4ks (86) distributor - long, but possibly informative

[roger@mostro.sps.mot.com (Roger Albert)]

Hi all,

So, my car has been running crappy:  Poor idle and < 3krpm performance.

1st, let me share a symptom,  The wear marks on two of the plug-wire's
contacts (on the inside of the dist-cap) are virtually non-existant
whereas two are not only heavy, but actually seem to have been cut into
by the rotor contact (~1mm deep)  Furthermore, the two which have "good"
albeit too much contact, seem to show fairly normal plug readings.  The
one with no visible contact also shows a consistently fouling plug.  
Yet furthermore, the one pair shows wear very high on the contact, and
the other very low.  To top it all off, I don't think it was a misinstalled
rotor, because I went back and looked at the cap and rotor that were on the
car when I bought it (don't ask why I kept them, just glad I did) and they
show the same sort of symptoms.  I even have the old plugs which show the
same one (#2) fouling.   

Anyway, I think I may have found the culprit of my running problems.
A bent distributor shaft.  I even have a theory as to how that might
have happened (in caes anyone out there is saying "hey, disty shafts
don't just bend, barring visits/aid from the amazing Kreskin"  I, on
two occasions, when I bought the car, and last night, had GREAT difficulty
pulling the rotor off.  It took a lot of coaxing and cursing.  The top
of the shaft that mates to the rotor was rusty.  Anyway, if someone more
ham handed than I had had that much difficulty removing a rotor in the past,
then they might have resorted to prying it off, thus bending the shaft.

Its just an ideal but the whole sequence from me having erratic idling
(even with all ECU/PA/ISV/OXS feedback loops broken) and physically seeing
dist-cap damage, and that damage futher correlating to plug readings seems
to fit well.  Also fits well with the motor working better when I originally
replaced things, but quickly deteriorating afterwords (the cap was being 
damaged which led to plug fouling).   Comments anyone?  I'd love to hear
some opinions.  This has been perhaps the most difficult bug I've ever had
to track down (if I have in fact really found the root cause)

So, has anyone ever replaced the distributor in a 4ks or similar?
Anyone sure of the manufacture and/or part no.  It's got to be a
pretty common VW 1.8l motor one I'd think.  As usual, I'd rather
go OEM than Audi, costwise.  

Also, any suggestions or experience as to replaceing with new
vs remanufactured vs new, and if used, what I might look for
in max miles on it (if known) or any wear-specs that could be
checked.  Thanks for any tips.

regards
roger

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Roger Albert (go Illini!)  Motorola.  Austin, Texas 
roger@mostro.sps.mot.com   Wireless/DSP Div.  56xxx
Red 94 Ducati M900 Monster  and  White 65 BMW R60/2 
Blue 1976 BMW R90/6 and  1974 R90/6 Sidecar project
1973 Moto Guzzi Eldorado, restoration now underway!
1986 Audi 4000S -- Yup, sometimes you need 4 wheels
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Opinions expressed are always mine --, never Moto's
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