[formerfiatfrank]

Trying to install a new RML electronic distributor and find out that the hold down clamp has nowhere to hang out and do its job. The i.d. of the clamp only works all the way up the shaft where the taper blends into the distributor body. The lower portion of the shaft seems to be a bit longer also though I'm not sure that is a prob. Anyone have experience with this swap? The old dist is a Lucas.

 

[divotandtralee]

I'm surprised you don't have an answer by now. It seems the clamp should fit around the stem as high up from the dog drive as the Lucas. If it is still so loose then a sleeve should work out of tubing or sheet stock like brass. . It doesn't need to be engineered, just a partial semi circle shim to give the clamp something to grab. It's really not rocket science. The car will drive,burn gas, fall apart, be fixed, and the cycle will start again.

 

[JoeCab]

There are two types of clamps; if the car originally had a Lucas (or early Marelli?) distributor the clamp will not fit a late Marelli- or Bosch-type distributor.

I believe the RML is based on a Bosch unit. You'll need to source a different clamp than the one pictured.

 

[formerfiatfrank]

Well that's it then, I need a different clamp. Or I can modify mine. This is fun.