Re: 4ks (86) distributor

[Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>]

> It does seem unusual for the shaft to bend - that's a hefty piece on any
> car.  Given that the shaft end is corroded though I can easily see the
> rotor not seating properly and thus being crooked.  That could also expain
> things - could it not?  Or did you already check runout on the shaft?  I
> suppose a defective cap or improperly seated cap could also cause the
> problem (?).

Think this through.  A bent *shaft* would cause a wobble, not an off
angle axis which is required to wear one side more than the other.  I
would lean towards the cockeyed cap theory.

My old 83 5kt once started *eating* caps and rotors after a service -
turned out a crank case vacuum line was actually pushing the cap off
center when the engine was revved.  Then the rotor would hit the
contacts real hard and bits of that funny orange-red Bosch plastic would
start flaking and cracking off like crazy.

If your cap was a tiny bit tilted (say, due to a wire snagged under one
side...) that would produce the results you have observed.

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers

82 (+/-) Audi Coupe