Removal of stuck distributor rotor?

hankmeister

New Member
5+ Year Member
Hey all,
I decided to put in a new distributor cap/rotor on my '90 hatchback. Appears to have last been changed sometime during the Clinton administration. Predictably, the rotor is well stuck. Any tips on how to get it off?

A quick search returned a ton of non-related threads, but one did mention heating it up and twisting off with pliers. If that's the way to go, what can I use that's likely to be handy? Would a hair dryer work? (Don't laugh, I can't think of much else around here at the moment:lol:)

thanks much in advance
Hank
 

obracer12

New Member
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
well i would first try and get a good angle on it to get it out, other then that if you can get the sides of it needle nose pliers.. or hit it with a heat gun and/ or a little and i mean little sprits of wd40.. but don't strip it.. but get another one either way
 


hankmeister

New Member
5+ Year Member
Did you already succeed in extracting the rotor screw?
Oops...uh, no...didn't know there was one...:retard: Sadly, my experience is severely limited. I'll have to try again tomorrow when it's light again.

Hopefully it'll pop right off after I find this screw. I really didn't notice one, but it may be facing 180 degrees down from where I was looking at the rotor. EDIT: just glancing at your illustration, the rotor is in about the exact position in the pic - so, it's probably in a spot where I was least likely to see it....

Thanks!
Hank
 


Last edited:

RonJ

Banned
Oops...uh, no...didn't know there was one...:retard: Sadly, my experience is severely limited. I'll have to try again tomorrow when it's light again.

Hopefully it'll pop right off after I find this screw. I really didn't notice one, but it may be facing 180 degrees down from where I was looking at the rotor. EDIT: just glancing at your illustration, the rotor is in about the exact position in the pic - so, it's probably in a spot where I was least likely to see it....

Thanks!
Hank
You may need to do some quick flicks of the ignition switch to position the screw for removal.
 


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