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Distributors 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.
1,167 Questions
How do you remove a stuck distributor rotor from a 1989 2.5L LeBaron?
The Rotor has a small bolt that holds the Rotor on the shaft. Did you Loosen this bolt?
This sounds like the capacity of a container. Maybe 7.5 liters?
How do you know on the distributor cap which is number 1?
If you are lucky (and no one has messed with it) its written on the cap.
If not remove cap, remove #1 spark plug.
Hold thumb over spark plug hole and have a Friend "bump" the engine over about a 1/4 turn per time. (or use a remote button)
The air will puff out when the cylinder is coming up to top dead centre.
Then carefully turn the engine until the timing marks are close to lined up.
The ignition rotor will now be pointed where # 1 is. Mark and replace cap.
The order they go in are green, yellow, yellow, brown/white, black/pink, yellow/black, brown. I found another 1991 sunbird with the same distributor at a junkyard, that's how I found out.
Where on cap is number 1 cylinder?
Most caps are marked with a #1.
If not ask a new question and include the year, make, model, and engine size.
How hard is it to change a distributor panel on a 1996 Chevy silverado 350 Vortec Z71?
Distributor panel?? If you mean distributor cap, you first move the air intake going to the throttle body. Mark all spark plugs wires with the correct plug and unplug each one at the spark plug. Next you will find 2 screws holding the distributor cap. Remove both screws and and lift off the cap and wires while the wires are still connected to the cap. Take the spark plug wires off and place them onto the new cap in the same position you removed them. Put new cap on and tighten the screws and replace the wires to the correct spark plug. You should replace the wires and rotor button when you do this also.
HI There is no real trick. The best way to acccomplish this is to first have the number one piston up at the top on the compression stroke.(number one piston must be at top of compression stroke) To be sure of this, pull out the spark plug in number one cylinder and take off the rocker cover. When the piston is on its way up and the intake valve is closing,it is coming up on compression stroke.(Get the piston as close to the top as possible) Now a chiltons manual will show you where on the distributer cap number one plug wire goes, put in the distributer with the rotor on it and keep dropping it in(turning the gear a little) until the rotor is pointing to the direction the manual shows is number 1 on the Cap. Set timing,Your done
What makes a car start overheating when its idlesbut when you start going again it cool down?
Low coolant?
Cooling fan not working?
Radiator air flow restricted?
Radiator clogged?
Water pump not working properly?
Radiator cap defective?
I can't show you but I'll tell you. With your dist. cap installed and yes it will only go on 1 way. Standing in front of the truck look at the rear clip that holds the dist. cap on. The #1 post is the second post to the right of the rear clip, also on most OEM replacement caps it is labled with a 1 in front of the post. more info you might need to know from the #1 post they go counter clock wise(ccw), and the firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 with cyl 1-4 front to back on the passenger side & 5-8 front to back on driver side
Where is the 1peg on distibutor cap start position?
Look on the distributor cap very carefully. It should be marked. If no go, bring #1 to 0 deg TDC and the rotor will be pointing at it.
Does accidentally turning the distributor throw of the timing on a 4.3 V6 Chevy?
yes turning the distributer will throw off timing in any car or truch with one
Where is the distributor cap located on a 92 Pontiac sunbird?
It is the round black plastic thing i beleave on the right hand side or the DRIVER side of the car it has the plug wires going to it
You must remove the distributor and rotate it back until the rotor is pointing at #1 when you set it back down in the block. It is trickey to do.
Why does your truck run rough after changing the distributor cap and rotor?
The only thing I can think of is that in the process of the changeover, the wires between the newly installed rotor and the spark plugs were not reconnected to the proper "towers."
As a result, the spark plugs are not firing in the proper order thus causing the rough running. Since the engine will run, I also suspect that possibly only one or two plug wires are improperly connected.
What is Distribution programming?
Distribution programming can be defined as building a planned, profressionally managed, vertical marketing system that meets the needs of both manufacturer and distributors.
How is 1977 Ford 400 distributor wire count?
1 - 3 - 7 - 2 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 8
The distributor rotor turns COUNTERCLOCKWISE
The marked # 1 position on the distributor cap faces to the REAR and slightly towards the drivers side
The engine cylinder locations are numbered :
firewall
4 - 8
3 - 7
2 - 6
1 - 5
front
A backfire is when the ignition of fuel doesn't take place in the ignition/combustion chamber, it(a backfire) can take place in the intake or exhaust. It can be caused by a fuel to air ratio not being correct, also if the timing of the spark is not just right that could cause it to back fire. It could be running lean with not enough fuel and too much air, or could have too much fuel and not enough air. It could be because the intake valves are not shut when the combustion takes place, therefore the combustion would take place in the wrong spot. The most likely cause are from: 1. Incorrect timing, the timing issue could be caused by bad wiring/ or bad ignition. 2. Incorrect fuel to air ratio, bad fuel filter, low fuel pressure-caused by weak fuel pump. Most cars will have the same reason to backfire, as long as it's an internal combustion engine it shouldn't differ...
How do you install your distributor if you did NOT mark the original on a 1993 2L automatic?
