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08-27-2019, 03:38 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Everett, Wa
Posts: 84
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Distributor body failure
What would cause the failure of a distributor body that has steel contacts, when there is no cracks or visible damage? The contacts are totally enclosed so why do they go bad?
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08-27-2019, 04:18 PM | #2 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oregon
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Re: Distributor body failure
Do you have a photo of what you are talking about?
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08-27-2019, 04:27 PM | #3 |
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Location: Midland Park,N.J.
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Re: Distributor body failure
Garbage repo? A continuity check confirmed it is open?
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08-27-2019, 04:38 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Antonio, Texas
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Re: Distributor body failure
Steel is good for a lot of things but it isn't a very good conductor for high tension electricity. My guess would be a crack or corrosion. A person would have to break the plastic apart and look at it. Copper, aluminum, and brass are the normal metals used in the construction of distributor caps and the like. The old model A distributor body or cap assembly had likely been made out of all sorts of materials over the years. Steel was likely used to hold the spark plug terminal conductor strips better. The design works but I like the B distributor better.
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08-27-2019, 05:33 PM | #5 |
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Location: Cow Hampshire
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Re: Distributor body failure
He may be talking about the distributor cap? And not the top part?
These can be bought either brass contacts or steel (plated) contacts. Some of the earlier ones are made using a "bakelite" material which is porous internally. The exterior is usually somewhat water-tight. But an invisible crack might be enough. Now I believe they're pretty much made of thermosetting plastic. Probably a PVC. Joe K
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08-27-2019, 07:52 PM | #6 |
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Re: Distributor body failure
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08-28-2019, 10:15 AM | #7 |
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
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Re: Distributor body failure
If the plug wire strips are contacting the bakelite-plastic where it lays over the cap body it can conduct through the bakelite and cause a slight melt under the plug wire strip .
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