HomeDistributors and Distributor Caps
Distributors and distributor caps are components of an ignition system. Most internal combustion engines use these to deliver high voltage sparks into the engine in the correct firing order, which in turn creates combustion.
2,213 Questions
Where are Purina Mills distribution centers?
- 1 answer
How do you set timing 94 blazer s-10 vortec v-6?
- 1 answer
set to zero degrees base timing
the computer controls actual timing
What is the firing order for a Chevrolet 454 engine at the distributor is number 1 before or after the power tach wires?
- 1 answer
Chevrolet Firing Order 18436572
What does a 'cap' mean in soccer?
- 1 answer
A player is "capped" for each international match played. Some "friendly" games also count. A player who has played in 50 international matches has fifty caps.
The origin
It stems from the old days when the players were issued commemorative "caps" for the game; the term has simply continued, although the actual caps are no longer provided to the players.
See related link, "International cap", for a photo of a cap.
What are symptoms of a bad pickup in the distributor?
- 1 answer
it does not run smoothly and not all plugs fire when supposed to
Addition to above:
No spark or intermittent spark, a problem that was fairly common back when distributors had vacuum advances was that one of the wires going to the pickup coil (pole piece) would break from the back and forth movement of the pickup as the vacuum advance would move it to control the timing, symptoms would be no start or that it would start and when you put a load on the engine and the vacuum dropped the vacuum advance would start to move the pickup coil, the broken wire would open the circuit and the spark would die.To check this problem was fairly simple by removing the cap & rotor and tugging lightly on the wires where they go into the pickup coil/pole piece, if one of the wires was broken you could see it and knew you had to replace the pickup coil which GM called a pole piece (magnetic pickup coil and pole piece are the same thing).
Where are the spark plugs located on a 2001 Kia Sportage and how do you replace them?
- 1 answer
http://www.alldata.com/techtips/2004/20041227c.html
They're under the valve cover on top of the motor. You will have to dig to get to them.
They're straight down, under the black cap and between the two cam halves, like on any other DOCH engine. You have to remove the throttle body intake hose from the air box, disconnect the throttle linkage, remove the black cover, then remove the coil packs. You'll also need at least a 6" extension on your spark plug socket. Make sure it has the rubber ring to grasp the spark plug.
This isn't a hard job once you remove the top intake tube leading into the throttle body. You can reuse the throttle body gasket. It's metal, so don't throw it away or worry about buying a new one.
What is the firing order for a Chevy 350?
- 1 answer
The order is on the stock intake manifold. It is 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2
1,3,5,7 is on the left bank(driver side) and 2,4,6,8 is on the right bank. The distributor rotates clockwise.
Where is the number one cylinder on the distributor cap of a dodge 383 engine?
- 1 answer
Drivers side front to rear is 1-3-5-7. Passenger side front to rear is 2-4-6-8. Rotor turns counterclockwise. Firing order is 1-8-3-4-6-5-7-2
How do you change the distributor and rotor on an 1985 Corvette and does anything need to be disconnected when doing so?
- 1 answer
Disconnect the negativ battery cable whenever working with anything electrical on a car. Then take the cap off and see where the rotor is pointing. Then remove the dist and make sure the new rotor is pointing the EXACT way the old one was when the dist is fully installled in the oil pump. Then the timing will have to be set with a light. To do this every car is different and you need a manual to do this. On the rotor simply remove the screws and remove the rotor./
Disconnect the battery negative cable.Mark each distributor wire before you disconnect them- it makes it alot easier to hook back up.. If youn have the cover plate still on over the distributor remove it.With a felt pen mark on the plenum and distributor side by side-this is your timing mark-it's crude but with out a light it will work.My distributor was red so the felt pen mark showed up. You might have to use the base of the distributor to get the mark.Next mark the position of the rotor. It must go back into the original postion-if your are close it will only go in one way the oil pump pickup is on the botton and these two must mesh for the distributor to go all the way down.It will only go down all the way 2 ways the right way and 180 degrees out.Remove all the connectors on the side of the distributor, loosen off the bolt on the passenger side, lift up the distributor and unplug the 4-way connector on the back. Change the rotor by removeing the two screws.If your this far-I'm sure you figured that part out.
Firing order on distributor cap of 360 dodge?
- 1 answer
1 - 8 - 4 - 3 - 6 - 5 - 7 - 2
The distributor rotor turns CLOCKWISE
The marked # 1 position on the distributor cap faces to the FRONT
The engine cylinder / spark plug locations are numbered :
firewall
8 - 7
6 - 5
4 - 3
2 - 1
front
How do you remove the distributor in a 1973 351 Cleveland engine?
