Birthday gift update

Geo-TH,In · Mar 1, 2021

My truck sat in a heated garage over night. I decided to see if I would start before replacing cap and rotor. It had a hiccup then started and ran normal.

So I decided to Spray the outside of cap with WD40. No hiccup,It runs normal with WD40. So I'm living on the wild side. I want to see if moisture on the cap is my problem. Yesterday was humid in the 60s any the typical conditions for failure. >I pay extra for a 100 mile tow on AAA.

George

john in la · Mar 1, 2021

Have you tried the Napa Echlin ECH RR253 cap.
It has updated aluminum contacts and is made from different material to combat this known problem.
The Napa Mileage Plus cap is not the same quality.

Bill(Wis) · Mar 1, 2021

I would think moisture inside the cap would be the problem, rather than moisture on the cap. Inside the cap caused by condensation of moisture in the air. That would also cause moisture on the cap but spraying the outside of the cap with WD40 might not help the problem inside the cap unless moisture from the outside is leaking in. I had a '56 Ford with a 6 cyl engine that had the distributer mounted down low on the right side of the engine. Every time I ran through water that would splash up on the distributer the engine would sputter and often die. I fashioned a shield out of tar paper and that cured the problem

Steve@Advance · Mar 1, 2021

Have you looked for a possible source of water dripping from the hood gap, or draining on the distributor when the hood is opened?

Possibly fit a cut off plastic jug over the distributor to help stop any dripping water from getting in.

I used to work at a marina just out of high school. They had an old army jeep, if it got left outside overnight, forget about starting it without going through the drying procedure.

But once it was running and warmed up for the day, you could drive it face first down the boat ramp until the hood was in the water, and it would never miss a hit!

Strange!

gab · Mar 1, 2021

I don't remember what years were problematic but the two vent screens in the bottom of the distributor would plug up with corrosion, think there was a service bulletin to pop the screens out. Also a GM cap and rotor worked the best.

greg oliver · Mar 1, 2021

George I saw this and thought of you! Should I get it for your Birthday?

wore out · Mar 1, 2021

George, "Sprint6" gave you very good advise in your original thread about having the locating tab on the distributor disabled then tweaking the distributor position while using a scan tool.

(I was aware of that previously but had forgotten.)

Arcing between the rotor tip and the high-tension terminal it's firing creates ozone, which along with moisture cruds the rotor tip and cap terminals up throwing conductive metal ozide about the inside of the distributor cap.

When the position of the distributor is fine-tuned so the rotor tip is exactly next to each high-tension terminal when the coil "fires" there's much less arcing, ozone, and damage.

https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ttalk&th=2236791

gajack · Mar 1, 2021

Spray wd-40 inside cap, wipe it down. Spray the rag with
wd-40 and wipe down the coil and plug wires.
Has fixed a lot of wet non starting engines for me.

Hobo,NC · Mar 1, 2021

(quoted from post at 21:44:53 03/01/21) Have you tried the Napa Echlin ECH RR253 cap.
It has updated aluminum contacts and is made from different material to combat this known problem.
The Napa Mileage Plus cap is not the same quality.

The local Napa store owner has a fleet of those trucks he got tired of replacing Echlin caps he tells me to get a GM cap : )

updated aluminum you got to be chitting me the good Echlin caps had brass but those good old days are gone : (

Hobo,NC · Mar 1, 2021

Its that wet and humid here also... I drove my Honda to my sons yesterday when I went to pull into the carport last night it was wet I thought my Honda had a water leak NO the concrete was making water. In my old shop the floor is sweating...

I soaked a carb over the week end I sprayed it off mid day it sweated all day...

Birthday gift update

Geo-TH,In

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john in la

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Bill(Wis)

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Steve@Advance

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gab

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greg oliver

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wore out

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gajack

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Hobo,NC

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Hobo,NC

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