The distributor rotor is a component of the distributor system in your vehicle’s system. The rotating arm or the rotor is inside the distributor cap, on top of the distributor shaft, but insulated from it and the body of the vehicle. The metal part of the rotor contacts the central high voltage cable from the coil via a spring loaded carbon brush. The metal part of the rotor arm passes close to the output contacts which connect via high tension cables to the spark plug of each cylinder.

And as the rotor spins within the distributor system, the electrical current is able to jump to a high voltage that is created by the ignition coil. Your vehicle’s distributor rotor moves the high tension current to the distributor cap towers. And once the firing end of the rotor begins to show wear, this performance part will not transfer the power properly and should be replaced. The distributor rotor must fit to the end of the distributor shaft so that it can be driven by the cam shaft.

The spark timing is also critical in order to ensure the engine runs smoothly and most effectively. There is a need to constantly check your distributor rotor for possible burns, corrosion, or damage, and this check up should be done at every tune up. Your rotor can crack that will lead to an inefficient power distribution. In this cases, where there is a need for a new distributor rotor, why not check out the MSD distributor rotor. The brand’s distributor rotor, especially for the GM and MSD small cap features a late model HEI distributor with a dual connector external coil, and every MSD rotor, should always be paired with the MSD cap for optimum performance all the time. The distributor is vital in timing the spark plug to fire at a specific point in relation to the piston stroke. The distributor is also responsible for the flow of the current, so it is important that it operate flawlessly to provide the best engine performance possible.