Ricochet Rotor

[palallin]

Many of you read about my "Expolding Battery" adventure yesterday.

Today, we get even more weird: driving along almost the exact same stretch of highway, the truck begins to backfire, lug, and, finally, stops running. I manage to pull off the highway on a NARROW shoulder, inches between me and traffic on the driver's side and between me and the guard rail on the other. Traffic is heavy, fast, and full of semis; the weather is rainy.

I pop the hood--quaking in fear of the traffic (a neighbor of mine was killed about three months ago stopping to help a gal with a broken down car in almost the same spot)--and see . . . nothing at all out of the ordinary. The truck won't start; it just back fires through the tailpipes.

I trudge up a hill and around lots of trees to a place where I can make a phone call for a tow. A young guy shows up in a roll-back, and we get it home without further incident.

I then had to get back into town, but, on the way back home, I stop and get a Module for the HEI, thinking that yesterday's mayhem might have trashed it.

I pull the distributor cap; the rotor falls out onto the intake. OOOPS! Somehow, someway, the rotor had come loose from the top of the shaft and went banging around inside the cap: it was bent, scorched, and melted.

And I wondered why the truck wouldn't start. . . .

Now, I can't help but wonder: how the H@ll did this happen? I changed the rotor a few months ago--actually, I swapped distributors, too--but I was sure I tightened it down! I've driven the truck many miles since--not counting the downtime in the shop for the T-case swap.

Tomorrow, I take the BACK roads into town . . . .

[Zkast]

Somewhat common on GM HEI if the rotor isnt tightened down completely or if the rotor becomes unbalanced causing it to shimmy back and forth with also loosens the bolts. When that happens.. POW there goes a rotor. There are a few different brands that are now using brass bolts or plastic bolts. Even a touch of lok-tite doesnt hurt but make sure you replace with a good brand name rotor and reduce the chances of that happening again.

[palallin]

I replaced it with an AC Delco; I tghightedned it down as hard as I dared without breaking the plastic.

We'll see. . .

[mooneyes]

are you driving through the bermuda triangle?

[palallin]

Originally posted by mooneyes4b
are you driving through the bermuda triangle?

Nope: Twilight Zone.

Truck ran like a champ today (although I have to readjust the timing--it's a tad too far advanced).