You're not going to believe this...

[240ZD]

... It's insane. It might be a brand-new way to break an IP. I just replaced the clutch in my car, and everything was going swell. And then IT happened.

I previously removed the coolant-operated cold start device from my IP so I could hook up my car's stock choke switch to the cold-start advance lever on the IP, via a cable. It worked great but the cable was getting stuck, so my friend held the cold-start advance lever up about an inch so I could fire up the very cold engine. It was about 32 degrees outside, and the car had been sitting for a month as I got all the stuff for a clutch swap.

I cranked up the engine and it fired up nicely, then within seconds, started running like it was way too far advanced. Somehow the CDS lever on the IP rotated about 80 degrees around clockwise, and got firmly stuck in a super advanced position. It won't go back to its original position!

I can move the lever a bit more clockwise, but something internal stops it from turning back. Metal on metal. The engine tries hard to fire, and if it does it runs like it is stuck with the timing way too advanced.

From what I can gather, the cold-start lever shaft ends in an oblong "cam-head" that rotates the roller cam plate in the IP to advance the timing. Maybe the cam-head rotated so far that it popped out of the cam-plate groove, and is now stuck. It's hard to tell because most of the schematics I can find online do not include the cold-start lever, for some unknown reason.

Could it be possible to unbolt the CSD lever from the IP, pull it out, rotate it into its proper position (in the cam-plate groove) and bolt it back on? It sound's too easy to be true, and I think only someone who has rebuilt one of these IPs would know.

So there it is, a brand-new way to break your IP!

[240ZD]

Well, the problem fixed itself. Once I had the engine fired up, I revved it up high a few times, and the internal pressure released the CSD arm back into place.

[rlaggren]

Where's the little smiley with the handkercheif wiping the sweat from your brow? <g>

[asavage]

Ouch!