Is mine just completely glued on or is there a trick

 

What a disaster... it won't come off. Certain I've stretched the spring... severed the pickup wires trying to pry it.

 

I've had mine off once and it didn't require an extraordinary amount of effort. Then again I could just have been lucky.

My suggestion (which other will correct if it's too far off base) would be to spray some PB Blaster on it, wait a day or so, spray some more on it, wait a few more days, then try to lift it off again. I've had to use this technique a few times on mine, and if you have the time and patience the PB Blaster works really well.

John
1987 XJ-S V12

 

I used pb blaster and finally got it off by way of beating the crap out of it. Pretty sure the springs are all stretched or funky now.

 

I've had them pull off nice and easy and I've had them stick like it's been welded on.

Hilding downthe lower mechanism with with a screwdriver while lifting can work, but you can slip off and stab the inerds and jerk the shaft up.

I like a very big bladed screwdriver under the wheel and lever the wheel up against the lower mechanism. One on either side if needed.

 

Or use a gear puller?

 

that would be the best thing in hindsight.

 

So the main question is... how screwed am since it seems like the springs are in bad shape now. It seems like I can pull up on the shaft and spin it or push it down and it stays put. This is my first time dealing with a distributor




Don't mind the condition of the shaft...like I said I beat the hell out of it

 

There should be some movement of the springs. The shaft isn't held rigid by them.

It's been a while since I've had a V12 distributor apart, but the weights will be on pivots and will want to fly outward as the shaft rotates. The springs control that movement of the weights, and are connected to the shaft, to rotate the top of the shaft that carrier the rotor in relation to the shaft driven off the jack shaft in the V of the engine.

I think remove the 3 screws and you'll see the weights under the "cup" of the distributor.

 

looks like at least one of the springs came off in the pic. I had to run to work right when I got the starwheel off. I'm going back tomorrow to hopefully get it all put back with new pickup. The weights should be in the proper position I just need to reconnect the spring?

 

If you've gone that far I would take everything apart and clean and lube the pivot points for the weights. I use synthetic ATF as lubricant, it withstands the heat of the engine bay well.

Also check the vacuum advance mechanism that the arm from the vacuum capsule attaches to. It should move smoothly back and forth.

I bought a new vac advance movement and it was seized right out of the box. But make sure yours moves smoothly, as vac advance has a big effect on fuel economy on V12's. When mine quit I dropped an average of 5mpg. Very noticeable difference, and power was down too.

On reassembly watch for the plastic "thingy" on the bottom of the shaft. There is a right and a wrong way to assemble thing, there is a diagram in Kerby Palm's book.

 

thanks.. yep I'm going to take it apart tomorrow and hopefully get it all back together and started 😬

 

Hope this is helpful. From the dizzy rebuild kit...

 

Thanks, I was looking for a diagram yesterday thinking there had to be some small screw or something securing the starwheel on. Nope just 30yrs of rust