Hi - I have a Marelli distributor on the bench and I’m wondering if the shaft is supposed to be tight. I know because of the design of this thing it can’t really have any play - and this one doesn’t. Zero play in any direction. It turns but it feels like the bushings and/or seal are pretty tight. Gear looks normal without undue wear and I believe it's the original part that came from a clean southern car in a junkyard. BTW It looks like the car suffered the infamous Marelli Meltdown due to a craptastic aftermarket cap and rotor.

Although it seems like the tightness shouldn't be an issue, I'd really like to hear from someone who has actually had one out of the car and can confirm that this is normal (or not). I have Opus and CEI equipped V12's but I've never owned a Marelli equipped car so I've never had a Marelli dizzy out before.

Thanks!
~Mike

 

So no one on the forum has ever had a marelli dizzy out?

 

Weekends, bank holidays, ... Have patience...

Yes, I had my 1989 Marelli dizzy out. And yes, it was a tightish spin. No play at all. So yes, it seems normal.

My dizzy has 78.000 miles on it. So it can be considered 'used but not abused'.

 

Thanks Daim. I actually tried the other forum as well for several weekdays and no one who actually had one out answered.

So when you say 'tightish spin' did it spin at all? With mine if I give the gear a hard turn, like spinning a top it will go maybe 2 or 3 degrees. No actual spinning really. It doesn't grind or feel like it's catching - it is just pretty dang tight. My concern is because of some accounts I've read about them seizing and taking the jack shaft with them.

Thanks,
~Mike

 

Sounds just like mine. I examined mine really well and there was no signs of seizing. If I spun it, it would stop basically straight away, maybe, like you said, about 2-3°...