How do you know if your distributor cap/rotor is bad?
Pop it loose from the distributor and carefully look inside for carbon tracking, cracks or small beads of moisture with a small pen flashlight. Look at the center carbon button that rides on the rotor spring. If it's worn or chipped the Cap should be replaced. Externally the center coil wire sometimes corrodes and burns creating high resistance. *If at all possible replace the cap with the following brands: Standard blue colored, Accell tan colored or the best is a red colored MSD. Replace the rotor at the same time. The reason the caps with color are better they have higher dielectric strength. If you're looking for quality and a bargain MSD and AC-Delco ignition wires have less OHM's of resistance and the outer insulation jackets are stronger than Motorcraft wires. If you do change the wires, pick up a tube of silicone ignition grease from NAPA or Carquest to liberally wipe on the inside of the distributor cap boots and spark plug boots. This step keeps water out and helps a ton the next time you remove the wires from either end.
Leaking from distributor cap, not distributor?
Many cars have distributors that are mounted to the head and driven from the end of the camshaft. These types are vulnerable to a seal leak from the mounting. You should try this: Remove the cap, and wash things down with chlorinated brake clean (CRC is good). This evaporates quickly and takes with it the "vaporized" oil that collects here over time. You should do a serious motor flush (butyl cellosolve) and swear off regular oils PERIOD!!! Use only ELF oil (from France), Mobil One (for Honda's) or Amzoil. These miraculous oils produce no vapors or create sludge and actually clean the inside of your engine as you drive!!! THis will kepp the inside of your distributor clean, save you money (since you only need to change it once a year) give you more power and MPG's, too. Good Luck!!
Are MSD distributor cap and ignition coil worth paying for on chevy v8?
You are best off with Borg-Warner "select" cap and rotor. They are better than the factory stuff because they have brass contacts with a breather in the cap. Stock part has only aluminum contacts. MSD makes great multiple spark ignition kits. Neither one will improve your performance, really, since your car is NOT a muscle car. The "select" parts insure a great contact and will last longer, more dependably. My other suggestions for your Camaro still hold.
The firing order on a distributor cap for an 8 cylinder engine is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Inside the distributor cap is the rotor. The rotor strangely enough got that name because it rotates. As it rotates it passes a spark though to each of the spark plug wires that are plugged into the top of the distributor cap. As it rotates the firing is always sequential..Now the firing order of the cylinders is not 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. If they did that the engine would run very rough. The first wire on the distributor cap may go to cylinder 5 and the second may go to cylinder 2. There are writing diagrams that show which wires go to which cylinders. It is also important that the spark to each cylinder fires when the piston is in the right position.
What is the difference between HEI distibutor, and a distributor with an Ignition box??? ?
I'm a little confused with my ignition system, Ok, I have Acell HEI distributor on my 66 nova, now, I know how this distributor is different than stock distributor in that it gets rid of the points, right?? So what exactly is an HEI distributor & why is it so huge, does it get rid of the coil??? And what are these ignition systems that utilize Ignition boxes with rev limiters, but the distributor cap is still small like stock units?? Are HEI units old technology, there all electronic right?
When replacing distributor, do you need TDC or just rotor position?
Follow the installation instructions of the other poster, BUT you must also do this- On this engine and control system you install the distributor straight up, Index the crank pulley at top dead center and check distributor, the rotor should be pointed at number one and the reluctor wheel teeth on (distributor pick-up coil) should be tip to tip (within a sixteenth of an inch) once you have the distributor @ 0 degrees (there is NO timing specification for this engine) now it is time to set the CAM RETARD OFFSET! First thing to do is disconnect the ESC (electronic spark control) bypass connector this is a single wire connector located on the firewall at the main harness that runs at the top (the wire color is tan with a black tracer. This procedure is best done with a compatible scan tool by Checking the timing with a timing light and retard the distributor when says knock yes. to be perfect! But you can do it if you have a good ear, With the engine running at operating temperature snap the throttle frequently while advancing the timing (turn the dist.counter clockwise) Listen for the knock (pinging) as soon as this is heard, Retard the timing (turn dist. clockwise)1/16 of an inch, turn off the engine and lock the distributor down, re enable the ESC by reconnecting the connector and start the engine! ADDED: There is NO vacuum advance on this Dist!
K1500 chevy 350 cap and rotor malfunction?
If this was a cheap crappy made in japan pot metal cap thats what happens. Always buy a premium cap and rotor with the brass contacts these will last for years. That engine is not known for the distributor bearing going bad, but anything can happen. If for some reason the distibutor shaft itself is wobbling (look at it when the engine is running you may have a problem, and really worn motor mounts can sometimes let the motor lift up and kind of back towards the firewall, and if there is not enough clearence the cap can get caught between the air filter housing and the firewall (this is rare) Try using a couple of tanks of chevron unleaded after replacing the cap and rotor and plugs and fuel filter and take a nice long run down the freeway with a gas tank full of chevron super unleaded and see how it runs the next day.
Do different distributor cap, rotors, wires, and spark plug brands effect performance?
if you have an engine full of big dollar racing parts great buy all the fancy expensive crap you want. If you have a stock motor with stock everything don't waste your time on msd this or that its not worth it. You need a good quality distributor cap and rotor. I buy the good ones with the brass contacts. so don't buy cheap pot metal cap made in china. Spark plug wires almost never go bad. And plugs now that lead is no longer in gasoline are long lasting anyway use autolite or what ever is oem but ddon'tbuy any of that platinum plus b s that's a bunch of crap too. Get regular auto lites there good for 35 thousand miles then get replaced. if the plug wires look good and are not rotten and cracked don't worry about them use common sense it goes a long way these days.
Set the engine to #1 TDC. (not really necessary but a good idea).Remove distributor cap and mark, with paint the housing in relation to the block and also mark the rotor in relation to the distributor housing.Losen the nut/bolt that holds the distributor in place. Remove distributor.Punch the pin from the distributor shaft gear and remove the gear. Push the shaft all the way out of the distributor housing . Now you have access to the pickup coil. Install new pick up coil an reverse proceedure. This is for older, distributor type ignition systems found in almost all GM, Ford and Chrysler products before the introduction of coil on plug or coil pack ignition systems.