Correct distributor & casting info

[tonyabacus]

For no particular reason I was checking around the distributor and thought I would note the model number. It does not give any problems but the number appears incorrect, so to all the sages out there can you help identify it please.

Model: stamped as normal Lucas with no vacuum advance
Model ID: 41419-H-45D4 (it is very awkward to read as it is right next to the block, but I believe this number is correct
Engine: 1558 Standard +030 Engine has been changed as the block has a 681F 6015 designation
Car: 1970 S4 Coupe

Despite searches on the Internet came up with nothing carrying this model ID, any thoughts?
Also where do I find the block manufacturing date on the block casting.
Tony

[promotor]

For no particular reason I was checking around the distributor and thought I would note the model number. It does not give any problems but the number appears incorrect, so to all the sages out there can you help identify it please.

Model: stamped as normal Lucas with no vacuum advance
Model ID: 41419-H-45D4 (it is very awkward to read as it is right next to the block, but I believe this number is correct
Engine: 1558 Standard +030 Engine has been changed as the block has a 681F 6015 designation
Car: 1970 S4 Coupe

Despite searches on the Internet came up with nothing carrying this model ID, any thoughts?
Also where do I find the block manufacturing date on the block casting.
Tony

41419 comes up as Austin Allegro in two reference lists I've got, one of them also mentions 1275 "non S" mini plus various other Leyland stuff.
Originally the 41419 should have had a vacuum unit.

There's no mention in my lists of the "H" suffix - perhaps this makes a difference, maybe 41419 minus vacuum unit?

[promotor]

Just found this - has a vacuum unit on it and the "H" suffix.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165000414918

[tonyabacus]

Hi Promotor
Thanks for the info. As my distributor body appears never to have had a provision for the vacuum unit, your comments have got me wondering. The numbers I quoted are difficult to read so I will have another go tomorrow at trying to ensure I have read them correctly and will post my findings
Tony

[promotor]

Hi Promotor
Thanks for the info. As my distributor body appears never to have had a provision for the vacuum unit, your comments have got me wondering. The numbers I quoted are difficult to read so I will have another go tomorrow at trying to ensure I have read them correctly and will post my findings
Tony

No problem. It's easy to take off the vacuum unit and cover it (if that is what has been done for whatever reason) - Lucas did this themselves as they used the same bodies whether they had vacuum advance or not in that style of distributor. It's usually just a steel blanking plate with a peg sticking up to locate the distributor cap.

41471 is the closest to that number I can find that is for a Lotus Elan. I'm not sure if this was a replacement part that Lotus supplied in their parts scheme or whether it came fitted from factory : It'd be unusual as it's nearly always a 23d distributor fitted on twincams.

[2cams70]

681F is not necessarily the wrong block for a MY70 car

[elanman999]

Promotor, A 41471 dizzy was supplied to the PO of my Elan by the London Lotus Centre Ltd in 1990. So I assume that was the recommended part at that time.

[promotor]

Promotor, A 41471 dizzy was supplied to the PO of my Elan by the London Lotus Centre Ltd in 1990. So I assume that was the recommended part at that time.

Thanks for the info - I thought I had heard something along those lines previously.
I presume the 23/25d distributors stopped being available so the more modern 43/45d's were used for replacements with the relevant advance curve for the Twincam engine.

Is it still fitted to your engine? What spec of engine do you have - I don't have details of the advance curve for the 41471 and presume they must have offered parallel parts to the 40953 & 41189 being that they have quite different curves.

[tonyabacus]

In view of Elanman's input, are the advance curves online somewhere for me to view, or does anyone have copies that could be emailed?
Tony

[elanman999]

Promotor, unfortunately that dizzy is not fitted to the engine now but was fitted during all the evolutions of the engine without any problems from it and did not pink on 97 octane. It was drivable with care on 95.

The full dizzy spec is:-
41471F 43D4 1190.
I assume the 1190 is the date code which ties in with the receipt. It has a 90 degree screw on cap that has had grooves cut in the lugs so the spring clips can be used.

The engine spec:- Started as a 1558 SE ,
Then QED360 cams,
Then 711 crank, 11:1CR 1699cc.
Now on EFI so the dizzy is now part of history. LoL.
I do not have the advance curve or any dyno data for the dizzy.
Cheers
John.

[tonyabacus]

Promotor
Having a more detailed look at the distributor (41491 H 45D4) it looks like the body may have started life as a vucuum type with a very professionally made plate covering the access point for the vac unit.The cover plate looks to be factory made, whether such a plate was made by Lucas I would be interested to know.

