Rotor Button

What would happen if you have a bad rotor button? i have a 95 chevy 1500 P/U(350,5.7) and it makes a slight rattling noise when starting. Once it catches on, it's gone. i'm just trying to figure out what could be causing this. I checked the rotor button and it had a black powdery substance inside the rim of it. Don't know if this means it's bad or not? Maybe it could be something with the distributor. Looking for answers...........

Sounds to me like the valves are rattling at start up until the lifters pump up , how many miles are on the engine ,has it been redlined any during its life that could have floated a valve as for the rotor carbon build it is normal wear over time now if it is bad it could cause a alternate spark route to another cylinder untill it runs a while . That would cause a sound like rattling but it is more of a sparknock.

Especially if the engine is high mileage:

The clatter you are talking about smacks of excessive main and rod bearing clearances. It rattles until the oil pressure builds. Older, high mileage engines will do this with wear, but if the engine is fairly recent, it could indicate another problem - also involving clearances and oil pressure.

Not quite sure what redlined means. I have 152,000 miles on the truck. All this started when my truck would start sometimes and sometimes it wouldn't. When it wouldn't start, i would turn the ignition constantly trying to start it. When i would turn it over, it started making a click...click..sound. I found out that i had a corroded power cable and that't why it would start and not start. In the process i figured i screwed something up and i'm trying to figure out what that could be because my truck never did this before.

Redline is when the needle on the tach moves into the red. Usually redline is before the valves will float but I guess if you have really worn out valve springs. Kinda sounds like maybe your starter pinion gear is dragging for a few seconds.

OK, so looking again at your other post, the only things you've done are replace the starter and cables and all was good before that?? So I'm thinking what "abaird" said about the starter pinion. Try loosening the starter mount bolts "just enough to get some wiggle on the starter" but not enough to make it real loose. Do the start thing and let us know what happens. The thing about replacement starters are the mounting flanges to the block are not always the same as the original and sometimes have to be "shimed" for a good pinion gear to flywheel mesh.

Let us know.

okay i'll try that and get back with you guys.

I loosened the starter up a little and discovered that it is the starter that's causing the noise. I even went as far as loosening it up a lot to see the reaction and heard no rattling. My question now is what do i do? If i decide to do nothing, will it mess anything up?

Look at the starter and flywheel teeth if they are not to worn shims can be purchased at local parts store pretty cheap at shims till it stops the noise which will invole a lot of loosing adding and taking off shims and starting it in between each shim addition make sure the starter is tight each time . But it may be the starter not releasing totally after it has starter , which could mean solenoid . But start with the shims teeth wear with time and the gear meash can be off .

It's been a while but i replaced the starter and that took care of the problem. Didn't won't to bother with the shims so thanks for all the input. It was greatly appreciated.