Rotor not spinning

[OaklandSpider]

Hello All...
in the process of doing a much needed and overdue rotor/condensor/points replacement, I found that the rotor seems to be stuck, not moving freely. I thought it was supposed to be spring loaded and have a certain degree of play before being released and snapping back into place. Am I wrong in this assumption? Is the rotor shaft frozen? What would the symptoms be if the rotor shaft was NEVER actually spinning? I need to get this resolved before I do any of the other replacements.
Also...and maybe this is a question for a completely separate topic, should I just skip the whole endeavor and go to electronic ignition? What are the pros/cons of each as you see them? Any and all stories, insight, info welcome...
Thanks in advance...
Peter

[kilrwail]

Peter - The rotor won't spin uness the engine is running. If you want to confirm its proper movement, remove the distributor cap and turn the motor over with the key. The rotor should move clockwise. If the rotor is seized, the engine won't run. In my opinion, points are simple, cheap to replace, easy to adjust and require no sensors to work properly. I would not want electronic ignition, but I'm (very) old school.

[manoa matt]

The rotor itself should not spring, but the points cam lobe should be able to. On the 79 and later electronic distributors the rotor and centrifugal weights are on the top and you can turn the rotor and watch it spring back. On the points type distributors the centrifugal weights are under the points plate. The rotor turns directly with the camshaft, but the points cam lobe is what moves when the weights fly out.

There are plenty of discussions on the points vs. electronic distributors in the engine and tuning, performance, and general maintenance sections if you search for them. Ultimately it comes down to personal preference.