yesterday when i went to warm up my car before work(i work at 4 in the morning and have a 30 minute drive to get to work, so its cold!) the tach just wasnt working. and it had done that once before a long time ago so i tried the same thing that worked then, i shut it off and started it again, didnt work. so i was just like whatever, not a huge deal right now. then after it warmed up and i was driving to work, the tack needle was just being really erratic, jumping around everywhere.

 

 

heres a link to a video i took on the way back from work.

 

what could it be? bad coil? bad connection? bad tach? please help!!

I want to say that's indicative of an alternator on its way out, or at least it's voltage regulator.

Distributor bushing failure most likely.

 

GD

I'd check your voltages. Just to be sure, but I think GD is right on this one

Mine's kinda doing that same thing. Not as much, but it's got a tick. I can hear something in the disty making a noise as well. The wiring is ok, and I replaced the cap and rotor.

I just pulled my cap off and i found a bb in the disty. There's not any play in the shaft or anything, but i pulled that bb out and now it doesn't seem to be doing it anymore. But i haven't really driven it yet so i guess ill find out in the next few days if that was the problem.

Thanks,

Ryan

I think you found your problem. And I was with GD on the faulty bushing. A common issue with our 25+ year old distributers.

k, it started jumpin around again, but not as bad as it was in the video. its only jumping like 500 rpms now, but now when it jumps the car kinda studders a little bit. and on my way home from work today it started bogging and i got it turned into a parking lot before it died. i messed around with the fuel filter and lines cause it looked dirty and it started back up, so my next stop was schmucks to get a new one.(they didnt have the in-line one so i just got the under hood one). still kinda studders.

you guys still think it sounds like a disty bushing? im pretty sure its either that or the coil.

what coils are acceptable to use in ea81s?

and how do i check the disty bushing?

thanks!!

Ryan

You`ve lost a bearing out of the point plate assembly.

Look for a new distrbutor.

Check bushing wear by attempting to move the shaft side to side.

Edited November 26, 201015 yr by naru

What disty should i get? How do i check which disty ive got?

What disty should i get? How do i check which disty ive got?

 

Looks like your rig is 4wd so it will be a Hitachi.

Any Hitachi will be OK ,but,best to match the part #s stamped on side if you can.

ID a hitachi by observing the ignition module w/the distributor shaft passing directly thru.

All non-turbo 4wds used 42987 8110 pre 84.Some others after that which are different according to trans,Calif.etc

There is a tiny bit of side to side movement. Prolly less than 1/16". Is that my problem or is that not enough to affect it?

There is a tiny bit of side to side movement. Prolly less than 1/16". Is that my problem or is that not enough to affect it?

 

If you can feel ANY side to side movement, it's bad :-\

 

There's a place in Portland that (used to?) rebuild them. Can't think of their name at the moment though.

K. Well at least i k ow my problem now. Lol. Schucks has remans with a lifetime warranty for like 170. ill Prolly just get one that's still good at a junk yard tho cause Im pretty broke. We'll see...

Yeah - Philbin Group - http://www.philbingroup.com/

 

You can also get the bushings and install them yourself. Though there might be some machine work that has to be done - not sure if the bushings are honed to the correct size after install or purchased that way. A small brake-cylinder hone could be used to finish hone some off-the-shelf oilite bushings. Probably be a couple bucks each from mcmasters and a 10 or 20 spot for a cheap brake hone.

 

GD

There is a tiny bit of side to side movement. Prolly less than 1/16". Is that my problem or is that not enough to affect it?

 

I think the main problem is that at least 1 of the 3 bearings has fallen out of the pickup coil plate assembly due to wear and the magnet/stator is flopping around.

Edited November 27, 201015 yr by naru

I think the main problem is that at least 1 of the 3 bearings has fallen out of the pickup coil plate assembly due to wear and the magnet/stator is flopping around.

 

Yeah - that ball bearing just hanging around inside the cap is a bad sign. That part can be had from a used distributor though - those are a much less common failure than the bushings.

 

GD

There is a tiny bit of side to side movement. Prolly less than 1/16". Is that my problem or is that not enough to affect it?

 

The air gap between the reluctor on the shaft and the stator is only .012-.020".1/16 is .062",so that would be way too much wear.

 

The reluctor would be making contact w/the stator before then.

Perhaps that is why the bearing was dislodged.

I wouldn`t be surprised if the magnet is cracked.

Agreed - it takes an almost imperceptible amount of play for these to starting doing really funny things. The jumping tach and power loss is a typical sign of impending doom. If there isn't any permanent damage to the reluctor or pickup then it can still be saved.

 

GD

Ok. Well at least i know what's wrong now. I don't think Im gonna mess around with my disty. Im just gonna get a junkyard one probably.

Thanks!!

Ryan

get a 2wd one the advance works quicker

get a 2wd one the advance works quicker

 

No it does not. The advance is the same. FSM has the curves in it.

 

GD