The vacuum advance is shot on my 87 22R and I can’t find a replacement, how can I tell if one is good if I find a used one? I don’t want to spend $300 on a new distributor, unless I have to. LCE just stopped selling vacuum advances last week, they say, and the dealer can’t find one, and there isn’t one on EBay new or used. So I’m down to looking at online junkyards. My distributor doesn’t have any slop on the shaft at all.
Thanks for any advice

 

To tell if one is good, apply vacuum by mouth. Make sure it moves and holds vacuum.
I was able to repair the diaphragm on mine on a Datsun 210 once. It’s not easy but you might be able to do it.
What do you have to lose?

 

I ran into the same issue a few months back. The correct vacuum advance cost as much as the entire distributor. So I just bought a new distributor for $90. Where are you looking at distributors for $300?!

 

Thanks, so your $90 one works OK? LC Engineering is where I get my engine parts when I rebuild one. They have great service and selection and quality. They’re distributor was 289 in the two year old catalog I have. I saw one in EBay for 80 or 90 and was afraid it was inferior quality. Where did you get yours and how long have you been running it? I appreciate that info

 

Melrise thanks for that good info, I thought I replied a while ago but it looks like it never got throo. I might try to fix that vacuum advance, if I find time. Seems like a great way to go. I haven’t found a used one except in EBay but don’t think I’ll go there.

 

it was a long time ago but the fix involved using a dremel cutting wheel to make some cuts in the crimped part of the can to be able to pry it open and saving the metal to be able to recrimp it sealed shut later. I may have used a bike tube patch kit on the diaphragm and resealed the whole thing using some rubber cement and recrimping it. But as i said, it was a long time ago.

 

Thanks, can I take it off the distributor without removing the distributor? I might need to drive it

 

I bought the Cardone 84-731 from Summit Racing. They had the best price and it looks like that's still the case. They're priced at $100 now but I did buy mine for $87 back in Nov 2019. Runs great but I will warn you. Make damn sure you keep everything the same when you swap over to the new distributor. I found out the hard way the 22R is not as forgiving on timing as an old small block chevy. There's not enough adjustment to drop it in a tooth off and still get it to crank. At least mine wasn't. Mark everything first.


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaz-84-731

 

Thank you Tims86, That’s all great advice. I’ll get me one and do it at top dead center. I might start a new thread on this question you raised about the distributor drop in. I’ve done this 87 22R several times and never can seem to get the timing on without the adjustment bolt ending up way over to one side, like about an eight inch from the end of the slot. I have tried many times to find a better tooth on the crank but it’s just impossible. It runs great, well except at high speed due to no vacuum advance. It’s as if I didn’t mate the dots on the cam and crank, but I know I did, (rebuilt it myself this time) and this is my third time out for this distributor. Thanks to the time Precision Machine in Butte Montana forgot to wash the shavings off the crank he turned). That rebuild #2 lasted me 200 miles.

 

That's what I wound up doing is bumping it back to TDC and then aligning the rotor to #1 on the cap.