Pipes going into distributer

JoeySully

what is the function of the two pipes the come the carb and go to the distributer cap? well not the cap but the piece of round metal attached to the base of the distributer?
must be carrying air!
not the pipes going into the top of the cap!!

Car toyota starlet 1990, but i have seen it on others of the same eara too.
i drew a picture but cant paste it in here

Rovi

Sounds like you're talking about the vacuum advance.
Does it look like this yoke (the bit sticking out to the left)?-

Ignore the number of holes at the top of the distributor, it's one for a proper engine (:D).

It contains a diaphragm attached to a rod that's attached to the innards of the distributor. It uses the difference between ambient air pressure and the vacuum created by the engine at various throttle openings and speeds to adjust the ignition timing so that the engine runs correctly under various conditions.

More here-
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ignition-system4.htm

...and here-
http://www.indiacar.com/index2.asp?pagename=http://www.indiacar.com/infobank/battery_od.htm

JoeySully

thanks rovi,

!Proper engine eh!
pic off V8, dont think itll fit in starlet, could be fun to try though

AMurphy

They are Vacuum Advance/Retard feeds to the double diaphrams inside the "mushrooms". You can easily test them by disconnecting and reconnecting one at a time at idle and slightly above idle.

Don't switch them (permanently), the diaphrams are prone to cracking and leaking after years of flexing. The result is usually poor acceleration and running, due to leaking air and incorrect timing. They are easy to change. but expensive for such a simple little item, Last time I was quoted €80 for one.

As for the pipes going in the top, check them with a nail while the engine is ideling.

JoeySully

So they shouldnt be disconnected all the time.
I sent my car to the garage agout a month ago and he disconnected them!the pipes are plugged with screws!

AMurphy

Typical,
Does this vehicle have a Carburettor by any chance?.

Based on what I have experienced and witnessed. Older Toy with Carbs and these Distributors develop Vacuum related problems easily.
There are several thermo/time vacuum valves, the Carb and this double diaphram, and the internals of the distributor itself, any of which can give trouble. Pretty simple items overall to replace. But given the (artifically) high cost of the parts, many non-Toy shops simply disconnect and plug these vacuum lines. The car with run "fine", however there is a price to pay eventually, cause it is not running excellent, but adequet. It's better to have them plugged than simply disconnected.... but that is not what I'd recommend in either case.
Acceleration may be off a bit, gas consumption may be off a bit also... but nothing as you might notice in the greater scheme of things.
However, within the engine not very nice things are happening. One of the side effects may be a slight overheating of the valves, this hardens the valve seals, which in a year or so will allow the engine to drink oil.
The other side effect may be constant plug fouling or burned out valves.
All depends on how the guy statically timed it after disconnecting and plugging those pipes.

Anyway, it's highly likely the diaphrams in the distriputor advance retard system are shot and as I said cost about $80 from a dealer, but very simple to change, just one screw.
Howver, if it is that old, the seals, weights and springs inside the distributor may also be on the hairy edge. And it IS possible there is nothign wrong with the dbl diaphram bit, but the mechanism inside is sticking.
The other bad item here is there is no map or diagram of which pipe goes th where inside the engine, so if you don't take notes, your screwed pretty fast given the number of hoses and connections to make.

Can you get the part number of the Distributor off it