Questions and Answers

Chevy S-10 Rotor Cooker Q. I have a 1997 Chevy S-10 Pickup 4.3 liter V-6 standard transmission. I have had a remanufactured long block replaced in my S-10. Since doing so, I have had my truck breakdown on me three times in two years. Each time it seems to be the rotor in the distributor cap. There is a hole burnt clean through the rotor.

The first time It broke down, I replaced the plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor. The other two times I replaced just the distributor cap and rotor. They seem to be lasting for only six to eight months. I know this isn't normal. Also, when I am driving at a steady speed, it starts to skip or something but is fine on acceleration. This seams to get worse around the time the rotor quits. Can you tell me what is causing this?

A. Check for any ground wires that may have not been installed after the engine was replaced. Some of them bolt to the rear of the cylinder heads and may have been overlooked on installation. Also a coil that is "too hot" could do this. Make sure the ground for it is tight, most coils fail for not enough spark, not too much but anything is possible here.