But at some point it may be the vacuum unit has been removed but when I don't know. The car seems to run well with following spec, Exactly what internals are fitted again I have no information,

Bore - 82.55 +030"
Stroke - 72.75
Swept vol - 1575cc
Inlet valve - 1.565"
Ex valve - 1.325"
JS200 camshafts 420" lift 285 duration
Valve clearances in. -006" - 008"
Valve clearances ex. - 009" - 011"
Ignition timing 32 degrees @ 4250RPM
Dyno sheet shows 143bhp and Torque 125

So thanks for the previous info and any info you may have on such distributor conversions would be of interest
Tony

[promotor]

Promotor, unfortunately that dizzy is not fitted to the engine now but was fitted during all the evolutions of the engine without any problems from it and did not pink on 97 octane. It was drivable with care on 95.

The full dizzy spec is:-
41471F 43D4 1190.
I assume the 1190 is the date code which ties in with the receipt. It has a 90 degree screw on cap that has had grooves cut in the lugs so the spring clips can be used.

The engine spec:- Started as a 1558 SE ,
Then QED360 cams,
Then 711 crank, 11:1CR 1699cc.
Now on EFI so the dizzy is now part of history. LoL.
I do not have the advance curve or any dyno data for the dizzy.
Cheers
John.

John,
I presume that a 41741F distributor could be similar to a 41189 as that is what was used in the S/E and Sprint type engines - if the original owners plan was to replace like for like, that is.
1699cc on EFI sounds nice! What power / torque figures did that produce? I presume you put it on a rolling road, unless you managed to map it yourself?
Regards.
Al

Promotor
Having a more detailed look at the distributor (41491 H 45D4) it looks like the body may have started life as a vucuum type with a very professionally made plate covering the access point for the vac unit.The cover plate looks to be factory made, whether such a plate was made by Lucas I would be interested to know.

But at some point it may be the vacuum unit has been removed but when I don't know. The car seems to run well with following spec, Exactly what internals are fitted again I have no information,

Bore - 82.55 +030"
Stroke - 72.75
Swept vol - 1575cc
Inlet valve - 1.565"
Ex valve - 1.325"
JS200 camshafts 420" lift 285 duration
Valve clearances in. -006" - 008"
Valve clearances ex. - 009" - 011"
Ignition timing 32 degrees @ 4250RPM
Dyno sheet shows 143bhp and Torque 125

So thanks for the previous info and any info you may have on such distributor conversions would be of interest
Tony

Tony, that sounds like a nice engine.
The 41491 appears to be listed for a 1973-74 MGB with a vacuum advance.

I'd say it's likely the distributor could have been re-curved but perhaps the curve could be similar to a TC without needing much / if anything done to it - however, the person who built the engine and spec'd the distributor would hopefully know the details. Could it be a John Smirthwaite engine with "JS200" cams?

I've got some Aldon tuned distributors and they are the Lucas 43/45d type. They all have a factory plate over the vacuum advance mounting point as they don't use that now. Two of them don't have any specific Lucas part numbers on, but one did have which has been ground off slightly. All three have an Aldon code engraved on them with their own model/spec type and date. Perhaps yours has something like this elsewhere? Most distributor tuners likely just use any suitable dizzy body they can find and make necessary changes to the advance cam and springs as required so it won't matter which core unit is used.
The Aldon one for my Twincam is a 103TC which is the only one they offer for the TC as far as I know.

Cheers. Al

[Craven]

BMC distributors are peg drive, Ford by worm. Would need this change as well.

[elanman999]

Al,
I have no idea why the PO bought the new distributor but I know from the +2 I used to own that dizzys with a high mileage on them are useless.
Yes my Elan, obviously not quick by modern standards, but with a torquey motor it is nice to drive. Above all it’s just so driveable.
Yes the Emerald ECU was set up on their RR and gave 144BHP and 125lbft. That’s corrected to at the crank figures with the air filter in place.
John.

[tonyabacus]

Al
Interesting info about your Aldon distributors, I thought I had checked everywhere round the distributor for a code, but will have a further look. The code I gave originally is reasonably clear, but it is right against the block and awkward to get to it with even with a mirror

However it has now got my curiosity going, so will have a final look. Thanks for all your input and for digging out those distributors to check for me. I have long ceased to be amazed at the depth of knowledge by some on the Forum if one is prepared to askfor help.
Tony