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DIY Dizzy rebuild for $7.36

46K views 108 replies 61 participants last post by  JianTao 
#1 · (Edited)
DIY Dizzy (distributor) rebuild for $7.36

First I wish to say this project came -not from lack of budget but rather -from having purchased two new Dizzy that failed and were returned. So my cost was to ship two Distributors in and out. Thus my total cost was much higher than $7.63, though the cost to do the rebuild itself was gas to get the parts, time and $7.63 for the parts.

I was getting some intermittent misfire and knock sensor errors and the cause was narrowed down to the Dizzy it wasn't bad.

The critical cause for the rebuild was just both the new distributors would run so bad I could not drive 100 yards without backfiring through the intake.

The indications of a bad distributor are listed below, but it should be noted that other things can also cause these symptoms. I will refer to the test for the Dizzy twice in this write up - before rebuild and after.

Now for all the manly men who love to hit things with a hammer you will be happy to know there is a time and a place to whack the dizzy with a hammer. How cool is that?

So lets begin.


Indications of a bad distributor run from hardly noticeable to 'it won't run' It may start and idle wonderfully but not run under load.

  • knock sensor error reading
  • random misfire reading
  • loss of power under load
  • backfire through intake
  • rough idle then smooth idle then rough idle again in a cycle at a stop light
  • misfiring (forward motion interruption) or jerking

This is not an accurate or absolute test but the only one you can do in situ.

Remove the distributor cap. Firmly grab the rotor and twist, the rotor and shaft will likely be firm. If not firmly seated (before the rebuild) it would be best to proceed by pulling the dizzy. If it is loose after the rebuild then you should look for a different solution explained below. Most of the time the rotational slack will be minimal - That is a good ting.

But a bad distributor and a good one won't show much difference in much difference in rotational slack. BUT, check for lateral play this is front to back side to side. Again you may not notice much, but it doesn't take much. If you notice any play you definitely have a bad Dizzy. If severe, your dizzy may not be rebuildable because the lower bushing may have worn.

Step 1- With the cap off take a picture of your Dizzy and the location of the rotor. This is not for bragging rights "my rotor is bigger than your rotor" but rather when re assembly you will know where it goes.



I don't believe you need a picture to remove the Dizzy. there is a single 12mm bolt on the drivers side bottom. Trick for working on cars is to get a telescopic magnet to pick up the distributor cap screws you will drop and the Dizzy lock down bolt. you will inevitably drop a screw and it will inevitably find the most difficult place to wedge itself.

Step 2 Remove the rotor (8mm) and the dust guard (two + screws).

Below is what you see... If yours does not look like this you have removed the dizzy from the wrong vehicle. The picture isn't very good but you can see it.


Step 3- Next is to remove the tube "top hat" that sits on top of the distributor shaft. To remove this it is likely you will have to place the gear into a vise to hold the shaft. If you do put it any vise like device (Vise Grips - BF Plyers) make sure you wrap the gear with a towel or cloth rag. Next, insert a "+" screwdriver into the tube at the top of the distributor shaft and remove the screw. With the screw removed then remove the top tube you will then see a metal disk with 367 little widows punched in it.




Step 4- Next is to loosen the the two screws that secure the light sensor, this is the black plastic unit with the disk floating in it. it should be CAREFULLY removed along with the disk. Place the disk aside and remove the capacitor (small round unit outside the distributor cap housing).

It should look like the next two pictures. If it does not send me a non-refundable $50 consultant fee along with a picture and I will tell you what to do next.



Again it looks like this below. If not and you are afraid you may have screwed up just send me the $50 AND for an extra $50 I will provide expedited handling.




Step 5-

Remove the coil and the gasket seal.

i will finish this later





Step 5-

Now we are getting to the tricky part.

Remove the two screws that hold the bearing in place. They are in the picture above. If the picture does not look like your Dizzy send the money now for expedited shipping and we will double the order and throw in a 2008 Hawaii off-road calendar.

