Removal of rotor for Pertronix Electronic ingnition sensor

[John Mac]

Please help:

I am inquiring about how the 911 rev. limiting rotor is attached to the distributor.......? I am putting in a Pertronix Igniter 2 for my 1976 911S, which requires the circular magnet to go around the distributor shaft and I can't see a set screw or it seems that it may be glued on the shaft? If I just break it off the shaft, will the rev. limiting portion be disabled without the rotor? I did remove the points already ( one screw ) for the Pertronix bracket and sensor. The project is project is ready to be finished......

Thanks!

John McLauchlin
1976 911S.......California born...
Phone: (317) 230-6692

[Neilk]

You should be able to pull the rotor off the distributor shaft. The circular magnet will slide into place and won't move when installed.

FWIW, I would remove your e-mail address from you sig. and add your car year and model instead. You don't want a spambot to grab your address and having your car description in the sig will help us help you. Welcome to the board.

[John Mac]

Thanks.....

I tried to pull it off the shaft, but it seems to really be on there good....I searched the internet and it seems that some mechanics use a form of locktite or something......what if I just break it off.....with the electronic ignition installed with the rotor be disable anyways including the rev limiter?

[dhoward]

The rotor provides the path from the coil to the individual plugs, distributing the spark to the proper cylinder at the proper time. (Distributor!)
The rotor should just pull off. If someone used loctite on it they should be tied up and have ben-gay rubbed on their (sic)testicules..

[grant lyon]

I have the similar configuration '76 + Pertronics-1. At installation, I can tell you the magnet ring was a bit tight. It's clearly an intentional interference fit. Suggest you try gently rocking the magnet ring with your fingers and working your way around the ring until is starts to move. If I remember, I went through this exercise to check that my magnet ring was seating fully/properly. It was, but it was a bear to get the ring started.

[Early_S_Man]

John,

I doubt there is any Loctite involved ... probably just rust on the spring tab! The fit is usually very tight due to the spring ... and if it gets rusted to the shaft, well, it probably won't survive the removal process.

And, yes, no rev-limiter without the rotor!

While there are air-cooled VW Beetle rotors that will fit ... I wouldn't recommend it!

[dhoward]

Originally posted by Early_S_Man

And, yes, no rev-limiter without the rotor!

Wouldn't no rotor be 100% rev limiter?

[John Mac]

Thank you everyone for your responses......I will get the rotor off first before I install the magnet ring and the Pertronix Ingnitor 2 sensor/bracket and adjustment between the magnet ring and sensor. The darn or damn rotor will come off tonight! ...even if I just have to install a new rotor afterwards, since the electronic ignition should work regardless of a rev. limiter.....?.....tell me if otherwise......

John Mac

[dhoward]

Try this, take a couple of pretty good size screwdrivers, wrap each shaft in a rag and use them to steadily pull up on the rotor. Picture this: blades of scredrivers on edge of distributor housing, (probably shimmed with small pieces of wood) shaft of screwdrivers exerting upward pressure on rotor. Steady pressure will probaly break it free and reduce the chance of fracturing the plastic rotor....
Just a thought...

[araine901]

Yes, the rotor can be tight depending on how old it gets.

The ring will reference from the lobes on the shaft that would have previoulsy opened points. It wont spin and the magnets will be located at the correct point of the rotation based on this reference point.

BTW if you have a rev limmiter elsewhere ie: MSD or Crane, you can use the not rev limiting rotor. I think it is the same as the VW rotor and a bunch cheaper.

I leared a good prank from the rev limiting rotors I knew a guy who ran one on his hot rod bug. We switiched it for one we had modified the spring so the contact would reach out there sooner like 2000 RPM. Now that was funny trying to watch him figure that out.

[ischmitz]

If it's rusted on there it will be on very tight. Try yanking it up straight up to minimize the chance the crack the rotor. If it wont come out then screw it and break it. It's not that expensive to replace.

Make sure you clean up the rust on the shaft good with some scotchbite or 800 sandpaper and lube it. I think dielectric grease is what is recomended. In any case it shouldn't be bone-dry.

Ingo

[John Mac]

I got the rotor off.......use some mechanic's gloves and the "sucker" came off.....Thank you to everyone.......P.S. when you put the Pertronix Ingniter 2 in the black wire will be hooked to the previous points wire and not the ground location on the coil....since the 911 has a CD unit

[dhoward]

Good deal! Sometimes working on older cars requires some gentle 'persuasion'!

[zotman72]

Ok now I want to know if you are able to use your rev limiting rotor with your Petronix magnet in place? On my '72 distributor I could not, and was forced to use a standard Bosch rotor without the rev-limiter, as I am still using my stock CD ignition.