Cant get dizzy to move for timing

has anyone had the problem of not being able to rotate the dizzy and therefore not being able to adjust timing ? I have removed the bolt and clamp bit but cant for the life of me move the distributor. Is it common for them to rust and weld themselves onto the engine ? Considering using the old hammer but worried i might do more bad than good.......

Hi alihazlak

Yes - I have had this happen.

what  I did was:-

With the car not running,

• I disconnected the battery (for saftey)
• marked the dizzy body and the engine block with tip-ex or a touch up stick (so you could see where the dizzy was originally)
• slackend off the clamp (really loose)
• sprayed the joint between dizzy body and block with WD 40 (or similar)
• waited a moment
• at this point - using both hands it might wiggle free - if not
• I aimed a large screw driver at the joint between dizzy and block
• gave the screw driver a swift tap (light tap) with a hammer and it freed it!

retighted the clamp and battery - started car and then adjusted timing etc.

Be carefull - it was a swift, but sharp tap (light) - you are only trying to break a seal.

hope it helps

regards

Thanks very much, will give it a go today

sprayed the base of the dizzy twice over 2 days with good old WD40…..yes mine felt as if was welded to the block…..

Thanks for the help. I used a lot of wd40 but it didnt help. In case anyone else has a similar problem this is how i did it.

I removed the radiator fan to give better access, then removed the dizzy clamp bolt completely. I then got the wheel nut wrench from the boot and placed it under the dizzy. I then gave it a whack with a hammer using the corner of the wrench as a pivot point, therefore the force was being exerted directly up into the dizzy, and it then popped out.

my tip for this is use penatrating oil for a start, not wd40 as this is not what it was designed for

next use a thin screwdriver all round the lip between dizzy and block scrape out all the crud, then more penatrating oil and go off and leave it for an hour or so. next get some mole grips and clamp round the shaft (not too tight!!) then gently tap them left and right with a hammer. you're not aiming for the brute force approach, rather you're aiming to shock the dizzy loose

I can vouch for rubjonnys method.  He advised me to use it and I did and it worked perfectly

Wish me luck I need to do this tomorrow :-)