melted ingnition rotor

[mopar_madman]

Just curious, this happened to my 3.9 v6 97 dakota did a tuneup and after about 60 miles the engine died. Traced it to the dist. and popped the  cap off and the rotor was melted and burned up . Replaced it with new cap and rotor runs fine so far. Couple people i talked to said it could be a cheap and poorly made rotor (bought at advance auto) Just wondering if anyone ever had this problem before.

[Plumcrazy]

I've never seen anything like that before, a lot of ones with harline cracks, but not like that.

There's a lot of cheap aftermarket crap out there. 

[TylerCharger69]

I had that happen once!!!    It was due to a cracked distributor cap  and what was happening was the crack was on cylinder 3  and it was jumping over to the coil connection....the result....fried rotor.   It was a bitch getting off of the dist. shaft too!!!

[Chryco Psycho]

it happens a lot on GM hei systems it can arc through the rotor & go to ground down the dist shaft , probably a bad rotor

[mopar_madman]

It was a new cap also, both got replaced, I learned a lesson there. What are the GOOD aftermarket brands?

[dodge freak]

I use Accel its by Mr Gasket but its well made, has all brass terminals and never gave out on me. I am running a MSD 7al and 8251 coil too, but great MSD wires-low Resistance-and non-resistor Accel u-groove plugs gap at .038 .

[Chryco Psycho]

Standard parts have a good reputaion

[mopar_madman]

Parts were GP sorensen and said Standard Motor Products Inc. made in USA

[Chryco Psycho]

bad ignition wires or excessively wide spark plug gaps will put extra laod to get to the plugs & often force the spark to look for another route to ground

[mopar_madman]

new plugs and wires also plugs gapped to .40 guy at advance auto said it was either a bad distributor (truck runs fine now with new cap and roter and ran fine before) or installer error(ran fine after install till it died) and won't take the parts back. Going to see the store manager tomorrow.

[TylerCharger69]

shouldn't the gap be .035??

[mopar_madman]

I double checked, for the champion plugs recommened  .40

[TylerCharger69]

well...you may want to get others opinions  at this forum about that one.  Most everybody is gapping at .035  for a mostly stock motor

[mopar_madman]

I did check champion spark plug website say .40 for that plug and my application. Truck is running fine now. That gap is even what store had listed.

[TylerCharger69]

Oh!!!   '97  Dakota......my bad...I thought it was a Charger...an older model

[mopar_madman]

LOL don't worry my Charger is .35 gapped  But did check a manual and they say .35 for dakota so I emailed champion and will see what they say.

[Blue Pentastar]

I have seen rotors with a Pin hole in center strart arching down to center shaft. They will melt them right down should not be an ongoing problem now that you have replaced it.

Mike Schrader