Find cylinder # 1. Remove that spark plug. With a socket wrench on the harmonic balancer/crankshaft nut, slowly turn the engine until TWO (2) conditions occur simultaneously: 1) the timing mark is on TDC and, 2) #1 piston is at the top of its travel. Then rotate the distributor shaft to set the rotor to line up with the #1 terminal in the distributor cap, plus about 2 teeth counterclockwise. Then insert the distributor "jiggling" it to engage the teeth, until it fully seats. As the gears mesh, the rotor should rotate slightly so that when fully seated, the rotor will be centered below the #1 tower on the cap. If rotor is off slightly, make note of how far off it is, and pull distributor assembly just far enough out to disingage the teeth. Then rotate the shaft just the amount to match the amount it was off on the first try. Reseat the assembly and again check for proper position. Until you get the hang of it, it may take several attempts, but be patient, as you will get better at determining how much pre-rotation, and in which direction. Good luck. j3h.
What is the distributor in the ignition system?
The distributor in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine is a device which routes the high voltage in the correct firing order to the spark plugs.
It consists of a rotating arm or rotor inside the distributor cap, on top of the distributor shaft, but insulated from it and the body of the vehicle ("earth"). The metal part of the rotor contacts the central high voltage cable from the coil via a spring loaded carbon brush. The metal part of the rotor arm passes close to (but does not touch) the output contacts which connect via high tension cables to the spark plug of each cylinder. As the rotor spins within the distributor, electrical current is able to jump the small gaps created between the rotor arm and the contacts due to the high voltage created by the ignition coil.
The distributor shaft has a cam that operates the contact breaker. Opening the points causes a high induction voltage in the system's ignition coil.
The distributor also houses the centrifugal advance unit: a set of hinged weights attached to the distributor shaft, that cause the breaker points mounting plate to slightly rotate and advance the spark timing with higher engine rpm. In addition, the distributor has a vacuum advance unit that advances the timing even further as a function of the vacuum in the inlet manifold. Usually there is also a capacitor attached to the distributor. The capacitor is connected parallel to the breaker points, to suppress sparking and prevent wear of the points.
Around the 1970s the primary breaker points were largely replaced with Hall effect sensors. As this is a non-contacting device and the primary circuit is controlled by solid state electronics, a great amount of maintenance in point adjustment and replacement was eliminated. This also eliminates any problem with breaker follower or cam wear, and by eliminating a side load extends distributor shaft bearing life. The remaining secondary (high voltage) circuit was as described above, using a single coil and a rotary distributor.
Distributor capsThese are used in automobile engine to cover the distributor and its internal rotor. The rotor switches a high sparking voltage to the spark plugs so that these fire in correct sequence.The distributor cap is a prime example of a component that eventually succumbs to heat and vibration. But even if its bakelite housing has not broken or cracked, carbon deposits and eroded metal terminals can cause distributor-cap failure. However it is a fairly easy and inexpensive part to replace.
The distributor cap has one post for each cylinder and in points ignition systems there is a central post for the coil voltage coming into the distributor. In HEI (High Energy Ignition) systems where there is not a central post, the ignition coil sits on top of the distributor. On the inside of the cap there is a terminal that corresponds to each post and the plug terminals are arranged around the circumference of the cap according to the firing order in order to send the secondary voltage to the proper spark plug at the right time.
The "rotor" head is attached to the top of the distributor shaft which is driven by a gear on the engine's camshaft and thus synchronized to it. This rotor is pressed against a carbon brush on the center terminal of the distributor cap which connects to the ignition coil either through the top and wired directly to the coil in HEI systems; or via the center terminal in points ignition systems and remotely connected to the coil. The rotor is constructed such that the center tab is electrically connected to its outer edge so the voltage coming in to the center post will travel through the carbon point to the outer edge of the rotor. As the camshaft rotates, the rotor spins and its outer edge passes each of the internal plug terminals to fire each spark plug.
Direct ignitionModern engine designs are tending to do away with the distributor and coil, instead performing the distribution function in the primary circuit electronically and applying the primary (low-voltage) pulse to individual coils on top of each spark plug (Direct Ignition or coil-on-plug). This avoids the need to switch very high voltages, which is very often a source of trouble, especially in damp conditions. AnswerThe distributor is the part that takes the voltage from the coil and turn it into a pulsed spark sending it out to the cylinders in sequential order. It is the part on the car that has all the spark plug wires coming out of it. AnswerIt is a rotory switch that connects the high-voltage ouput of the ignition coil to the correct spark plug according to the firing order. It is typically driven by a gear on the camshaft so that it rotates at half engine speed.Most modern engines do not have distributors, instead they have a separate ignition coil for each spark plug.
Can a distributor be lubricated?
Yes, a distributor can be lubricated, but it depends on the type of distributor and its design. In traditional ignition distributors, certain components like the shaft and cam may require lubrication to ensure smooth operation and reduce wear. However, it's important to use the appropriate lubricant and avoid over-lubrication, as excess can attract dirt and debris, leading to issues. Always refer to the manufacturer's guidelines for specific lubrication recommendations.
Where can I find a wiring diagram for 1967 Pontiac?
A couple of different places:
- Often you can find something posted on the web, but without a model I can't point you to a specific page.
- You can also buy restorer's manuals (the green book) for a lot of old cars, I have one for the 1969 Pontiac Firebird. It's about 400 pages long, plastic covered, and has detailed diagrams and pictures for working on the car. Just working on my old car it was priceless (reduced the blood leakage rate in a major way )
- You might also find some "How to Restore My..." books at Amazon.com.
- There are also sites and companies that sell just the diagrams (not advertising for them, just offering links)