- 1 answer
Ok, there is a one bolt that holds in the disributor. it will be conected to a crows foot looking clamp. Take the bolt out and on Fords it more of a pain then just Chevy's. Chevy's just twist out while pulling. Fords are the same . but to put it back in you have to bump the motor until it falls in. Kind of a pain to set timming. But usually you hold it where the #1 spark plug is and it will fall into place. It's a two man operation.
Ok, there is a one bolt that holds in the disributor. it will be conected to a crows foot looking clamp. Take the bolt out and on Fords it more of a pain then just Chevy's. Chevy's just twist out while pulling. Fords are the same . but to put it back in you have to bump the motor until it falls in. Kind of a pain to set timming. But usually you hold it where the #1 spark plug is and it will fall into place. It's a two man operation. To make it super simple.
How do you install the distributor on a 1967 Chevy Corvette 327?
- 1 answer
Hi John, You need to find the number 1 cylinder. It is the front left spark plug when setting in the drivers seat. Take the number 1 spark plug out and turn the engine over by hand with a screw driver in the number 1 spark plug hole to find top dead center on compression stroke. You will have top dead center when the piston is at the very top. Line up the mark on the crankshaft balancer with the pointer on the engine block. Should be front left by the bottom v belt pully looking under the hood. Put the distributor in with the rotor pointing to the Number 1 spark plug wire. Firing order is 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2 going clock wize. Firing alinement is (looking under the hood) 1 right 2 left 3 right 4 left 5 right 6 left 7 right 8 left. Should be marked on the intake manifold. If the engine doesn't run after installing. You are 180 degrees off. Remove the distributor just far enough to turn the rotor a half a turn and drop back in. Reinstall the lock and try again. Timing is either TDC or 4 degrees before TDC depending on your hp. .
AJ.
John. This is the way to do it:
a- No need to remove any plug.
b- To find the number one, remove the drivers side valve cover. Turn the engine until the zero mark on the harmonic balancer lines with the mark on the pointer.
c- look at the valve lifters of the number one cylinder-the first pair on the head at the front of the head. Both should be free of any lift. If there is no lift on either valve, then you are at Top Dead Center of the #1 cylinder and jump to step (e) below. If there is lift on one of the #1 cylinder valves you are actually on the Top Dead Center of #6 cylinder and in this case go to the next step.
d- Turn the engine one full turn until the zero mark is lined up again on the balancer and the pointer-as before.
e- Put the valve cover back on. Bolt it down tight.
f- With the distributor out of the car, using a flash light look down into the distributor hole on the engine. About 10" down you will see a slotted shaft. This is the oil pump shaft. It is free to turn for now.
g- Obtain a long screwdriver to reach that slot. With the front of the car ponting to an imaginary North, turn the screwdriver until that slot is oriented North Eeast direction. Another way is to turn the slot towards the number 5 spark plug on the engine. Its about the same.
h- Install the cap on the distributor and with a color felt pen, draw a straight line along the tower of the number one plug and extend that line down onto the distributor body. After you do this undo the cap from the distributor housing.
i- With the distributor in your hand, turn the rotor in a way that it points about 1.5 inches clockwise from the mark you made above on the body. Remember to have the gasket between the distributor body and intake on before you attempt to drop the distributor in.Hold the rotor in that position and have mark towards the front of the engine.
j- Slowly insert the distributor into its hole on the intake manifold. Keep it in your hold and maintain position of rotor with mark and mark with front of engine.
When you feel that the distributor touched the oil pump shaft it will begin to want to position itself- the rotor will move towards the mark. Remove your hold of the rotor. See if it will continue to go down and at the same time you will notice that the rotor will want to rotate towards the mark until it lines up with the mark.
k- This is a delicate step and you need to be patient. Don't let frustration creep in. There is a little trial and error here because you want to simultaneously marry the gears as well as the female slot of the oil pump with the male end on the distributor so bear with it. Those that have done it in the past usually do not get it right from the first attempt.
l- very likely it wont work and the distributor will not bottom out on the intake. Take the distributor out and using the screwdriver turn the slot in the hole one way or another no more than 1/16 of an inch and try the above procedure again. Once the distributor bottoms out it means it interlocked properly but you still need to check that the following are noticed.
