Date:         Mon, 26 May 1997 08:04:55 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Thomas D. Hanlon" <hanran.inc@internetmci.com>
Subject:      Fwd: Re: VANAGON digest 1372 and the 3000 mile rotor question

-- [ From:  * EMC.Ver #2.3 ] --

When I acquired my '84 Westy, I  installed a Wells rotor and distributor
cap, parts of a kit I purchased at my FLAPS.  I paid not attention to brand,
, nor to specifications other than the catalog reference the FLAPS
salesperson specified.  In hindsight, and upon further research, I
determined that the rotor and the distributor cap kit was a generic for a
wide variety of VW ( and other make) vehicles. 

On St. Patrick's Day weekend, I  posted a message on the list that I was
stuck in San Francisco with a glowing catalytic converter and muffler
combination and a "no-start" situation. 

Roy Mathers, Charles Earl, Joel Walker and Kenneth Walker all responded
with advice, counsel, suggestions and TLC for which I now thank them since
I have been offline for a couple of months.

Their sophisticated suggestions of possible cause ranged from rich mixtures
to stuck fuel injectors to blocked CAT or muffler to identification of best
mechanics in SFO. All of their valuable opinions and "how to" offerings
proved to be accurate and vital.

The cause was the cheap, loose specification rotor and distributor cap kit
 I had purchased.  It "just didn't seem to seat," but I followed the old
shade tree mechanic axiom, " If it don't fit, force it."

The rotor arced, the center post deteriorated and the FI sprayed gas, as
usual, and the whole exhaust system reddened and sparkled. The engine
continued to respond to the starter until the battery began to fail.

My son-in-law, the 2-super Porsch enthusiast, suggested that I,  "check
first things first." " Look at the distributor cap and the rotor, check
spark plug wires, et cetera, et cetera.........."

I am back now in the gentle embrace of Bosch, knowing two things for
certain: 1) Cheap parts are expensive.  2) First check the obvious.

A stupidly installed rotor can fail in a short time.

Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA 
------- FORWARD, Original message follows -------

Date: Monday, 26-May-97 01:57 AM

>From: tbill                    \ Internet:    (tbill@startext.net)
To:   Vanagon                  \ Internet:    (vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu)

Subject: Re: VANAGON digest 1372

> 
> However, it turns out that the rotor (which I had just replaced less
> than 3000 miles ago) was bad and after replacement and a tune-up, the
> old van is running great again.

Could someone explain to me how a rotor can go bad in 3000 miles?  Some
people replace them regularly whether they need to or not, others, like me,
haven't replaced one since electronic ignition!

TBill

***Auntie Em:  Hate you, hate Kansas, taking dog. Dorothy***

------- FORWARD, End of original message -------