on a slight different but related note. It didn't come with a distributor. Does anyone know which dizzy I need and does it matter if I get a later one with the electrics built into the side or do I need an earlier one. i.e will this fit?

Rover V8 Lucas DLM8 Distributor For 4x4 Engine 1990

That's an electronic dizzy - as in doesn't use points - and that's the amplifier on the side. The coil is on the n/s panels above the wheel. Can suffer from the amp getting too hot which leads to failure of the amp. LR did a kit to remotely mount the amp with the coil.
The slightly earlier one electronic one has the amp under the coil on the same panel.
Both are driven by a gear on the camshaft & both have a slot in the bottom of the shaft which engages with & drive the oil pump.
I've no idea how the ignition system is wired on different ones, but as yours is a later fitting I presume it's going to be similar. Hopefully someone can give you the electrickery 'how to'!

Thx @Ratae. I'll investigate further. On a slightly different note. is the thread on the front pulley normal right hand thread, so lefty lucy?. As trying to undo it and it's not budging or perhaps it maybe be a reverse thread and I'm tightening it LOL!

It's VERY tight.
Last time I had mine off I started with an air rattle gun - not a hope. Didn't help that the compressor's only got a small tank so it was a quick blast before the pressure dropped.
Finished up doing it the old way by jamming the flywheel starter ring with a piece of angle iron & a big breaker bar on a socket on the bolt.

Righty tighty, lefty loosey though.
Bear in mind early models had a starting dog as part of the bolt to allow use of a starting handle so a left hand thread would have been a bit of a problem.
www.johncraddockltd.co.uk/610178-genuine-starting-dog-v8-engines.html

okay thanks, mine doesn't have a dog on it and I bought this lock tool from Amazon for tenner and works well.
Just wanted to confirm it's lefty l;ucy. So thx for that. No for that large piece of scaffold tube and a breaker bar LOL

Turboman said:

Have you considered therapy?

Click to expand...

We all need therapy!