Eggy Star all of a Sudden

[OzRob]

For some reason I suddenly started to get eggy stars. The gear has been on a pier and nothing has changed. One night I started to get eggy stars when the scope was pointing east. There are no problems when it is pointing east. I have tried to change the balance with no change. I have checked and everything is tight. No cables are getting caught anywhere. The stars are elongated by up to 6 pixels along RA. Maximum guiding errors during exposures is 1 pixel with 2 second guiding exposures. Any ideas?

[jenchris]

Earth has slowed down.
Clutch?

[OzRob]

If it is the first one we could be in trouble...lol. If it was a clutch problem I would have thought it would occur on both sides of the meridian.

[jenchris]

Well yes, I would too but there may be a balance difference - I can only guess.
If you weren't getting them before and now you are, the only difference I can find is temperature - which may cause binding or bounce. Kinda unlikely though too.