Distributor Axial Clearance

[tomorrowcalling]

Does anyone know how much axial clearance a distributor should have?.

Specifically a Bosch 0237002096 - an e30 one I'm adapting for use with my Link ECU. Last time I did this I based shimmed it up until it felt "right" I was hoping to apply a little more science this time.

And yes I am aware of the change in rotation direction between 2002's & E30's

[Guest Anonymous]

are you planning on using the advance mechanism or or just as a spark router for the ecu ? if you swap the drive gear to match a 2002 cam it will retard spark as it revs up . the new dist. 's ive seen have a small amont of end float ( a few thou of an inch), your method sounds good.

[tomorrowcalling]

I'm using the reluctor to trigger the ECU and the rotor to distribute the spark. But I've welded up the the mechanical advance and will disconnect the vacuum advance (ECU handles all of that). I've also tweaked the relationship between the reluctor rotor and the rotor so that at full advance we don't "fall off" the edge of the rotor.

The cam shaft has been replaced to change the distributor direction to be the same as an E30.

If you want the direction of rotation to be the same as a 2002, you also need to change the E30 dizzy shaft to a 2002 shaft otherwise the spirals on the shaft tend to pump oil out of the engine instead of back in - ask me how I know.

I acknowledge that this setup is not as good a crank angle sensor setup up but my ECU can't handle that sort of input.