Downdraft

Well today it was a perfect fall day and took my '65 out for a drive - misfired a bit and heard a clicking noise coming from my MSD and there was a plastic smell - all not good things - the motor was running very well at idle. I made it back home and popped off the distributor and saw plastic shavings of the rotor. Then I noticed that there was a screw coming out of the rotor. I need to understand if I can replace only the rotor and distributor cap or if anything else is damaged. Is it possible that the screws holing on the rotor came off? I will show it to my mechanic here in Italy and then fedex the parts. Any ideas? My motor is a 383 and I am not running a tach cable (I converted my tach to electronic. Thanks.

Alex

MikeM

PUt the screws back in the rotor and see it runs. Order parts if you need them.

66jack

You can replace Cap and Rotor...

I would cover the carb...use a vacuum to clean out shavings of plastic, then blow out the rest with your air compressor while moving the advances by hand to get the rest out...

Put on new cap/rotor and drive away....no need for a mechanic...

65tripleblack

Find out why the hell the screw backed out of the rotor. Was it stripped; if not why did it loosen?
Next time try threadlocker.
Clean up and use all old parts, as was recommended above.

Frankie the Fink

Sometimes you just haven't tightened the rotor screws enough. I learned my lesson after I limped home with this condition on my '61. The one rotor screw came loose and took the side out of the distributor cap.

The car actually ran well enough to get it home with an occasional scary stumble but that was it...

John S 1961

Sounds like it was not installed correctly in the first place, they can be a little tricky

Downdraft

Well it did work fine for 2+ years and about 10,000 miles.

Is this the correct replacement?

http://www.msdignition.com/Products/...33,_8467).aspx

65tripleblack

You would be much better off using your vacuum advance!

Downdraft

How does the vacum advance work? it is already blindingly quick through the gears to 5,800 rpm until the rev limiter kicks in (the red line is 6200)

65tripleblack

Gives the engine optimal spark advance at all times. Running without it kills cruise throttle response and everyday driving response. Also causes engine to idle hotter because of less spark advance. Only thing unaffected is WOT spark advance, because at WOT there is never any vacuum advance being added in.

BTW: looks like the proper replacement rotor. You can use any replacement rotor for GM distributor. Go to your local NAPA or favorite auto parts store.

JohnZ

Read this:

http://www.camaros.org/pdf/timing101.pdf

Avispa

If it's just plastic shavings from the cap, you should be fine with a good cleaning, new cap and rotor. You may want to check the underside of the cap terminals to be sure there aren't any metal shavings from them in the distributor. If there are you may want to pull the gear off the distributor, pull the shaft and clean out the pick up coil area really well (you may even consider pulling the pick up coil out for that).

I'd vacuum out those shavings before blowing them all over the place.

Downdraft

one of those days.................. got my cap and rotor, connected everything and started up - ran a little rough . probably moved just a bit - went to my mechainc freind that has timing tools and he noticed that the wires were pinched underneath so he unscrewed the distributor and pulled it up and freed the wires, then the rod with the gear at the end it would not seat all the way back down so we moved the car back and forth and it did seat but probably one gear over . tomorrow we will finish the job .............

1955 copper

This is the original rotor for 55 Corvette or Car and the round brass button on top flew off stranding me and the first time ever having to be towed home AAA

Downdraft

Back on the road! sure enough, rotor and cap only!