High Energy Distributor Rotor Options

[HarveyH]

Every now and the, someone asks about modified distributor rotors for use with high energy ignitions. The higher voltage and current produced by high-energy ignition systems has been known to burn out the internal resistor in distributor rotors. Of course, these failures always seem to occur at the most inopportune times, so it’s a good idea to be ready. You can buy modified rotors from Aircooled.net for less than $20, or make your own if you’re feeling cheap. I seem to remember that a while back Aircooled.net had this process posted on their website, but I can’t find it. I’m cheap, and I’m also ready for an arts and crafts project, so I’m going to make up a couple and document the process.

Harvey

Things you’ll need:
Rotor, new or used. Since the primary failure of a rotor is in the internal resistor, if the tip and contact aren’t too badly burned, they can be polished up and re-used.
Soldering iron, solder, and flux.
#12 wire. AWG #12 wire is rated at 20 Amps, so that should be more than enough.
Epoxy. Since there is no real structural use here, choice of an epoxy is not too critical. Generally, longer cure times tend to indicate higher bond strength and higher temperature ratings.

[HarveyH]

Mix the epoxy in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.

Fill the cavity in the Rotor with epoxy. Paste epoxies will require that you use a matchstick or a small piece of wood or wire to pack the epoxy into the cavity, forcing it back through the hole under the center contact. When the cavity is full, use a Q-Tip or a piece of cloth or paper towel wet with alcohol to wipe the epoxy off flush with the top of the rotor. Make sure you clean off the top of the center contact. Allow the epoxy to fully cure before proceeding. Heating is not really necessary, but it will speed the cure of the epoxy, normally 145 to 150 degrees F is sufficient. Heat curing will usually cause the epoxy to liquefy a bit as it heats and allow the epoxy to fill the cavity better, and may let any entrapped air rise out of the fill. DON’T use an over that you use for food!