Stuck Distributor Rotor -HEEEELP!!!

[dhamp]

Had to come to the world class experts again on this one. Finally got around to doing a much needed tune-up on my square. Got down to the end and went to change the rotor and can't get the darn thing off. So far I've tried pulling up on it, cutting it vertically w/a dremel to get the bottom to crack open, tapping up on it w/a hammer, and prying it up. Not a single friggin thing worked. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

P.S.
All this crap I'm changing has been on here since around 2001, if that matters. EVERYTHING was hard as hell to get off.

 

[chengny]

Get a big pair of Channelocks (like 440's) and crush it?

 

[bucket]

Yeah just break it off of there, then vacuum up the bits.

 

[MrMarty51]

A small prybar or a larger screw driver under the shoulder of the rotor will "usually" move them off of their stuck position.

 

[HotRodPC]

I've never heard of one stuck this bad.

And just to be sure, you know there's 2 screws holding it on right? It's not like some rotor caps that just slip on.

When you get that old one off, I think I'd put just a dab of while lithium grease on the underside of the new one where it toches the dizzy mount.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

I've never heard of one stuck this bad.

And just to be sure, you know there's 2 screws holding it on right? It's not like some rotor caps that just slip on.

When you get that old one off, I think I'd put just a dab of while lithium grease on the underside of the new one where it toches the dizzy mount.

He has TBI so it should be a slip on.

 

[89Suburban]

I had that problem on Silvy. It was a bastard. Like fused to the shaft.


Posted from hell

 

[HotRodPC]

He has TBI so it should be a slip on.

Ahh yep, now I have seen a couple of those slip on type be real bass turds.

 

[dhamp]

Yeah, it's the slip on one that looks kinda like a propeller. Not the large flat one that looks like a saucer. I was getting kinda nervous of yanking up on the dizzy too much. I never though of crushing it. Good thinking. I'll try to crush it w/some Channel Locks this afternoon. Mine are only like 12", but I've got some 14" or 16" on my truck at work. I'll have to "borrow" those for the evening. I'll let you guys know if it works.

I'll tell you guys this, I'll never wait this long to do one again, even I haven't gone enough miles yet. Those plugs were gone to pure $hit when I took em out. Half of them snapped in half at the ceramic they were so brittle. Good thing they were Delcos though cause they were still firing! (mostly) Whatever brand of crappy orange wires that were on there were popping off on my manifolds like the 4th of July though!

Any of you guys still running the stock heat shields on your manifolds? Are they supposed to be loose? Mine actually rattle around randomly when the truck is idling.

 

[dhamp]

I had that problem on Silvy. It was a bastard. Like fused to the shaft.


Posted from hell

How did you get it off??

 

[89Suburban]

It's a TBI one so it is not screwed on. I used a pickle fork to stick under the arms of the rotor and around the hub. And a small block of wood under it to pry against the intake manifold. Luckily it popped loose and didn't break the arms off the rotor.


Posted from hell

 

[dhamp]

It's a TBI one so it is not screwed on. I used a pickle fork to stick under the arms of the rotor and around the hub. And a small block of wood under it to pry against the intake manifold. Luckily it popped loose and didn't break the arms off the rotor.


Posted from hell

Don't have one o' those. Guess stick w/crushing it. I've got a shop towel wrapped around the base to keep crap out, but will vaccum it out also as extra insurance. If I'm out of Lithium grease, a lil high temp synthetic red grease out to be fine, right?

 

[89Suburban]

I used never seize on the new rotor. The heat shields crack at the mounting tabs and start to vibrate. They are a real bitch to get to the bolts to replace them. Like like to try and use them though to protect the SP boots.


Posted from hell

 

[HotRodPC]

Don't have one o' those. Guess stick w/crushing it. I've got a shop towel wrapped around the base to keep crap out, but will vaccum it out also as extra insurance. If I'm out of Lithium grease, a lil high temp synthetic red grease out to be fine, right?

That synthetic grease should do too, and if you're out of that, blow your nose. A little snot will be better than nothing.

 

[dhamp]

Thanks guys! Got that booger off tonight. I first tried cracking it since I'd cut a slit 90% through it already, but it still didn't get it. What worked was opening the CL442s and loosely putting the jaws around the base of the rotor, then prying up on the handles. Three good "heave ho's" and the thing popped off! Since I already had the anti-seize out from doing the plugs, I put some of that on the shaft before the rotor. Got the new cap on, and fired her up make sure the firing order and everything was correct. She was still doing the slight up & down on idle for about 20 secs, then she stabilized nicely. It's running as smooth as a brand new truck now.

Tomorrow or Friday, I'll drop in a new PCV valve, put the breather back on, and hopefully wash down the engine before I call it a wrap.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!