TheSamba.com :: View topic - Distributor cap

Tue Jan 31, 2023 9:21 am

iowegian wrote: vamram wrote: 61SNRF wrote: I've never had to resort to acids or solvents to clean that sort of corrosion. WD40 will do just fine and leaves a preventive coating as well.

WD-40 will remove that green copper corrosion w/out scrubbing? And do you have to wipe off the WD-40 residue before placing the cap back on the distributor? What about dialectic grease on the cap's copper contacts?
I have often read on these forums that dielectric grease will cure anything and everything including (but not limited to) flat tires and halitosis. :lol:

Hmmm...sounds like a thumbs down on WD-40. Easy enough to test w/the many old caps I've got laying around!

Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:28 am

Rickf1985 wrote: Center post to the bottom right terminal has a carbon track leading right to it. This will cause backfires and missing. The cap is junk.
Why would you say the cap is junk? Carbon tracking is simply a line of carbon dust that has worn off of the center carbon terminal. All you have to do is wipe it off with a dry cloth.

vamram wrote:
...WD-40 will remove that green copper corrosion w/out scrubbing? And do you have to wipe off the WD-40 residue before placing the cap back on the distributor? What about dialectic grease on the cap's copper contacts?

Hmmm...sounds like a thumbs down on WD-40. Easy enough to test w/the many old caps I've got laying around!

WD40 does have some mild solvents that will desolve that oxidation to some degree but the old school mechanic's method is to physically remove with a coil tower brush. WD40, twist of the brush, then blow clean with compressed air.

WD40 also has mild dielectric capability, is less messy and most people have some on hand.
All dielectric grease does is seal out moisture (a nessasary component for oxidation to occur) and does not improve conductivity. The choice is yours.

Thu Feb 23, 2023 5:45 pm

PatJr wrote: probably just clean it up

better if you have a replacement

and , how did it get that way ? The other connections look nice and clean.

Having looked back through the records, the beetle cut out whilst driving and would not start again. A roadside recovery person noted it as loss of spark, noting lead, condenser and distributor. Once at a garage, a new ignition coil, lead set, dizzy cap, rotor arm, ignition contact set, condenser and spark plugs were fitted. (This is when the bosch black cap was replaced)

The original '72 dated bosch short coil was replaced at the time. I kept and recently tested this and found ohms and resistence tested well. Perhaps the coil was fine and could have been left in?

--

I tried own brand coke/white vinegar which made a slight difference but has not given the shine yet in the terminal I may try the coil tower brush suggestion by @61SNRF or squash in the steel wool. Regarding @heimlich 's question, the current distributor is 009. (looking to replace with original restored vacuum 205AL) Responding to @Starbucket I've looked closer, and not felt or seen any cracks, so it may just be a light scratch.

Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:14 pm

I cut a strip of abrasive paper - say 100 grit into a roll that fits into the opening and turn it around (in the direction you rolled it). You can even wrap it around an appropriately sized bit and run it with a dremel.

Thu Feb 23, 2023 7:21 pm

Sure sounds like a lot of work for a $20 part that is meant to wear and be replaced.

Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:10 pm

Glenn wrote: Sure sounds like a lot of work for a $20 part that is meant to wear and be replaced.

I hate fueling the disposable consumption mentality that contributes to our landfills. If I can get more life out of a part with some effort on my part (this only take 5 mins in this case), I will.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 4:19 am

bnam wrote: Glenn wrote: Sure sounds like a lot of work for a $20 part that is meant to wear and be replaced.

I hate fueling the disposable consumption mentality that contributes to our landfills. If I can get more life out of a part with some effort on my part (this only take 5 mins in this case), I will.
Get a refillable water bottle and don't buy water in stores, you'll save more from the landfill than fixing your distributor cap.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:07 am

Glenn wrote: Sure sounds like a lot of work for a $20 part that is meant to wear and be replaced.

Agree.

Glenn - being smart can be a curse !

Fri Feb 24, 2023 7:21 am

Cusser wrote: Glenn wrote: Sure sounds like a lot of work for a $20 part that is meant to wear and be replaced.

Agree.

