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Help. Distributor cap snapped, car won't idle and more
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WickedKafir
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:15 pm    Post subject: Help. Distributor cap snapped, car won't idle and more Reply with quote

So over the last about 2 month or so to start my car i would have to hold the gas pedal down until I heard a little pop(seemingly from the carburetors) just to get my car to idle normally but just recently when I did this my distributor cap snapped in half!!!! Sad I replaced it and the rotor as well but now my car won't idle more that 400rpm. No matter if I rev the heck out of it or if I let idle on its own. And it makes a lot of loud popping noises and the muffler throws out bursts of air. I have a dual carb setup with solex by the way. What do you think this is? Is it my carbs(that's my first guess)? But Why would the distributor cap snap like that? Timing? Can valves do this? I'm long overdue for a valve adjustment. Any ideas and help is much appreciated.
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fuguboy
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Brass gear for distributor drive might be bad . Might be able to see gear from fuel pump hole not sure . Maybe someone can confirm or have a better idea . I messed up a gear a long time ago and broke 2 rotors before I found bad gear .
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WickedKafir
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll definitely take that into consideration and check it out thank you. I also forgot to mention the day the cap snapped it was pouring rain. And the day before that it was not raining and the car ran fine but later that night it would not want to idle. So I don't know if the rain had to do anything with it or not. Just another factor to think about.
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FreeBug
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check timing, and adjust valves. Start with that and get back to us.
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FreeBug
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If distributor caps exploded every time it rained, life as you know it would be very, very different.
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Howard 111
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make sure you plugged the plug wires in the cap, in their correct place.
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WickedKafir
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

If distributor caps exploded every time it rained, life as you know it would be very, very different.
That was hilarious but true haha but thanks captain obvious Razz
Well it came out that one and two plug wires on the cap were switched. That's what happens when you plug in the wires at 10pm with a cell phone light Razz
I still have no idea why my distributor exploded though... Question but I'm happy and crusing for now!
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FreeBug
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 05, 2015 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad you took it the right way! Laughing

About the distributor cap: check for slop in the distributor shaft, if crankcase gasses vent through the distributor (and if a lot of gasoline fumes in the crankcase), it will get ignited by the spark at the points. Saw this on a Ghia once, pretty funny stuff.
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Slow 1200
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 1:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have a vacuum advance distributor check the canister, it might be leaking and then you can have gas vapors inside the distributor, I once had a distributor cap pop out, guess it was sturdier than yours Laughing
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tasb
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

All distributors have vents in the housing. The spark created when the points separate creates ozone. Ozone is flamable. Sounds like your distributor needs a cleaning/rebuild.
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