Rouxzy

Is it normal to have just one dist. cap worn out to the point that it needs to be replaced yet the second still looks brand new. My car has been running sub par and when I pulled the top cap off I found it to be damp inside and didn't look its best. When I pulled the second, (lower cap), it looked brand new. I have about 30k on these caps.
Tom

DaveK

Have you confirmed that your dist belt hasn't broken? One that looks brand new after 30k miles would suggest to me it hasn't been firing. Check the car actually runs on one coil at a time if you haven't already.

boxsey911

I changed mine earlier this year...both caps and both rotors were very worn. If like Dave suggests the belt is broke, the rotor arm of the secondary dizzy (i'm guessing this is the one that looks like new) will just spin round (no tension from the belt).

Indycam

If the belt was broken the rotor would be stuck firing off in one spot .
I would think that would cause that one spot to go very bad .
That one spot would get 6 times the rate of fire .

I would check that clean side for spark .

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Tom,

The first thing I'd do is to see if the lower (secondary) rotor will spin freely. If so, the belt is broken and needs replacement. If you find a broken belt, I'd also perform a leakdown test.

If you cannot move the rotor (indicating the belt is not broken), you may have a bad bearing but I'd need some close-up, sharp pics of the inside of that cap to be sure.

Rouxzy

After a second look today I can say that the belt is not broken. I turned the engine over and both rotors turned. I also looked closer at the second, (bottom), cap and it does has wear but the upper cap has considerable more wear to it and it was wet and what looks to have fine black spider lines through it. I suspect it is cracked and allowing water in. The Northeast has been more like the Northwest with all the rain the last two weeks. The reason for checking out the caps is because the car has been tougher and tougher to start after sitting overnight. Idle sometimes is rough but when on the road the car would seem to run just fine. I will attempt to take pics of the two caps in the morning and post. Thanks for the help. On another note, $67.00 for one cap?
Tom

dfinnegan

Have you tried starting the car on each of the coils individually? If the secondary rotor is turning it sounds like it is not firing.

Is the coil wire connected?
Is the igniter plugged in?

Perhaps the coil, itself, is dead?

Indycam

The space under the caps is common , water getting under one cap is not just getting under the one .

"On another note, $67.00 for one cap?"
I don't think so . autohausaz = $53.16
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1990-...Q5fAccessories

Smokin

Rouxzy.... Do you have a distributor vent kit installed and, if so, are the vent tubes still installed? I have seen the tubes fall off allowing moisture to enter.

Rouxzy

I will check to make sure that both coils are firing. I wil look into Authausze. Yes, I do have the vent tube installed and it is connected. Thanks everyone.
Tom

Rouxzy

It's the coil. I checked the coil to the second distributor and I am only getting a faint spark from it. I switched the coils back and forth and the car wouldn't start with the one that runs the second distributor. Thanks for everybody's help.
Tom

Rouxzy

Installed new coil for the secondary distributor and now the car runs much better. Is there night and day power? No, but the car starts better, idles better and runs much smoother especially under a load. Before replacing I hooked up a timing light to the coil lead to cap. The primary coil had a steady light whereas the secondary would flash at start and then about every 2 or 3 seconds then again when I shut the car off. I suspect the coil wasn't completely dead but was on its way out. Again, thanks to all that helped me out here.
Tom

Indycam

I'm glad I could help
and I'm glad to hear that its fixed up .
Good news is so rare these days .

Beers on you tonight ?