What I did next, but did not take pictures, was to place the unit in a bench press. Mine is a harbor freight 12 ton bench top with around 18" throat. I pressed the drive shaft down through the bearing till the shaft was free of the housing and the bearing was free in it's seat. I removed the bearing.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU DESIRE, DO NOT HIT IT OUT WITH A HAMMER! NOT ONLY CAN YOU DAMAGE THE SHAFT BUT ALSO THE BEARING SEAT. NO HAMMER repeat NO HAMMER



Step 6-

Remove the shaft and bearing. place the distributor casting aside. You can clean it if there is dirt inside the casting. When parts are really dirty I use oven cleaner, a brush, goggles, rubber gloves and try hard to get it clean.



If yours doesn't look like that you hit it with a hammer! Send me $355 + 55 consultant fee, non refundable and I will get you a new or re-manufactured dizzy.

Here is a photo of the bearing new and old. The part number is generic 6000ZZ though my box reads 6000ZZC3 GXM 01003 and it cost $7.36 with tax at my local bearing supply house.




Step 7-

Reassembly is not quite the same as disassembly. The shaft gos in through the bottom. The washer with the notched tongue goes over the spring and the notched tongue slides over the protruding roll pin.




Step 8-
I don't have any pictures of this step. Prep the installation by putting the bearing on the shaft from the top. pt a thick flat washer with a hole slightly larger than the shaft on the shaft on top of the bearing. Place a deep socket on top over the washer and bearing.

Place the dizzy in the press with the bottom of the shaft down. Double check alignment of the split tongue and then press the bearing on till it seats all the way into the bearing slot.

NO HAMMERING - ABSOLUTELY DO NOT HAMMER THIS ON - OR YOU WILL GET TO REPLACE IT AGAIN IN 10 K MILES




Replace the screws.

Now check your work, the shaft should turn with something like .1~.2 inch pounds. It should be firm and smooth. If it is not you likely hit it with a hammer or you have a bad bearing, or both.



Step 8-

Replace the coil.





Replace the shaft bushing ( the slotted disk rides on this busing)

Step 8-

Clean the light slot in the black electronic sensor and also the disk.

Recommended cleaner is MAF and a micro fiber rag. This is because MAF cleaner evaporates without a residue to catch lint or dust.

Inspect the disk for clean and flat.

Replace the sensor and disk as a unit. Snug it in - do not tighten. You need to test and may need to remove it - so just snug for now.

No, it doesn't matter which side is up. The disk is the same on both sides.


i

Step 9-

Put the top hat tube on top of the disk and tighten snug.




Step 10-


Before tightening the disk(top hat) bring the Dizzy to eye level. Sight the disk in the slot of the light control unit. Rotate the dizzy shaft 2 complete turns. the disk should ride near center of the slot with no wave. If there is some variation you can correct it if it is not severe. If not clear remove an correct for obstruction. Once it is clear and center. Tighten down the screws.





Step 11-

Reinstall the rotor.

Reinstall the distributor into the vehicle. For alignment the bottom screw slot is to the right or passenger side. Place the rotor slightly counterclockwise of the position is should be in as it will twist clockwise when installing.

Let the distributor bottom out. Twist the distributor casting till the rotor is in the exact position it was when it was removed. Then snug the bolt at the bottom of the casting.




OPTIONAL Step 12-

Once the dizzy is firmly seated we need to make one last test. this is the same test we did in the beginning. First the lateral movement. side-to-side, front-to-back. If you have any play send me $50 for consulting and I will help you diagnose. But any play here means the lower shaft busing is worn and the dizzy is likely toast.

Check the rotational play. there should be about 0.1 to 0.3 degrees of rotational play. if there is any more than that you will get misfire and all the stuff associated with a bad dizzy. It can in fact be quite severe to where the vehicle will not be dirveable.

If your rotational play is more than about 10~15 thousandths at the end of the rotor, remove the rotor. place a piece of hard wood block on the top of the distributor shaft and firmly whack the shaft down so the gear faces mesh closer. This is likely no more than 20 to 30 thousandths. It is small! But has a big effect. Test and repeat if necessary.



