Rusty distributor shaft 88 3.2

[rick-l]

I was replacing the cap and rotor and the rotor wouldn't come off. The only other time I had this problem was with my Audi 20 valve and that was glued on from the factory. Resisting getting the vice grips out I just pulled harder and it came off.

The distributor shaft was fairly rusty. I cleaned up the shaft where the rotor sits with a wire brush on a dremel tool and put a drop of motor oil on the shaft and on the felt plug that is in the end of the shaft.

The car runs fine but I was thinking about it and wondered how the mechanical advance (not advance just rotor positioner) works. Does the shaft rotate with the weights? Will rust on the shaft interfere with this. Should I have taken the distributor apart to do some more maintenance?

[Henry Schmidt]

Rust on the shaft can cause two problems.
The rust, if on the lower portion of the shaft will damage the spacer and cause excessive up and down play. It can also get in the bushing causing failure of the upper shaft bushing and as the radial play grows the rotor will contact the cap and the engine will quit running.

The second thing that could happen is the failure of the rotor advance mechanism. This is less of a problem but it can cause the spark to be distributed to the wrong plug at rpm extremes.

We rebuild dist. in house. If you would like it would be our pleasure to look at it.