Hey guys,

I started my morning today with what I thought was going to be a simply job of replacing the distributor rotor and cap on my beloved '94 LX MT. Well unsurprisingly, the distributor rotor was rusted on and wouldn't budge (I even had trouble getting the screw off due to rust). Tried prying at it with a screwdriver to no avail. It looks pretty stuck on there.

My question is: Should I even bother? Are there any appreciable benefits to replacing it?

And if the answer is yes, I should, what are some neat tricks to get it off? I read elsewhere that spraying a small amount of PB blaster might help, but I've also read that that didn't work for some.

Any thoughts?


Thanks.

 

Yes replace it. Spray some PB Blaster on the shaft and down screw hole, give it a while and it should come off with some minor force.

 

I usually use an impact manual screwdriver to take them off as to not damage the Philips slots in the screw.

 

"Any thoughts?"

My car is 2 yrs older; like it but it's still a get around car.
Here sounds like your's is a preventative maintenance issue only.
So, when you run into issues, remember: If it's not broke, don't fix it.

 

Thanks for the tips, guys. I sprayed some PB blaster on it and let it set. Tried prying it off but ended up breaking off the plastic part entirely. Sprayed a little more PB blaster and use a small wrench and hammer to knock it out. I used the wrench against the assembly to pry out the metal piece and it moved a little. More hammering, more prying, and an hour later, I have a new distributor rotor on!

Maybe I'm imagining this, but I feel that the power is more immediate when I step on the gas. Either way, happy I did the replacement. From how stuck the old one was, I figure it was overdue anyway.

Thanks again!