What happens when your distributor is bad?
A faulty engine distributor won’t spark, which will either prevent the engine from starting or cause it a running engine to fail. The distributor also disburses current to the spark plugs initiating engine performance. Check the Distributer Cap. Often the distributor cap is suspect.
What causes a performance distributor not to fire?
If your battery voltage drops below 10.5 volts, this is not enough power to get the distributor to fire. This condition can be due to a weak or old battery or you are using a hot wire that has a resistor in line. Use a volt meter to test the hot wire while someone else cranks the engine over.
What to do when your HEI distributor starts to fire?
If the battery is fine, make sure the wire feeding the distributor is sufficient. To make sure it is not the hot wire, run a temporary jumper wire directly from the positive side of the battery to the distributor. If the distributor fires using the jumper wire, run a new hot wire from your switched 12-volt source to the distributor.
What are the symptoms of a bad distributor?
Before knowing the symptoms of a bad distributor, you need to know how it really works. Distributors are mechanical devices that use rotating shaft. Thus, most of its components have mechanical problems. The distributor cap and rotor are responsible for keeping the distributor away from the engine.
Can a bad ground keep a distributor from firing?
A bad ground can keep the distributor from firing as well. The distributor grounds itself to the engine when installed. Make sure your ground to the engine block is secure. If the intake and/or the hold down clamp has been painted, remove any paint from the surface where contact with the distributor is made.
If the battery is fine, make sure the wire feeding the distributor is sufficient. To make sure it is not the hot wire, run a temporary jumper wire directly from the positive side of the battery to the distributor. If the distributor fires using the jumper wire, run a new hot wire from your switched 12-volt source to the distributor.
What to do if your distributor has no spark?
If, for some reason you have no spark coming from your distributor, the following will help you check and test the installation, connections, and components, of the unit so that you can get your engine running. The first area they suggest you check is to make sure all the wire connections on the cap or solid.
How can you tell if you have a faulty distributor?
Replace the wire on the distributor electrode after it is checked. Each wire can be checked in this way to expose a misfire or faulty connection in the distributor. This repair should be simple enough for most car enthusiasts and individuals with some knowledge of car repair.
Can a faulty spark plug cause a distributor to misfire?
Sometimes, the issue is a slight buildup of carbon inside the distributor. This carbon trace can conduct electricity that affects performance. It could short out the coil voltage and cause a faulty connection inside the terminal of the distributor cap. The result is a misfire in the spark plugs.