Distributor explosion

Vereeken · 07-06-2009, 01:34 PM

Ok, some wise guy will say that this is not a porsche distributor, I know.

But my question is has anyone seen this happen before? The distributor (out of a Ford Escort RS 2000) simply exploded while starting up for the race.

I used a booster to start-up during the weekend because of alternator woes, can this be related.

I opened the dizzy up and I have the impression the wheigts let go and messed the internals up then came out the other side. That or there was a stress fracture in the housing.

docrodg · 07-06-2009, 05:18 PM

Nice... Definitely inside to outside path of destruction, Weights could do that, given high enough RPM.

Vereeken · 07-06-2009, 11:09 PM

I downshifted from 2 to 1 instead of 3 but that was when exiting the pitlane for a warm-up and I caught it almost immediately could this have caused the later failure the day after?

911pcars · 07-07-2009, 12:35 AM

Distributor rotates at 1/2 engine speed. Even then, mechanical failure can occur.

The purpose of the housing is not to contain parts disintegration.

Why does you father blame Porsche for this?

Sherwood

DanielDudley · 07-07-2009, 02:16 AM

The reason a rod can go through a block is because it is still hooked up to the crank on one end, and has the driving force of all that mass. My guess is that somehow there was some way that the weight got between the casing and the spinning parts on the shaft, and was driven out by the momentum of the spinning mass of the engine. The spring on the weight could have somehow popped off during the overrev, and may have somehow contributed to the advance weight slipping out of place later.

Or not. It doesn't sound like a really serious overrevving situation, where the engine really winds out .

Be glad it wasn't a rod, because they have been known to go too, with far more destructive consequences.

Vereeken · 07-07-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

The reason a rod can go through a block is because it is still hooked up to the crank on one end, and has the driving force of all that mass. My guess is that somehow there was some way that the weight got between the casing and the spinning parts on the shaft, and was driven out by the momentum of the spinning mass of the engine. The spring on the weight could have somehow popped off during the overrev, and may have somehow contributed to the advance weight slipping out of place later.

Or not. It doesn't sound like a really serious overrevving situation, where the engine really winds out .

Be glad it wasn't a rod, because they have been known to go too, with far more destructive consequences.

Could be. lets contribute it to bad luck. Hope nothing else went. Glad also it happend on startup not when the engine was pulling 7500 rpm. And as to why my father blames Porsche, well you have got to blame someone righ? ;o)