What does the distributor air gap do?

Sansocal · 01-26-2011, 08:01 PM

I was testing stuff just for the hell of it and came across the "air gap." I got out my feeler gauges and the biggest size I could fit in there was a .53 mm. On this page: http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...12onvehicl.pdf , it says .2 - .4 mm AND .2 - .5 mm.

Which one is it?

Can anyone explain what this "gap" does so I can wrap my brain around it?

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jcknthegrn · 01-26-2011, 08:57 PM

If there is 'no' air gap the Signal Rotor will impact the Pickup Coil and damage both the Signal Rotor and Pickup Coil. If the air gap is 'greater' than the .5mm limit the magnetic field from the signal rotor will be insufficient to be properly detected by the Pickup Coil or may not be detected at all. The results will be no spark from the ignitors or erratic spark from the ignitors.
As for the .1mm (.004") discrepancy between the two ranges given, don't worry about it. To put it in perspective, the average human hair is .1mm in diameter. To put it another way- you're splitting hairs (pun intended).

SoCal4Running · 01-26-2011, 08:57 PM

http://www.picoauto.com/tutorials/trigger-signals.html
This page should help explain it a little better. It looks like you have a Hall Effect style of distributor whereas the 22re's have the Permanent Magnetic Pickup style.

The air gap is simply the operational range that will produce the acceptable change in the magnetic field as the rotor (not the one in the top of the cap) spins by. Obviously too close = carnage and too loose = bad/no signal.

myyota · 01-26-2011, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sansocal

I was testing stuff just for the hell of it and came across the "air gap." I got out my feeler gauges and the biggest size I could fit in there was a .53 mm. On this page: http://personal.utulsa.edu/~nathan-b...12onvehicl.pdf , it says .2 - .4 mm AND .2 - .5 mm.

Which one is it?

Can anyone explain what this "gap" does so I can wrap my brain around it?

The air gap there talking about is the gap between the pick up coil and the stator (i think that`s what its called,the star looking thing in the distributor) in the distributor. The last pick up coil i installed i set at 10 thousandths of an inch, they give you a range in the fsm.

Sansocal · 01-27-2011, 05:55 AM

So the signal the magnets make when they are spinning go to the ignitor, then coil? This is interesting considering I also have a code 14, but no CEL.

xxxtreme22r · 01-27-2011, 06:06 AM

correct mag pickup/hall sensor to igniter to coil back to dizzy.

01-26-2011, 08:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
jcknthegrn Registered User Personal Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Tri Cities WA Posts: 16	If there is 'no' air gap the Signal Rotor will impact the Pickup Coil and damage both the Signal Rotor and Pickup Coil. If the air gap is 'greater' than the .5mm limit the magnetic field from the signal rotor will be insufficient to be properly detected by the Pickup Coil or may not be detected at all. The results will be no spark from the ignitors or erratic spark from the ignitors. As for the .1mm (.004") discrepancy between the two ranges given, don't worry about it. To put it in perspective, the average human hair is .1mm in diameter. To put it another way- you're splitting hairs (pun intended). __________________ 1990 4x4 DLX Pickup, 22RE, 5 Speed, stock except for the 33x13.5x15 Toyo M/Ts 1982 Longbed 2WD, bought used w/196,000 miles, sold 11 years later @ 287,000 miles still running strong. You can have my Yota when you pry it from my cold dead hands, or I decide I want another Yota.

01-26-2011, 08:57 PM	#3 (permalink)
SoCal4Running Registered User Personal Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Oceanside, CA. Posts: 1,236	http://www.picoauto.com/tutorials/trigger-signals.html This page should help explain it a little better. It looks like you have a Hall Effect style of distributor whereas the 22re's have the Permanent Magnetic Pickup style. The air gap is simply the operational range that will produce the acceptable change in the magnetic field as the rotor (not the one in the top of the cap) spins by. Obviously too close = carnage and too loose = bad/no signal. __________________ '86 4runner 22RE, 5-speed, LC Street EFI head w/ cam, LC Pistons, ARP Head Studs, Downey header, Dynomax 2 1/4" full exhaust, VDO water temp guage, ASIN manual hubs, 01-03 Tacoma cd\tape radio with 10" Bazzoka, Downey 2" rear springs, GDI radiator. Back to daily driving duties '68 Ford Mustang Fastback Daily driver with a built 289 and a streetfighter trans.(Retired) 98 Subaru Outback-For Sale 2005 Toyota Tacoma V6, 6 speed stick, Speedway Blue Waco93.com

01-27-2011, 05:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
Sansocal Registered User Personal Sales Rating: (0) [OP] Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: western wa- hopefully soon to be eastern, wa Posts: 86	So the signal the magnets make when they are spinning go to the ignitor, then coil? This is interesting considering I also have a code 14, but no CEL. __________________ 1989 XJ cherokee 4.0 I6 NP242 29 " all terrains stock

01-27-2011, 06:06 AM	#6 (permalink)
xxxtreme22r Registered User Personal Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA Posts: 13,668	correct mag pickup/hall sensor to igniter to coil back to dizzy. __________________ 3rd Annual YOTATECH Rausch Creek Run and 2012 EC4RJ Pennsylvania Build Thread BMW Thread 87 P/U 4X 5sp Weber Downey Hdr 2.25 Exh EB 268

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01-27-2011, 06:06 AM
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