(Dated 10/06)
I have recently experienced a number
of distributor rotor button failures in
my TR6 causing frustrating DNF ie I have been "beaten by
equipment" I purchased a number of the basic tune up kits
from the Roadster Factory for
my TR6 which include points, condensor and rotor button. I have
had a number of problems with the rotor button failing due to
it shorting through the
plastic to the shaft . The problem relates to the small steel
spring plate
inside the rotor button which holds the button tight on the shaft.
The plastic
is very thin where this piece of steel is clipped into the plastic
. Not sure
if these buttons just will not take constant high revs
In examining an original Lucas rotor button the plastic is much
thicker at
this point.
From comments by others it seems to be common problem and
I wonder If you guys
in the States are having the same problem and if so whats the
fix?? My last two buttons have only lasted minutes of running
at high revs . Is there a source of original design Lucas
buttons. Our Regs do not allow us to run non standard
Dissies or I'd throw the Lucas
stuff out!!
Geoff Byrne
Sydney Australia
Yes, we have that problem with TR4's and TR6's, both race cars
and low-revving street cars. The only successful fix I have found
is to use the rotors that come in a box labelled OEM, an abbreviation
for Original Engine Maintenance, and sold over here by World
Wide Auto Parts. The rotors appear to be made in Italy. Their
website is
www.nosimport.com
Talk to the owner, Peter.
Jack W. Drews
Geoff,
I too struggled with this issue. After some careful observations,
I noticed that new out-of-the-box button rotors actually were
loose where the pin held the brass arm to the plastic. The
next time that I ordered rotors, I bought six of them and found
that 50% were already loose. I ran the good ones in my TR6
race car and had no failures. It became regular maintenance
from that point on to change the rotor before my feature race
and to carry a spare in my race suit pocket! I also purchased
different brands (Napa, Moss, Victoria British, Lucas, etc.
and found that they were all identical in construction (the
Lucas brand cost twice as much) and equally faulty. Same source
I assume. Jack Drews suggestion to contact World Wide Auto
Parts is a good one. Their rotors are made more like the original
Lucas brand. Others that I have talked with about this issue
have epoxied the brass to the plastic with good success.
Good luck,
Allen
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