It’s not a matter of how much TWIST is in the rotor or shaft. It’s how much SIDEWAYS movement it has. Slightly noticeable by feel is barely tolerable is one way of putting it.
If it’s very noticeable or you can actually see the rotor moving sideways when you try to move it then it’s on the way out.
(Many times what causes distributor shaft bushing failure is lack of regular oil changes and/or driving habits. The distributors usually have a hole or two to admit a little oil and if the holes get sludged up and the oil supply gets cut down then the bushings will start to go out.
Ahhhhh…I see. Ok, there was no sideways movement when I was putting in the rotor. Good to know. Thanks.
Gee wiz meezergirl- you said you were gonna post back and let everyone know how you made out. After all that time we spent… I’m on the edge of my seat.
I stopped at my local shop today to talk with the shop owner and told him what had happened to me on the road last week. I brought the broken distributor cap and the bill from the VW dealer showing the repairs that were made bad). He very quickly volunteered that the distributor cap was most likely knocked loose by his mechanic when the clutch replacement was done 3 days before my breakdown on the road. He offered my $200 which I accepted. He said that he was embarrassed — these things happen sometimes & he’d rather know about it than not know & wonder why he had lost a regular customer. I did mention the increase in my fuel economy since the VW dealership repairs. And, again, he acknowledged that this was an issue that very likely had not been appropriately addressed by the mechanic who he has had work on my car for the past 16 months (his garage VW expert). I did’t mention any of the other stuff. Basically, I’m satisfied and I will return to his shop.
Thank you for your responses. They were very helpful. I do appreciate it.
Meezergirl: I just knew that clamp was bumped off… I’m glad you are reatively satisfied w/outcome. It’s nice to know our posts may have helped you. A lot of people state problem, get responses, and we never find out the upshot. Happy motoring.