Just did Fuel Filter, Air Filter and PCV Valve. How do I get the Dist Cap and Rotor off? Is it worth getting an aftermarket one like Accel or just get the OEM Borg Warner Cap/Rotor?

 

To get off the cap you'll remove all the plug wires, then there will be 2 phillips head screws on either side of the cap. take them out. Now you'll be looking at the rotor. There is a distributor hold down bolt towards the rear of the intake manifold. You'll have to use a swivel head to get to the bolt. I think its 15mm, don't quote me though as I'm not sure. Make sure you mark the rotor though, man make sure you mark the rotor. I forgot too, and then I couldn't get the thing started again, and had to have it towed. TDC is a #@$^$ to find without a tool. Good luck

 

The rotor just pulls off the shaft.

No need to take the dist. hold down bolt out!

Don't just yank all the wires off!

When replacing the cap, hold the new cap in the same postion as the old one (it'll only go one one way) and transfer the wires one at a time to the new cap. That way you'll get them all on in the right order and location.

 

If he's going to switch distributors to an aftermarket one he'll need to remove the entire distributor not just the rotor.

 

????Doesn't say anything in his post about switching distributors. Asks about different brand cap and rotor.

I use a A/C Delco cap and rotor. My ignition is stock except for the wires (Accel 8.0mm). I have never used any performance ignition parts, so can't comment on them.

 

ok guys, now to the 2nd question. Is it worth it to get an expensive aftermarket cap and rotor? I dont know. When my rotor went out it gave me no warning. I was gunning it off the green light and bam - car shuts off and then doesn't start. If you have high miles like me, you should replace it.
The mechanic put in a new cheap rotor and it lasted 800 miles. If i had to replace them again, i wouldn't get the cheapest one, just like thermostats i guess. I got my cap and rotor from o'reily's and its working fine now for the last 6000 miles.

 

If the ignition has been upgraded, you'd want a cap/rotor with brass contacts. Otherwise, if you go to a stock one, you might get a mess like this (I bought a brand-new AC cap/rotor just to have this happen)- http://www.geocities.com/tomp_3rdgen/burnt-cap.html

The cap/rotor for a Blazer S10 with the 4.3 also fits our cars... I forget who found that out for us (it was someone on this forum), and I think MSD makes that cap? Accel 8133 is another one that has brass contacts.

 

That was Alan (AM91_Camaro)



Yep, get the brass contact cap/rotor. Don't skimp here.

 

Hey i got the duralast Gold distributor cap and rotor any one else runnin that.,., its part number DR2012G from auto zone it was the most expensive they had,..,.,

 

bump bump,..,.

 

Is that one made by Wells? The part number sounds real familiar; I used that one too if its the Wells one.

I was warned not to buy the Wells distributor caps, but I think the warning may only apply to the regular black-with-aluminum-contacts caps. The Wells Professional Gold Line caps are real nice and have brass contacts, and are red so they look like MSD LOL!

 

wha? crap the red color sounds cool.,.,no i got the duralast gold.,hell i though they were gold plated or sumtin';lol'; it dont say wells any where on the box., all i know is it was gold and i know gold is a good conducter., and it was the most expensive,.so i figured it would last longer......

 

last year when i was having ignitino issues w/ my car, i decided it was time for a full do-up on the ignitino components, since what wasn't bad would probalby be bad soon, and the vast majority of the components were stock, and as a result 19 years old.

I didn't do the aftermarket route because my biggest concern was simply getting the car moving, reliably. And the only problem i've had trouble w/ is my ICM. Cap/Rotor combo's have been good, minor carbon tracking but nothing major. new coil, new wires, pulled distributor, cleaned magnets and inspected, changed pick up coil, etc. Car ran better than it ever had, finally got that torque convertor lockup switch fixed in my tranny, and started averaging over 30 mpg on the highway.

Then these gas prices started creeping up, and im glad everything seems to be working well together...for the time being. (knocking on wood)...don't think you'll have any major trouble wells replacement componenets, especially on a stock ignition setup.

Tom, can't believe u got that much damage from your msd...lol, mine didn't do that when i had it on there, thank ***. you should seen if it'd have fried 7mm wires also. lol.

 

whats the deal with the brass contacts vs the standard (what metal do they use?) contacts

 

i honestly thought thatthe duralast gold had some typ of gold compound for the contacs and if there not wouldnt gold be the best metel to use as far as conductivity goes?

also whats this about carbon tracking? when i changed mine i saw none of this thats a good thing right?

 

think there are other metals that are more conductive then gold but don't remember what they are off hand

 

I use the duralast gold they changed it to gray. I have tried a brog warner and the cap melted in the center about 2 weeks after haveing it. Then i tried accell and the contacts became coroded after a few weeks. But the Duralast gold has never let me down it's 20 for the cap and rotor. The terminals are made out of brass.

 

MAYBE you should grab me one of them there caps when I visit
I'm also after two sets of 3.4 Bosch Platinum plugs, hint-hint!

 

KED and to everyone else i think i told you how to save money at AutoZone but anyways here are 2 ways to same some cash

First call ahead and have them put the parts you need on hold then ask them about the 15% off your purchase because you put the parts on hold. This even goes for oil or socket set.

Second they have a customer card each time you go in and spend 20 dollars or more they punch the card. After 5 punches you get a 20 dollar gift card.

 

I tired that idea at my local Autozone, the guy goes, "What"?
I got cost lowered to my liking anyway.
Like I said, have a set up ready for me!

 

If i still worked at AZ or knew people who still worked there i could help but that is the best i can offer. My 3.1 never liked bosh plugs it has awalys done good on AC Rapid Fires.

Did you get my email about friday?

 

The Duralast Gold cap/rotors are repackaged Conrads (they're just grey now) and they are a good cap/rotor for the money.

As for the parts on hold = 15% off, wtf? I've never heard of that... When you hit 'Discounts' on the register, it just comes up with Courtesy and Autozoner. C = 10%, A = 20% (with AutoZoner's card)

 

Ya its 10 percent my bad. I used to love haveing my autozone discount but this is just as good.

 

Yeah I sent the reply
If ya don't find it give a shout back

 

I dont think i got the reply back can you resend it. Last thing i sent to you was about meeting up on friday.

 

87 firebird atomatic, guessing rotor suposed to pull off, course mine doesnt want to, afraid to pry to much as top of distributor os rusty, dont know what can use to clean it either.

 

Yes, it just pulls off. You don't need to worry about prying it off as long as you don't pry against the pole piece for the pickup coil that's underneath it as the gear on the bottom is pinned to the shaft (and it takes some real force to shear that pin). When you get the old one off, if you REALLY want to, use some super fine steel wool on the end of the shaft to knock some of the rust off.

 

Sweet, thx man

 

Gold doesn't oxidize, ever. Aluminum oxidizes, iron does as well, etc etc. Some metals are more conductive, but gold is the only one that never builds a film of crud on it.

I just put the duralast gold on mine.. it was 10 bucks more than the standard autolite.

 

I ended up _gently_ using the foot of a short wrecking bar to get mine off the other day. Even a big screwdriver wasn't helping, but splitting the "up" force to either side of the shaft made it slide off pretty easily. But as I said. GENTLY.

 

copper and silver are both better conductors than gold, but as others have started, gold doesn't corrode.