Glenn - being smart can be a curse !
Yes... ignorance is bliss.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:07 am

I enjoy being able to repair parts and reuse them - and get satisfaction out of getting extra life out of original parts. The waste and energy reduction potential is an added bonus. I do happen to use refillable bottles - a personal preference. And I don’t look down on people who choose a different path. YMMV.

Cheers!

Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:30 am

You can try to clean the carbon track. what you will find is that it is not just a dust trail but a burnt in etch in the bakelite cap. This is a condition that has happened to vehicles for as long as they have had distributor caps. I have NEVER seen one that was a dust trail. But if you want to spend some time on it then go for it. I know I would not depend on that cap on the road.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:46 pm

When you clean it up and reinstall it and it runs like crap you will remember why you replaced it years ago. That carbon track will rob voltage from the other cylinders and I bet it leads to the green post. If you like repairing electrical components buy a can of "Deoxit D5" and make life easier.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:04 pm

bnam wrote: I enjoy being able to repair parts and reuse them - and get satisfaction out of getting extra life out of original parts. The waste and energy reduction potential is an added bonus. I do happen to use refillable bottles - a personal preference. And I don’t look down on people who choose a different path. YMMV.

Cheers!

Yet, lots of people say that is ignorance/unsmartness... :roll:
Save that part, otherwise, what's the point on all this keeping & driving ''old *sugar*"?

Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:09 pm

bnam wrote: I enjoy being able to repair parts and reuse them - and get satisfaction out of getting extra life out of original parts. The waste and energy reduction potential is an added bonus. I do happen to use refillable bottles - a personal preference. And I don’t look down on people who choose a different path. YMMV.

Cheers!
I do also, but some parts are not intended to be "rebuilt". No one relines brake shoes and recaps tires.

And some can be... over 3000 done over 22 years.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:31 pm

bnam wrote: I enjoy being able to repair parts and reuse them - and get satisfaction out of getting extra life out of original parts. The waste and energy reduction potential is an added bonus. I do happen to use refillable bottles - a personal preference. And I don’t look down on people who choose a different path.

I also enjoy being able to repair parts and reuse them - and get satisfaction out of getting extra life out of original parts. The waste and energy reduction potential is an added bonus. I do happen to use refillable bottles - a personal preference. But I do look down on people who choose a different path.

Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:30 pm

When I was 18 years old and working in a general repair garage/gas station it was standard practice, when doing a tune-up, to wash the inside of a distributor cap with soap and water-----and of course drying with compressed air.
But that was 60 years ago and a lot of folks were poor.

Sat Feb 25, 2023 10:30 am

And I do reline brake shoes but do you know that in that process you l also need to reshape the backing so that it fits the contour of the drum? Just riveting a new lining on the old backer is easy, doing it correctly is a bit harder. To refurbish a distributor cap you would need some way to push out the old terminals and replace them with new terminals to maintain the proper air gap between terminal and rotor. That cap with the carbon track already has worn terminals. And do you know what causes carbon tracking? It is not dust from the carbon, it is a bad plug wire or a plug wire that has been left off and the voltage has found a new path.

Fri Mar 03, 2023 4:30 am

Rickf1985 wrote: And I do reline brake shoes but do you know that in that process you l also need to reshape the backing so that it fits the contour of the drum? Just riveting a new lining on the old backer is easy, doing it correctly is a bit harder. To refurbish a distributor cap you would need some way to push out the old terminals and replace them with new terminals to maintain the proper air gap between terminal and rotor. That cap with the carbon track already has worn terminals. And do you know what causes carbon tracking? It is not dust from the carbon, it is a bad plug wire or a plug wire that has been left off and the voltage has found a new path.

When the bug cut out whilst out driving, with 'loss of spark' noting lead, condenser and distributor to be looked at by the roadside recovery, Would you say it was necessary to have had the the ignition coil replaced at the garage?

Fri Mar 03, 2023 10:01 am

No, I would have done further diagnosis at the garage and would have found the bad cap and replaced it without having to replace any other parts, besides the rotor, thereby saving the customer money and sending him on his way. I owned a shop for many years and most of my customers were word of mouth customers. I did very little advertising and what I did was in the way of sponsoring ball games and such. I had a very full clientele.