Distributors, rotors turn right? Options

[evan]

Should my rotor and the metal tube it sits on be able to turn 360 deg. by hand as if the engine is cranking? Makes me think the total distributor is broke... Thus then how do I know what size / kind to replace it with. AA in atlanta wants serious bucks and other online are like 1/4 of the price but not sure if am looking at the correct replacements.

help

evan

[type47]

my answer to your question is that the distributor is not seated in the drive gear. the rotor might turn about 30 degrees but should not turn 360. the bottom of the dist should fit into the slot on the top of the drive gear. i think you need to follow the factory instructions about bringing crank to TDC, then locate dist drive gear at 12 degrees then insert dist.

oh, hi evan. we met at the dr evil thing in frederick. i was in the white 1.8.

[Al Meredith]

You probably should push the distributor down in its hole. You must first align the "slot" on the bottem, it is off set and only goes in one way. Be sure to loosen the clamp so it will slip in.

[evan]

Hey Al & Jim,

My short question is what kind of distributor do I want to look for if I want to replace the enitre thing. I am working with the one that already is on the engine. And am able to turn the rotor and its assembly around and around by hand. It does sort of lock into a place like a notch but i can turn it. Though when you try to start the engine it does rotate by itself. But I was told by a neighbor that the rotor and metal tube it sits on should maybe wiggle a little by hand but not move more than that .

evan

[Rand]

If the rotor spins freely by hand when the engine is off, the gears aren't meshing or the shaft is broken.

[evan]

Rand,
thanks for the info. The Rotor and the shaft are turning and thus I can see the lower inner stuff turning. My guess is that the shaft and rotor should not turn at all right? What does it mean then if when I try to start the car the rotor spins? Do I have a dead distributor / shaft/ or lower part? Should I and what kind / size buy a new Distributor?

thanks
Evan

If the rotor spins freely by hand when the engine is off, the gears aren't meshing or the shaft is broken.

[lapuwali]

When the distributor is pushed down, friction can often make it turn when the engine is cranking, even when it's not properly engaged to the drive. Pull out the distributor and look down the hole to see how the slot is aligned. Align the corresponding tab on the bottom of the distributor to match. Insert the distributor and try to engage it. It may take a bit of wiggling on the rotor to get it to seat properly.

If you pull out the distributor, hold the drive dog, and try to turn the rotor, you can turn the rotor quite a few degrees against spring pressure, which is the advance mechanism working. If you can turn it more than 45 degrees, there's a problem. If you can turn it all the way round, then something is broken. There's a pin that holds the drive dog to the shaft (under that spring), which may be missing or broken. The advance mechanism may also be broken, as the shaft is actually two pieces, upper and lower, connected by the advance mechanism.

If the distributor is OK, and you're 100% certain the drive is seated in the slot, then the distributor drive in the engine is broken or missing, and you're looking at an engine teardown to fix it.

[evan]

AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHh
A tear down is not what I wanted to hear!! Nor will the wife!
Thanks, will let you know.
e


When the distributor is pushed down, friction can often make it turn when the engine is cranking, even when it's not properly engaged to the drive. Pull out the distributor and look down the hole to see how the slot is aligned. Align the corresponding tab on the bottom of the distributor to match. Insert the distributor and try to engage it. It may take a bit of wiggling on the rotor to get it to seat properly.

If you pull out the distributor, hold the drive dog, and try to turn the rotor, you can turn the rotor quite a few degrees against spring pressure, which is the advance mechanism working. If you can turn it more than 45 degrees, there's a problem. If you can turn it all the way round, then something is broken. There's a pin that holds the drive dog to the shaft (under that spring), which may be missing or broken. The advance mechanism may also be broken, as the shaft is actually two pieces, upper and lower, connected by the advance mechanism.

If the distributor is OK, and you're 100% certain the drive is seated in the slot, then the distributor drive in the engine is broken or missing, and you're looking at an engine teardown to fix it.