what 123 distributor is this?? : MGB & GT Forum : The MG Experience

what 123 distributor is this?? #1
minotaure andy k Nice, Cote d'azur, France Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB GT	Topic Creator (OP) Feb 11, 2016 07:35 AM Joined 11 years ago 156 Posts

Hi

does anyone know what dizzy this is?

It has every hallmark of a 123 but i cannot seem to match it with anything.

Its stamped MG >>---> 17-11-09

I inherited it with the car and as i'm about to install a new engine i wanted to make sure i have a compatible unit.

is it programmable?

any ideas anyone?

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #2
MGB567 Barrie Braxton Ninderry, KabiKabi country, Queensland, Australia Sign in to contact 1966 MG MGB MkI "Money Guzzler" 1979 MG MGB GT V8 Conversion "Darkside"	Feb 11, 2016 07:41 AM Top Contributor Joined 13 years ago 32,668 Posts

!7 -11-09 - the date it was made. Not programmable as that came much later. There's a dial underneath (you have to remove it) and you set it according to the distributor it was replacing. If you don't know that then you'd have to assume it was stock for your year. Looks very similar to mine.

Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Lots more as I did a nut and bolt rebuild; finished 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: December '78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances. Torana XU1 vents, frenched indicators & Mk1 rear lights. 'Worked' Rover V8 with Monsoon ECU for EFI. GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #3
CamilloCoccodrillo Carmelo Ippolito Firenze, FI, Italy Sign in to contact 1974 MG MGB GT "Fulmine"	Feb 11, 2016 07:43 AM Joined 9 years ago 155 Posts

Here attached the different curves you can choose from the dial below...

Schermata 2016-02-09 alle 18.23.20.jpg 63.7 KB

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #4
GeeMoo Greg M North of the City, ON, Canada Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB 1972 MG MGB GT	Feb 11, 2016 07:54 AM Joined 17 years ago 2,833 Posts

In reply to # 3192040 by minotaure Hi

does anyone know what dizzy this is?

Appears to be the 123MG. The one that is intended for all MGA's and MGB's. I have the same one. The date stamp is different, but the same body.

In reply to # 3192040 by minotaure
It has every hallmark of a 123 but i cannot seem to match it with anything.

Its stamped MG >>---> 17-11-09

I inherited it with the car and as i'm about to install a new engine i wanted to make sure i have a compatible unit.

Here's an Overview

Here's the Manual

In reply to # 3192040 by minotaure is it programmable?

Only in the sense that there is a dip switch to select one of a pre loaded set of curves. If it were the "Tune" model it would have a USB port near the wire fitting.

__________________________
1970 MGB Black Label OD, APT VP12, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, Hilton AUD405 HS4 SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Pertronix Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" Dayton Wire Wheels, Falken ZE 912's, Falcon Big Bore
1972 MGB GT Blue Label OD, APT VP14, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, HIF SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Points Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" GC360 Wheels, Falken ZE-950s, Peco Exhaust, Frontline Costello front valance

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #5
minotaure andy k Nice, Cote d'azur, France Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB GT	Topic Creator (OP) Feb 11, 2016 07:58 AM Joined 11 years ago 156 Posts

thanks guys,

i'll remove the weekend and look for the dial underneath.

my new engine has been bored to 1860 with fast road cam and pete burgess head

no idea how to set it up for that , trial and error i suppose

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #6
Speedracer Hap Waldrop Taylors, SC, USA Sign in to contact 1967 MG MGB Racecar "The Biscuit"	Feb 11, 2016 08:26 AM Top Contributor Joined 18 years ago 43,752 Posts

Yes if it the earlier non computer model, they are two settings on the bottom of the housing. From memory, a letter choice on one and number choice on the other, so you refer to the guide, and choose your curve, for example E6 (only theoretical) . It is a dial set up, you set it with allen wrenches.

Hap Waldrop
Acme Speed Shop
864-370-3000
Website: www.acmespeedshop.com
hapwaldrop@acmespeedshop.com

Acme Speed Shop www.mgexp.com

MG/ Triumph Performance Street Engines - Cylinder Head Porting for street performance and race - DIY Engine Rebuild Kits With Free Tech Advice - VTO alloy wheels for British Sports Cars, and others

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #7
GeeMoo Greg M North of the City, ON, Canada Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB 1972 MG MGB GT	Feb 11, 2016 08:37 AM Joined 17 years ago 2,833 Posts

In reply to # 3192057 by minotaure
, trial and error i suppose

I think that's your best bet. In my GT, over the course of a couple of seasons I tried B, C, D, E, and F. Eventually tried "4" and ran it with that for the longest before switching over to a points 25D rebuilt by Jeff Schlemmer.

