How do you troubleshoot a bad distributor?
How to Tell If You Have a Faulty Distributor
- Check the Distributer Cap. Often the distributor cap is suspect.
- Check the Contact Points. Inspect the condenser; the engine will not function if it is broken.
- Check the Arc.
- Tools and Materials.
- Crank the Engine.
- Remove the Old Distributor.
- Set the Point Gap.
- Set the Distributor.
What does a faulty distributor cap do?
A faulty distributor cap can cause your engine to stall. Voltage must be produced by the spinning distributor rotor for the engine to keep running. If the rotor does not rotate properly, the engine loses power and stalls out as you’re trying to drive. The longer you let this go on, the worse it will get.
How to remove a distributor from an engine?
Remove the bolts that hold the distributor housing to the engine. Carefully and delicately pull the distributor away from the engine.
What should I do before installing a distributor?
Ensure that the rotor is in the marked position before installing. As noted above, the position of the rotor in the new distributor must match the rotor position in the old distributor exactly or your vehicle won’t be able to start. Ensure your rotor is lined up with the marking you made.
How do you mark the location of a distributor?
Make the same marks that you made on your old distributor on your new distributor. In other words, mark your old distributor’s rotor position inside the housing of your new distributor and mark the location on the outside of the distributor that lines up with your engine’s mounting point.
Can a engine start with a new distributor?
This step is crucial – if the position of the rotor in your new distributor doesn’t match the position of the rotor in your old distributor, your engine may not start with the new distributor installed. Carefully make a mark inside the distributor housing to indicate the position of the rotor.