Tighten the locking nut. replace the rotor.




Step 13-

This is the fun part and needs no photo.

Spend the next 30 minutes cursing and looking for the distributor cap screws.


Once you have them install the cap - Gentlemen (and Ladies)

"Start your engines!
 
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17
#2 ·
I did this rebuild this afternoon and had great success.
The old bearing had a sticky spot in it. I pulled the distributor and attempted to turn it and it would stick.

I pressed the new bearing in and reassembled the distributor and put it back in. I also took some fine grit sand paper to the end of the rotor and the tips in the cap.

I made sure all of my marks lined up correctly and it fired right up. I didn't have any rough idle during my test drive. . I don't hear the whirling grumble that I was hear before that sound like a ball bearing in a coffee can.

The X also seems more responsive and the engine is quieter.

It really wasn't too hard and took me a couple of hours.

I would recommend this as a first try before buying a new distributor.
 
#4 ·
Two thumbs up! Rep points for you dude!
 
#5 ·
Def Rep Worthy!

:rrg:


I might at least change the Subject line from "DIZZY" to "Distributor" to make future searches a little easier...

...as I have not noticed a large number of references here to "Dizzies".


:wink-big:
 
#10 ·
I'm not sure. I know the oil from the engine is used to lubricate the distributor shaft so I would guess open, but I may be wrong.
 
#12 · (Edited)
So sealed not shielded? The only reason I'm asking is this site lists this:
This bearing coms in both a sealed and a shielded version. Please select between the two below. Select 2RS for a sealed bearing or ZZ for a shielded bearing.

This bearing can be found with the following part numbers on it:
6000-2RS, 6000 2RS, 6000 RS, 6000RS, 6000-ZZ, 6000 ZZ, 6000ZZ, 6000 Z




The 6000-2RS and 6000-ZZ is a 10mm ball bearing that is found in many applications. The 6000-2RS ball bearing has two contact rubber seals one on each side of the ball bearing. The 6000-ZZ ball bearing has two non-contact metal shields one on each side of the ball bearing. If your application requires a 6000 ball bearing with only one seal or shield you can get this ball bearing and take one of the shields or seals off. This 10mm inch ball bearing is high quality and can take electric motor demands if needed.
The bearing in my dizzy is bad; put a screw driver up against it and listen and you can hear the bearing making one heck of a racket.

EDIT> After looking at your pictures again, it looks like it's a shielded bearing and not sealed



I believe 6000-2RS (sealed) on left, 6000-ZZ (shielded) on right, but I could have that backwards..
 
#17 ·
replaced my bearing on my 2k X, thank you so much for this write up, it helped a lot.
could have been the easiest repair and cheapest I would say. got my bearing for $3.50, shielded, took about 2 hours, rebuilding and timing the X, left it running for a while. then test drove about 30 miles out and back. perfect!
Clubxterra forums Rocks!!!
 
#20 · (Edited)
Thanks for the great write-up and advice. Sure enough, I pulled mine apart and the bearing was in pieces... Replacement went as smooth as ever but once I got it back together, NO SPARK. I checked all of the connections... Any ideas?

Thank you!!!
sorry for the delay. I don't check email regularly.

it is a wee harder to diagnose than my 1980 TR8. But first check to see if the distributor is putting out spark at the center, that will tell you if there is a spark at all and whether it is a matter of timing or total spark failure.

if no spark at all - check connectors and then if still not working check the internal electrics and grounds. make sure the disc wheel is not damaged, all the windows are clean, that the sensor is clean on both and the rotor is put on correctly, after that you will need more sophisticated sensing equipment to check if you have a working pickup sensor and coil pack.

not much help I know, but all I can say is to rip apart, again - double check everything, ground connections and assure the dizzy is oriented correctly.

ss
 
#24 ·
After all that work, I would have just bought a new Dizzy. LOL I'm not that mechanically inclined, even though you did post a how-to with photos. I'd still be a little apprehensive to try such a fix.
 
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