Automotive Distributor in Volvo

[Roboj]

Hello there,

I am working on my winter project, an 18 foot Excel with a 2.3 litre four cylinder Volvo. I am going over the engine, and tried to remove the distributor, only to find it was seized and broken in half. When I removed, it was junk. The distributor was points ignition and have since purchased an automotive distributor, basically the identical thing with the addition of the vacuum advance and retard. The automotive distributor is easy to find which is unfortunately not the case for the marine distributor. I will be discarding the vacuum advance and replacing the internals from my marine distributor. I will also be welding up the hole where the vacuum advance was.

Is there anything else that I should be aware of?

Thanx for your input.

Rob.

[gonzo]

Yes, the auto distributor is vented without a spark arrestor which makes it dangerous and illegal. Also, the advance curve is different.

[Roboj]

Thank you for your reply Gonzo.

I have taken both distributors apart and there are some differences. The automotive one uses a clamp on cap while the marine one uses a screw on cap. I spoke to a shop that says they do it all the time, but that does not make it right. My distributor was cracked in half, garbage.

Here is what I am doing, which I feel will make it as safe as the original.

I have removed the vacuum advance and will be welding up all the holes that are not used. The spark arrestor will be screwed down onto the automotive distributor, it is just a plate and screen. Otherwise the vent holes on both are the same. The marine mechanical advance assembly will be installed onto the automotive distributor.

Ears will be welded onto the automotive distributor to accept a screw on cap and I will convert it to electronic ignition.

Unfortunately the marine distributor is hard to find, and if you do, expensive. I think with these changes, it will be as good as, if not better than original, because I got rid of the points.

Any more comments are always appreciated.

Thanx.

[gonzo]

With those modifications it will be safe and the advance curve will stay the same.