On my 1998 900, the exhaust camshaft drives the distributor by means
of a "drive dog" on the distributor shaft. I think this is probably
the same on later models also. The drive dog has a spring-like coil
around it which does not seem to serve any purpose, unless it is to
prevent it from falling into the valve openings in the event of a
breakage.

Does anybody know what the purpose of the coil spring is? Also, if the
drive dog breaks, would I be correct in assuming that a new
distributor unit is needed?

mikeogrady (AT) aquilatechnology (DOT) com writes:

Might be a way to dampen vibration into the body of the distributor via the
'floating' shaft that links with the offset slot on the end of the camshaft?
Or it could be there simply to make sure the floating part of the endshaft
doesn't come off the camshaft slot.

Craig.


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