New Rotor Arm + Cap on V8 and now won't start - Please Help!

Hello.
My 1994 Discovery 3.9 V8i Auto started running lumpy on tickover. I had a look at the dizzy cap and rotor arm and they looked a bit worn. So I bought and fitted new ones, and now the engine turns over but shows no signs of firing.

When I took the rotor arm off, the mechanism below seemed to lift and rotated round - it seemed to only go fully down again in one position - is this normal? Hope I haven't put the timing out!

Secondly can anyone tell me the correct lead order on the dizzy cap just to make sure I have got everything in the correct order. I tried fitting the old parts and it wouldnt start either. Please help!! Many thanks, Matt.

It sounds to me like something is damaged in the distributor when you pulled the rotor arm off. I wouldn't have thought the shaft should come out. Even if you got the firing order wrong, it would still try to start and pop and fart.

Pull a lead off one of the plugs and check for a spark when you crank it, if you have no spark then I'd start with the distributor, make sure everything is where it should be inside and nothing is broken.

firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2.

When looking at the front of the engine, cylinders 2 4 6 8 are on the left and 1 3 5 7 are on the right

There is a small plastic collet that holds down the outer shaft of the dizzy,you broke it when you pulled the rotor off.The shaft rusts and holds onto the rotor - always push a screwdriver down onto the 8 segmented reluctor when you pull the rotor off to avoid breaking the collet
It wouldnt suprise me if the reason it wont start is a pattern part rotor - either genuine or a Lucas one should get it going again.
Trouble is it will run like a bag of sh--e till you strip down the dizzy and put the advance/ retard weights and springs back in place,its not difficult and will make your engine run properly again.The only problem is that the collet is not available as a part,(we have tried) so a small bit of plastic pipe cut to length has to do - you wont pull that rotor off again will you ?

Thanks for the firing order clutchdust - I had got it right.

Hi eightinavee, thanks for your reply. Where does this collet fit? I have stripped the distributor and reattached the weights, all i need now is a new circlip as i stretched the current one. But where would the collet fit as I haven't found a broken one ( the only plastic thing I found was at the very bottom attached to the weight plate - it looked a bit useless but was not broken)

Is the collet needed if I fit the distributor again, and remember never to pull the rotor arm off!!?

The collet goes on the top of the inner shaft,to hold down the outer one.Sounds like yours had already gone before you got there.It will be ok without the collet as long as you dont pull up on the rotor again.Bend the circlip back into shape and refit it,there is no big load on it - it only holds the reluctor down.

hi matt
looks like we're both having the same problem!
ru getting anywhere? mine went from running like a watch to running like a bag of **** in no time. very annoying!
let me know how you get on if you can
cheers
rick

I am glad this thread came up as I was going to replace my dis cap and rotor, so now know what to look out for.
Sorry it was at some one elses expense.

all i can do is wish you all the best man!!!!!!!
rick

hi matt
just stripped and rebuilt my dissy; the springs had come off the weights!
i think that the collet 8inav is talking about is like a casellated nut, a plastic washer with 4 pegs sticking up and 4 pegs sticking down under that 8 spoked thingy. the pegs arent the same size which took me a while to find out, eyesight not being what it was! anyway, put all mine back together, started first turn, revs like a good un untill you try to hold the revs steady at any sort of speed, then the revs drop faster than a very fast thing. one thing i was wondering was if you know how much pressure it takes ta move that vaccuum advance thing, mine seems very stiff and i was wondering if that affects it as it revs up, othrwise i'll have to check the theft part of my innsewerants! btw, when i put the dissy back it sits so that no1 lead is the one to the left of the front clip. any help?
best of luck
rick