'78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

'78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

A while back I posted a few times seeking help with the wife's '78 Midget--rough running, bogging down on hills, etc.. Life happens, and as this was not priority, I haven't had time to play with it until recently. Even though the car wasn't worked on in this time, I've hit this site at least once a week and read the wealth of info shared here, and have cut and pasted bits and pieces to help me when I did get to the car..
I think I may have finally found the problems--gas tank needed cleaning and coating, and the vacuum advance unit isn't working.
I can't seem to locate a replacement vacuum advance anywhere, but since there are places that can rebuild your distributor for you, there has to be a source...The car has the 1500 motor, stock Lucas dizzy, and is a CA smog equiped car, though no longer in CA.
Any ideas where I might locate one, or a unit from another car that can be substituted and work fine?
Thanks in advance!

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

Here's the good news - you don't want it to work. Jeff Schlemmer at the Spridget 50th explained that because of the smog stuff on 1500's, it isn't vacuum advance it is vacuum retard. So, what he had me do was disconnect the vacuum and plug it at the carb. The carb plug we got from Advanced Auto for aout a buck and 1/2. My car ran smoother but more noticeably cooler.

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

Better yet, find another Lucas dizzy off of a B or something that the canister bolts up the same and you can have a vacuum advance. Someone here gave me one. I don't remember what it came off of. Search in the MGB section or in my posts.

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

This is what you're looking for:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MGB-LUCAS-vacuum...=item1e5dc9f389


Looks like one from a later jag will work too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-LUCAS-Vacuum...=item45fd2a7b17

Pay close attention to screw hole location b/w yours and these. Notice the location of the nipple. Yours is behind the diaphram and these are in front.

Front= advance, behind= retard.

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

All of the A-block engines used the proper dist for your 1500 (with vac advance, not retard)
BillM

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

Billm said:

All of the A-block engines used the proper dist for your 1500 (with vac advance, not retard)
BillM

Click to expand...

Then he'd have to run points or convert over.

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

VERY good idea!!!!
BillM

Re: '78 Midget Vacuum Advance Unit

If he has the opus yeah. I haven't had any problems with my CEI. I like the idea of using the cheapest module ever made too. IIRC, depending on build date he may have the CEI. (Or is it CIE, I don't remember.)

Damon, you got a square box on the side where that vacuum canister is?