheeled cart. I, sort of, broke its fall with my hand, resulting in a few knarly cuts from the spark plugs. Luckily, and unluckily, new filter crushed, distributor cap destroyed and bent the shaft on the distributor. I purchased a Vick replacement, which fits horribly and requires removing or cutting through the access panel. Looking at a distributor on Ebay. The seller, a junkyard, has no pic posted, won't post one until I buy, listed as fitting a 1982 (FI). Wondering if this might fit my X. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Click to expand...
You might post in the for sale/wanted forum about wanting a new distributor.
 
Thanks all for the responses and searches. Met a fine gentleman from the Acton, Cali area who had a crashed car he harvested the distributor from. He asked a fair price for it and it has now been transplanted. The next trick will be getting my money back from Vick! Maybe a credit on a new tank and sender? ;) Just returned from Concorso Italiano. At least 7 excellent X1/9's on hand.
 
Al O. said:
The next trick will be getting my money back from Vick! Maybe a credit on a new tank and sender?
Click to expand...
Before you ask that vendor for a new tank, check out this thread discussing how they do not fit correctly:

New Gas Tank Won't Fit

I recently purchased a new gas tank and I cannot get it to fit. I have a 75 and 78 X and I can install either original tank in both cars almost one handed. Yes they slightly touch but no binding or resistance. The original tanks width measure 19 5/8 inches. The new tank is 20 1/8 inches, a...
xwebforums.com

And there was this related discussion about it:

VAS gas tank studs not aligning with sender holes

Anyone else have trouble with this? Got a new tank and sender from VAS but the studs on the tank don't quite line up with the holes in the sender. I'm nervous to bend the studs much because they seem prone to snapping. Any advice much appreciated...
xwebforums.com
 
Dr.Jeff said:
Before you ask that vendor for a new tank, check out this thread discussing how they do not fit correctly:

New Gas Tank Won't Fit

I recently purchased a new gas tank and I cannot get it to fit. I have a 75 and 78 X and I can install either original tank in both cars almost one handed. Yes they slightly touch but no binding or resistance. The original tanks width measure 19 5/8 inches. The new tank is 20 1/8 inches, a...
xwebforums.com

And there was this related discussion about it:

VAS gas tank studs not aligning with sender holes

Anyone else have trouble with this? Got a new tank and sender from VAS but the studs on the tank don't quite line up with the holes in the sender. I'm nervous to bend the studs much because they seem prone to snapping. Any advice much appreciated...
xwebforums.com
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top