How do you test if your distributor is working?
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.
How can I tell if my distributor is at fault?
If the ignition and coil check out as detailed, then the distributor pickup may be at fault. Another popular distributor is the Ready-to-Run line. These distributors are easily identified by the three pin connector that has a Red, Orange and Black wire. In some models, there will be a separate Green wire that is used for a tachometer signal wire.
How to check the ready to run distributor?
To check the Ready-to-Run Distributor, confirm that there are 12 volts on the Red wire when the key is On and while cranking. It is important to confirm 12-volts during cranking as many older vehicles may have resistor wiring or ballast resistors inline which could affect the voltage needed to fire the ignition.
What do I need to troubleshoot a performance distributor?
To do this, you will need a 1/4-inch nut driver and a multi-meter. To test the resistance of the coil, remove the coil cover so you can see the red and yellow wire. Using the multi-meter set on the ohms setting, touch the positive lead to the red wire terminal and the negative lead to the yellow wire terminal.
How can I tell if my HEI distributor is bad?
When checking for 12 volts, do so while you are cranking the engine. If the battery voltage drops below 10.5 volts while cranking, you probably have a bad battery. This low voltage could be insufficient to get the distributor to fire. Use a volt meter to test the hot wire while a buddy cranks the engine over.
What to do if your MSD says distributor is at fault?
Confirm the operation of the ignition and coil by following the “How to False Trigger Your MSD Ignition” selection. If the ignition and coil check out as detailed, then the distributor pickup may be at fault. Another popular distributor is the Ready-to-Run line.
To check the Ready-to-Run Distributor, confirm that there are 12 volts on the Red wire when the key is On and while cranking. It is important to confirm 12-volts during cranking as many older vehicles may have resistor wiring or ballast resistors inline which could affect the voltage needed to fire the ignition.
To do this, you will need a 1/4-inch nut driver and a multi-meter. To test the resistance of the coil, remove the coil cover so you can see the red and yellow wire. Using the multi-meter set on the ohms setting, touch the positive lead to the red wire terminal and the negative lead to the yellow wire terminal.
What should the resistance of a distributor be?
For this style distributor, the only real specification is to check the resistance of the magnetic pickup. Use an ohm meter across the two wires and confirm that the resistance is between 400 and 1,300 ohms. If the pickup is out of this specification, it may not be triggering the ignition box.