__________________________
1970 MGB Black Label OD, APT VP12, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, Hilton AUD405 HS4 SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Pertronix Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" Dayton Wire Wheels, Falken ZE 912's, Falcon Big Bore
1972 MGB GT Blue Label OD, APT VP14, Fidanza Flywheel, Flowspeed Head, HIF SU's, Schlemmerized Distributor, Points Ignition, Saturn Alternator, 15" GC360 Wheels, Falken ZE-950s, Peco Exhaust, Frontline Costello front valance

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #8
minotaure andy k Nice, Cote d'azur, France Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB GT	Topic Creator (OP) Feb 11, 2016 09:05 AM Joined 11 years ago 156 Posts

thx again, i've sent the chart to the engine builder to get his input too.

you've all been a great help and with the manual i know what cap and rotor to buy now also

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #9
Denis Denis Hill Bearii, Nth Victoria, Australia Sign in to contact 1968 MG MGB MkII 1973 MG MGB V8 Conversion	Feb 11, 2016 07:34 PM Top Contributor Joined 18 years ago 2,952 Posts

Andy the cap and rotor are Bosch and you can go to the 123 web sight to find out the part No. Curve two is usually the most suitable curve for a good stock to moderately warm engine. !23 say to set the timing so the green light shows at tdc, then the idle and the running timing are also correct but sometimes you need a couple degrees more for best performance. If you cant find the part numbers sing out and I will look them up. Denis

68 B roadster, Daffodil yellow, supercharger, Burgess SC head, SC cam, Mikuni HSR 48 carburetor and engine built for supercharging.

73 BGT V8 conversion starting with a bare shell. Built the engine "3.9L Rover" early in 2016 with high comp pistons and a few other nice bits, plus a T5 ford trans. Started on the body late 2016 and complete late 2017, Did all the work myself, mechanical, body. paint etc.
Finished and going well, great to drive and quick. Now has a nice 3.23 LSD.

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #10
minotaure andy k Nice, Cote d'azur, France Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB GT	Topic Creator (OP) Feb 12, 2016 01:37 AM Joined 11 years ago 156 Posts

Thanks Denis, i really appreciate the info. thumbs up

my set up is a piper 270 fast road cam
peter burgess stage2 fast road head
1860 bore in 1970 18gg engine
twin hs4s
peco hdr exhaust
fidanza lightened flywheel

i have found the part nos from gee moos link to the manual....

Bosch cap ref. nrs. : 1.235.522.050 / 1.235.522.058 / 1.235.522.059 / 1.235.522.145 :

Bosch rotor ref. nr. 1.234.332.024

stock coil, or "High Energy"-coil, primary resistance not below 1 ohm

i would be interested what settings people are using on a similar set up, then i just have the most suitable carb needles to worry about confused smiley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-02-12 01:39 AM by minotaure.

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #11
MGB567 Barrie Braxton Ninderry, KabiKabi country, Queensland, Australia Sign in to contact 1966 MG MGB MkI "Money Guzzler" 1979 MG MGB GT V8 Conversion "Darkside"	Feb 12, 2016 01:53 AM Top Contributor Joined 13 years ago 32,668 Posts

"then i just have the most suitable carb needles to worry about"

I'm running 6 needles in mine.

Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Lots more as I did a nut and bolt rebuild; finished 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: December '78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances. Torana XU1 vents, frenched indicators & Mk1 rear lights. 'Worked' Rover V8 with Monsoon ECU for EFI. GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.

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Re: what 123 distributor is this?? #12
minotaure andy k Nice, Cote d'azur, France Sign in to contact 1970 MG MGB GT	Topic Creator (OP) Feb 12, 2016 02:02 AM Joined 11 years ago 156 Posts

In reply to # 3192725 by MGB567 "then i just have the most suitable carb needles to worry about"

I'm running 6 needles in mine.

ok, thx, that'll be AUD1005 thumbs up

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