-the rotor is in line with e mark
-with the cap in position, the door is straight forward, 1/2" +or -
-the vacuum can is pointing to the right; 30-40 degrees.
m- install the distributor hold down and tighten down enough to be able, without force, to rotate distributor body for timing adjustment. In other words leave some friction to let it stay in position after start up.
n- Connect the vacuum line, spark plug wires. Double check that plug wire #1 on the engine goes on #1 at the distributor. Similarly for each of the remaining 7 wires.
o- Recheck that your balancer TDC mark is in line with the zero mark on the pointer plate. Make a visual check that you left no tools or stuff that should not be there. Check belt tensions and fluids.
p- Start the engine. If it starts adjust timing to specs, and you are done. If the engine does not want to start, and all wires are in place do a spark check to see that there is a spark in the plugs. If that is OK double check that gas is getting to your engine. If that is OK go to (q) below. If either of the latter two fails the test, correct the problem and continue.
q-start by removing red wire from the coil and remove the distributor cap but leave the plug wires on. Remove the driver side valve cover and turn the engine to TDC on the balancer.
X- If the valve springs are both be up-i.e. no compression on either. In other words they are at equal level then the engine Cylinder #1 is at TDC.
y- If the valve springs are unequal and one is compressed then you are on engine Cylinder #6 TDC.
Look at the rotor on the distributor:
IF (X) above is the case the rotor should point to #1 plug wire tower on the distributor cap. If it is not it should point to #6 tower on distributor cap -and GO TO (Z)
IF (Y) above is the situation, the rotor should point to the #6 plug wire tower on the distributor cap. If not it should point to #1 plug wire cap -GO TO (Z)
otherwise skip Z
Z- Undo the distributor hold down. Gently pull the distributor straight out about 1.5 inches. Exactly straight up 1.5'. Hold it there. With one hand holding the distributor, rotate the rotor 180 degrees. Re-lower the distributor down. It will go back in without an issue and reinstall the hold down. Reinstall the wires you disconnected and the car should start up.
Good Luck
AK
Where on the distributor cap does number 1 spark plug wire go on a 350 Chevy?
- 1 answer
Left and right are determined by sitting in the car, facing forward. On a Chevy 350, number 1 is on the left or driver's side (in the USA) furthest forward cylinder. And you don't put the plug wire anywhere on the cap. You must bring number 1 cylinder up to top dead center on the compression stroke then lift the distributor cap and see which tower the rotor is pointing to....that will be number 1 tower.
look at your cylinders the left side is 2,4,6,8 and the right side is 1, 3, 5, 7 and the whole firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 so you put one spark plug wire on lead it to the number 1 cylinder then put the other end anywhere on the cap then get another wire put it on the 8 cylinder put it right beside your first wire but clockwise then you repeat the steps until your done then fire it up!
if you have any questions about engines ask me - moparman48
How do you set a distributor on a Chevy truck?
- 1 answer
I don't know if you are talking about just setting the timing or replacing the dist or what. The timing is not adjustable. If you have the dist out and are trying to put it back in, here it is.
Pull #1 spark plug and put you finger over the hole so you can see when that cyl starts on comp stroke. Have someone bump the starter and when you feel preasure, turn the engine by hand to where the timig marks on the balancer is at top dead center. Install your dist so that the rotor is pointing streight foreward when it is fully seated and put #1 spark plug wire at that tower on the cap. Then put the rest of the wires in order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 going clockwise around the cap. #1-3-5-7 cylinders are on the drivers side.
95 truck manif truck is a 95 or earlier,the timing is adjustable.warm motor to operating temp.loosen dist. holddown bolt.then find the connector for the timing by-pass,(tan wire with a black stripe)usually on the fire wall or under the glove compartment.unplug this wire,start motor,check timing with a timing light,move dist.to advance or retard timing.tighten dist.bolt and plug tan wire back in.This will set a check engine light.pull the fuse or fuses for the ECM for 10 minutes and reinstall fuses.this will reset the ECM.or,you can unhook the battery cables to reset the ECM,but this will wipe out radio presets ,etc.
Please note that if you are setting the initial ignition timimg on a throttle body 305 or 350 engine you must disconnect the ecm plug located on the top left of the firewall, next to the black cover labeled relays and or fuses. What this does is take the ecm out of the equation during the inital timing process. If you don't setting initial timing will never be correct. Initial timing should be set at zero degrees before tdc, after that is done, tighten the dist hold down bolt and reconnect the ecm plug.
How do you change the distributor on a Dodge 318?
- 3 answers
Distributor position?
Where can you find an ignition wiring diagram that can be downloaded?
- 1 answer
If you are looking for the pro comp PC-2015. Click on the link posted in the Sources and related link section below for the direct link.
Will the Spark advance on a 89 Nissan pickup make it spit and sputter?
