What would cause my distibutor rotor to melt? 1988 16V Scirocco

[vdubdrivenfool]

Car was running really badly. All hurky jerky taking off in 1st gear but ran fine once upto cruising speed on the freeway. Then totally stopped running. Upon inspection found that the rotor melted. Just replaced the rotor but now getting no spark? Thinking it might be the hall sender? Anybody have any other theories?

[punchbug]

Car was running really badly. All hurky jerky taking off in 1st gear but ran fine once upto cruising speed on the freeway. Then totally stopped running. Upon inspection found that the rotor melted. Just replaced the rotor but now getting no spark? Thinking it might be the hall sender? Anybody have any other theories?

I don't know, my purple car did melted one a few years ago, it was fine before and after the failure. It just decided not to start one day. Mine ran fine after replacing the rotor, but mine is a strange seatul anyway (Pertronix). I wonder if they just get pitted to the point where they eventually melt. 16Vs are well known for hall sender problems, and it is often the wiring to the sender, it is subject to a lot of movement and fractures. Have a good look at the connection at the sender and see if there are broken wires or damaged insulation.

[MacGruber]

Does it have the correct resistance? Supposed to be 1000 ohms. Do not trust the chain stores, they couldn't care less.
The reason I care: my distributor rotor's extension completely disintegrated - nothing left of it but dust. Any fragments would've been pulverized by the 8v CIS mechanical advance weights. All that remained was the cylindrical part that fits on the shaft.
The same situation - I was driving on I-70 and it ran very rough, and died on the exit ramp.
Bosch only from now on.

[TBerk]

Stuff in electricity that burns up is usually related to the 'weakest link' principle.

The thin, non-copper, dry, dusty, corroded, unlubricated-pivoting-point, choke point is where the electrons will bum-rush you a burnt circuit.

(I take liberal poetic licence, and happily so...)

This is partly why I like to source my battery/Alt cables from welding surplus shops.

Lastly, although it isnt a one size fits all phrase; it is possible to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Buy yer Scirocco the good stuff....

Oh, and go see 'the Avengers', it kicks butt...

[punchbug]

Does it have the correct resistance? Supposed to be 1000 ohms. Do not trust the chain stores, they couldn't care less.
.

This is true, and VW has a dizzying variety of parts numbers for rotors. Though I suspect the PO who installed mine would have been sure to install the correct one. Damage to the distributor itself is a terrible price to pay for being sold the wrong rotor! That's the first time I have heard of that happening, though I'm sure it isn't the first time it has happened!

[MacGruber]

No I meant the rotor extension itself apparently vaporized into dust. All that is within the rectangle VANISHED.



The mystery is how did the engine run up until then?

[antichristonwheels]

This happens on all Sciroccos cause they are so fast.

[canexrabbit]

^^

[antichristonwheels]

I bet the cap and/or rotor are not real Bosch stuff and the tip of the rotor got damaged due to a slightly incorrect fit. Due to the high voltage, the spark was able to jump the gap while burning up the remainder of the rotor.

[83mk2scirocco]

Car was running really badly. All hurky jerky taking off in 1st gear but ran fine once upto cruising speed on the freeway. Then totally stopped running. Upon inspection found that the rotor melted. Just replaced the rotor but now getting no spark? Thinking it might be the hall sender? Anybody have any other theories?

I want to blame improper gap between rotor and cap.Mix
matched.
It made friday after noon.
Inferior parts.

[MacGruber]

In need of a rotor, at Advance, with a multimeter this time, and of course the non-Bosch rotor in the box had ZERO resistance, a very big problem for whoever ended up buying it.

[MacGruber]

UPDATE- I wasn't exactly correct about all of the distributor rotor extension vaporized or disintegrating. The metal rotor tip I did find.



Roadside fix - just happened to have a stick of epoxy handy.