DELCO Rotor Failure

[LeoH]

Those aren't used on the 170 Sixes, are they?

[Mike]

Long ago, I had a rotor fail in my Stude. The carbon resistor simply fell out. The engine would catch, but died as soon as the starter was released. Fair enough, I thought. I bypassed the ignition resistor on the firewall, and drove it 30 miles home, to troubleshoot further. The points weren't ruined. I just cleaned and reset them, and replaced the rotor. In an emergency, running the ignition on a full 12 volts, can get you home.
Mie

[DieselJim]

Been told that the rotor used in a "53" Caddy does not have the resistor carbon in it. I have not checked it out. Did a search. DR309

[JoeHall]

Been told that the rotor used in a "53" Caddy does not have the resistor carbon in it. I have not checked it out. Did a search. DR309

Looking at my 2017 eBay purchases, I took the sage advice from several folks above, and bought D403, DR949, DR309, and RR157 rotors. That is why I was astonished to find another Studebaker NOS/OEM DELCO rotor under the cap recently. Over the decades, I have kept meticulous maintenance logs on all Studes, but must be slipping in recent years. Then too, the OEM rotor is easily modified to remove the carbon resistor and install a wire link, as I have now successfully done twice. I simply don't know what I was thinking when I installed another of the junk OEM rotors in that car, sometime during the last 23 months. Also disappointed that I did not make a log entry.

In any case, I drove the car another 100+ miles yesterday, and the car ran great. So the OEM rotor was definitely the problem.

Here are a few pix of a simple fix to the OEM rotor. Beneath the JB Weld is a link of 10 gauge wire, cut about 1/32" too long and stuffed into the recess where the carbon resistor was. Use a small screwdriver to crack the carbon resistor, then it will crumble and is easily removed:

[skyway]

Gotta say, once I've putJB weld over the carbon rod I've never had any problem other
than cracking a rotor and/or cap due to a bad motor mount or a rear end
colision. That and that several years ago I began began buying only
NOS rotors because I noticed that the new overseas ones were loose on the shafts.

[JoeHall]

Gotta say, once I've putJB weld over the carbon rod I've never had any problem other
than cracking a rotor and/or cap due to a bad motor mount or a rear end
colision. That and that several years ago I began began buying only
NOS rotors because I noticed that the new overseas ones were loose on the shafts.

If you look closely at the pic, you will see the, "DELCO MADE IN USA REMY" trademark symbol. I dunno what JB Weld would do for continuity in the carbon. I used it to insure the wire link could never move. I trust it now, but am done with the carbon resistor.

[Jerry Forrester]

Here's a C&P of a post I made on the old news group back in 2003. Sorry, no pix.
JerryStudebaker
Leo was feeling bad today. Drove him down to Aladamnbama (86 miles one way),
got within 5 miles of Mom's house and he all but quit running. Found me a
good safe place to pull over to check him out and did so. He would idle fine
but when I reved him up he would pop and snort and make all sorts of sounds
out the exaust and back up through the carb. I shut him off, set the parking
brake, turned the ign. switch back on, got a screwdriver out of the toolbox
and raised the hood. Pulled the coil wire out of the dist. cap and held it
half inch from the back screw of the carb, and shorted out the solenoid, a
good strong blue spark was there. As a matter fact, too much spark was
there. It would jump over two inches. I poped the dist. cap off and half the
rotor button was burned off.

[David]

Happened to me in the 64 gt back in 1990. A piece of aluminum roofing nail cut to length is still in there.

[Jerry Forrester]

Here's a C&P of a post I made on the old news group back in 2003. Sorry, no pix.
JerryStudebaker
Leo was feeling bad today. Drove him down to Aladamnbama (86 miles one way),
got within 5 miles of Mom's house and he all but quit running. Found me a
good safe place to pull over to check him out and did so. He would idle fine
but when I reved him up he would pop and snort and make all sorts of sounds
out the exaust and back up through the carb. I shut him off, set the parking
brake, turned the ign. switch back on, got a screwdriver out of the toolbox
and raised the hood. Pulled the coil wire out of the dist. cap and held it
half inch from the back screw of the carb, and shorted out the solenoid, a
good strong blue spark was there. As a matter fact, too much spark was
there. It would jump over two inches. I poped the dist. cap off and half the
rotor button was burned off.