- 1 answer
yes
What direction does the rotor spin on a Chevy 350?
- 1 answer
Clockwise looking down on it.
What is a magneto?
- 2 answers
A magneto was an early form of electrical generator. Almost all early aviation engines had a magneto, (often 2) to spark the plugs.
What is the firing order of a 1990 Ford Escort and where is the number 1 spot on the distributor cap?
- 1 answer
1,3,2,4 it should be marked with a "1" or a little notch or an arrow or something. yeah what he said! might i add buying a $15 haynes or chilton manual. they can save you many hours/emails plus give you all sorts of info such as torque specs, fluid requirements/capacities; not to mention troubleshooting chapters and diagrams.
Where is cylinder number one on a continental aircraft engine io520?
- 1 answer
Right rear cylinder. The number 1,3 & 5 cylinders are on the right side of engine as seen from pilot seat. Number 2, 4 & 6 cylinders are on the left side with #2 being on the right rear opposite No. 1.
How do you change the distributor on a 1996 Nissan 240SX?
- 1 answer
buy a new distributor cap and rotor. Unscrew the distributor cap (on the drivers side of the engine block), take note how the existing rotor is sitting, remove it, and place the new rotor in the same position. Put on the distributor cap and screw it into place... very simple job. thats how you change the rotor......he asked about the distributor....try again.
What is the proper plug wire sequence on the distributor cap for a 1998 Dodge 6 cylinder?
- 1 answer
Simply log online to: Jim's Ask A Tech This is a legit site and very informative.
i just changed my distributor cap yesterday on a 98 Dakota 3.9L
from the passenger side looking at the cap the post in front of the screw is 1 they go clockwise around the cap 1,2,3,4,5,6, the plugs are located as passenger side front to back is 2,4,6 and driver side from to back is 1,3,5 i bought a haynes manual at auto zone to use when doing my tune ups and maintenance it really helps
What is the firing order of a 1974 dodge dart slant 6?
- 1 answer
The firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4. The number 1 cylinder is closest to the front. The numbers are in line from 1 to 6.
What could cause a 1994 Ford Probe GT that has a new distributor still have no spark?
- 1 answer
my recomendation is pull distributer cap and turn over the engine look to see that your rotor button is spinning, if its not spinning check you timing belt, but if it is spinning check on replacement of your coil pack and/or your entire distributer once all else fails...
My Timing belt is brand new and it is in perfect time...
THIS IS NOT AN ANSWER IT IS THE STORY BEHIND THE QUESTION
I bought the car after it had set for a year or so, put on new timing belt and water pump, car ran great for two days then suddenly when I hit 4500rpm my tach flip out and the car died. I checked for spark and got nothing. I double checked timingbelt, replaced the Crankshaft position sensor and the distributor.......I'm Lost
Have you tried resetting the Fuel Pump Cut Off switch in the left rear corner of your trunk? Is the "Fuel Cut-Off" lamp illumated on the dash when you try to start? This is a perplexing problem...seems like as the cars age and the distributors begin to wear down they send to much current to the immobilizer units in the cars(these trip the Fuel Cut-off Switch in the trunk). The excess current evidently erode or overheats the soldering on the chip board of the immobilizer unit, thus, triggering the fuel cut-off switch to activate.
All of that happening has eventually caused my probe to fail to start at all now...the fuel pump is not pumping and there is no spark being sent to the plugs...all a result of the immobilizer believing it has a problem.
The one other item it can be is a DOCUMENTED problem in Ford's Technical Service Bulletins where Ford admits there is a problem with corrosion on the wires for the immobilizer & fuel cut-off switch link.
I am in the middle of trying to fix mine. Good luck.
.
Hey buddy Why don,t u check your fuses take a ohm meter Check the resistance of Primary Wire or secondary wire. If there is no current in the primary wire that means there is problem with your Iginition relay change your relay u don,t need to reset your fuel system just change your relay that u can find when you wil pop the hood it should be green color. I think in Canadian it would cost u 106 try that hit me back
Ok I would say do a paperclip diagnostic on it it will throw you codes to check my probe threw me the code for my crank shaft postioning sensor and also could be the distributor could have a bad ignition module on it if the 94 is the same as the 93 which i think it is moisture gets in from teperature changes hot to cold ect... use a paperclip from your ten pin to your ground pin on your diagnostic block located by your battery hope this could help ive been thru it all with mine and found myself turning in distributor after distributor on warranty to fix my problem im still looking to find out if there is anyway to prevent the moisture from getting into the distributor
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