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You're talking about the distributor rotor, right?
Unless I'm missing something, those rotors are just pressed on. But I've tackled some that are really stuck.
The good thing is that they are cheap, and your taking the old one off and discarding it anyway. So if you damage it, that's okay. Just don't screw up the distributor shaft.
What's the trick to getting it off without messing up the distributor itself?
Beating on the thing with a hammer would probably screw it up. That's the level of violence I'm talking about.
I have, at times, resorted to carefully using a pry-bar or flat-bar & small block of wood to get the rotor off. Admittedly though, I've not had one absolutely refuse to pop off.
I have definitely seen rotor buttons stick to the shaft. Probably a little judicious prying with a large screwdriver or a purpose-built prybar will get it off.
If you have a "Morgan Knocker" or want to use this as an excuse to buy one, you can probably use a hook on the end of it to tap the thing off.
You might pinch it, not *too* hard, with some Vise-Grips, maybe tap/pull on the Vise-grips. But be careful with this approach.
I have definitely seen rotor buttons stick to the shaft. Probably a little judicious prying with a large screwdriver or a purpose-built prybar will get it off.
If you have a "Morgan Knocker" or want to use this as an excuse to buy one, you can probably use a hook on the end of it to tap the thing off.
You might pinch it, not *too* hard, with some Vise-Grips, maybe tap/pull on the Vise-grips. But be careful with this approach.
So what do you think causes those rotors to get stuck on the shaft so tight? I'm assuming it's just a combination of extreme temperature changes, etc. Does that sound right?
Well, I'll be 100% candid and admit I have no idea. Probably your idea about heat/cool cycles is at least partially right. I usually put some anti-seize on the shaft where the button goes on.
Worth noting that VW distributors at least have a felt pad inside the shaft, under the rotor, that wants some engine oil (some, not copious amounts) applied from time to time.
Part of the problem is the more modern distributors will work just fine for 50K miles or more, without you taking the cap off. By then the button is good and stuck.
Well, I'll be 100% candid and admit I have no idea. Probably your idea about heat/cool cycles is at least partially right. I usually put some anti-seize on the shaft where the button goes on.
Worth noting that VW distributors at least have a felt pad inside the shaft, under the rotor, that wants some engine oil (some, not copious amounts) applied from time to time.
Part of the problem is the more modern distributors will work just fine for 50K miles or more, without you taking the cap off. By then the button is good and stuck.
Interesting you bring up the old VW. I eventually installed a Petronix electronic ignition on mine. I heard mixed reviews about them from VW users, but mine performed flawlessly for many years. Funny how something like that can actually make a car better, but not as valuable to some purists.
Old but not that old. I'm referring to the distributors in the Rabbit/Scirocco/Golf/Cabrio cars of the 1980s.
We are digressing and OT, but I do wonder about some of the guys that obsess over duplicating the factory overspray pattern in the wheelwells of Shelby Cobras when restoring them. I don't care that much about having an authentic battery, or tires (some do obsess about having period correct, date-coded tires, that are not really safe for driving but anyway are too valuable to use) - I don't want a cut-up or rusted body, or "chairs and flares" or any of that nonsense, but at my level of the old car hobby I'm OK with things like a Pertronix setup instead of points (particularly since you have to take the distributor cap off to see that it does not have authentic points in it..)
Old but not that old. I'm referring to the distributors in the Rabbit/Scirocco/Golf/Cabrio cars of the 1980s.
We are digressing and OT, but I do wonder about some of the guys that obsess over duplicating the factory overspray pattern in the wheelwells of Shelby Cobras when restoring them. I don't care that much about having an authentic battery, or tires (some do obsess about having period correct, date-coded tires, that are not really safe for driving but anyway are too valuable to use) - I don't want a cut-up or rusted body, or "chairs and flares" or any of that nonsense, but at my level of the old car hobby I'm OK with things like a Pertronix setup instead of points (particularly since you have to take the distributor cap off to see that it does not have authentic points in it..)
Actually, I think the OP has been answered, so digression is acceptable. Or at least we can hope...
By the way, speaking "your language", I owned an 84 Cabrio for awhile. I let it go because I had too many projects, and because we were moving out of state. (Same time I sold the Rabbit Diesel.) Let me tell ya... My 18-year old daughter is kinda POd at me for selling that Cabrio!
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