Found a 20 penny nail in the tool box and taped it onto the rotor button.

Snipped the nail off to the length I thought it should be and re-installed
it and the cap.

The homemade rotor button is still in Leo and I have driven him another 120
miles so far and he hasn't missed a beat.
Anyone want to lay odds on how long he'll run like this? How about you JP?
You're a gambler. <G>

All that was way back in 2003. Nothing ever goes away if it's posted on the 'net. Except maybe pictures. Recovered from Google groups alt.autos,studebaker. it's all still there. The two Lee's (DeLaBarre and AAndrud, N8T, Oldcarfart, StudeBob, BondoBilly, Sonny, JP, Pat Drnec, and many, many others that's not posting on the forum for one reason or another.

When you have some free time, check it out. Take a walk down memory lane.

[tomlewis]

I've been using rotors that were specified for mid 50's GM cars such as Oldsmobile and Buick to replace the Studebaker rotors with the trouble prone carbon rod. The GM rotors do not use a carbon rod which is not necessary to reduce ignition noise in the radio as most plug wire sets now have a suppressor core. The part numbers I have been using are either Ampco DR949 or Standard DR309. As a plus, the GM rotor is about half the price of the stock rotor. Bud

Based on this reply, I ordered a DR309 rotor for the Delco 1110864 distributor I have in my ‘63 Avanti. The 1110864 was used in late 50’s to early 60’s Studebaker V-8’s before the “window” distributors and I kind of assumed those are the distributors being discussed here.

The rotor on on the top in the photo is the DR309 and the rotor on the bottom is what came out of the Delco 1110864. The DR 309 ain’t gonna work in my Delco 1110864.

So, what non-carbon-resistor rotor will work with a Delco 1110864?

Thanks. Tom

[DEEPNHOCK]

Also double check your motor mounts.

[StudeRich]

The Rotor in the Top Photo in Post 25 must have been ordered for the wrong Car, or mis-boxed, it is for a Champion SIX!

Looking for a Non-Resistance Rotor for GM early Delco Dist's. I found this:
I wonder if this Wrong Looking design for a 1954 Oldsmobile 98 High Performance Rotor could actually replace the Larger Top, Original shape of these early Delco Rotors and FIT a Stude.
It is a NAPA/Echlin ECH RR 1820

It looks Tall enough, but I don't think it is Wide enough for a 8 Cyl. Cap.

Nowadays, I am never sure if I can trust these Paper Book uploaded to a Web Page Parts applications, the Dist. Cap they show to go with this Rotor is a SIX Cylinder, I just can't imagine a '54 Olds 98 having a SIX!

Here is the correct (that NAPA shows) RR 159 Rotor for the Stude. Olds. Buick, Cadillac WITH the Carbon Rod now epoxy'd in:
I am beginning to think that NAPA no longer has the RIGHT Parts, they would have to be eBay Old Stock, (NORS): Sorenson, Standard Motor Parts, Western Auto Parts etc.
I think Pep Boys had "Wells".

[Bud]

Standard Motor Parts DR309 is the replacement rotor for the original rotor used non window Delco distributors. The DR309 is the rotor used in early to mid 50's Chevrolet, Buick, Olds etc. distributors I've used the DR309 rotors and they do work in Studebaker distributors. Bud

[Ross]

The NAPA # is RR157 for a non resistor rotor to replace The RR159. I have installed many of the RR157 in both Studes and Packards. They work great.

[StudeRich]

Thank you Ross, THAT RR157 is what I was looking for to recommend to Tom!

The Weird thing is, it does not show correct for most '50's GM 8 Cyl. Cars when you do a search!
Their Site has SOME issues.

UPDATE:
Really! Is THIS what the RR157 is supposed to look like Ross? This is the RR157 Pic from Today's NAPA Website!