Hey Guys,

I'm having the weirdest distributor issue and I searched this and a few other forums but didn't seem to find the issue.

I have a 1980 that seemed to have a distributor cap issue (or at least narrowed down) When I drive at idle and low RPM's it rides fine. Then when I need to give it a go (on the highway passing someone ect) and jump into high RPM's, it seems to misfire or surge a cylinder, and sometimes backfire air out of the carb.

It finally got to the point where it died and wouldn't even start because I was getting no spark on one of the points on the dis. cap.

I replaced the cap, and it started right up and ran great for about a day. Then I was doing some highway driving and noticed it started to do the same high RPM bucking. then it even got to the point where it was losing power and seemed to not run on one of the cylinders. It would backfire from time to time as well, and I noticed it idled realllllly harsh this time, which is something I never had an issue with before.

This time when I took the dis. cap off, one of the plug points was all dusty black, and the others were their usual goldish color. Before I go thinking its a bad cap, what should I look for? Is there anything else I need to replace that is causing me to go through a dis. cap in ONE day?

Thanks a ton guys, I know im a noob but your help is greatly appreciated!

 

It sounds like your timing is off. As far as the cap goes, when I buy one i usually ask to look at what they are selling. I won't buy one without brass terminals. If the manufacturer uses brass then they are not usually going to skimp on quality anywhere else.

How it the button? Is it installed with the spring pointing up? Is it in contact with the coil correctly? Was that burned terminal loose? Is the wire bad on that cylinder? It could be causing more resistance. Is that plug fouled? How do ALL the plugs look?

 

Your distributor is/was computer controlled. The "brain box" is under your center console, in the front. Make sure it's still there and connected, provided you still have the original type distributor. Without the computer controlling the ignition, you won't be getting timing advance, which will make the engine run like a dog, buck and sputter while under a load, and possibly run too hot.
This: "and wouldn't even start because I was getting no spark on one of the points on the dis. cap". makes no sense to me. An engine will start and run on only 7 cylinders. One dead one is not going to prevent a start.
That black terminal in the dist. cap, is that the same one that was giving you no spark? What does that spark plug wire look like? Is it touching anything it shouldn't be, like the exhaust manifold? If your wires look questionable, replace them.

 

Forgot about the computer controlled HEI. Look for a vacuum advance canister.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

I forgot to mention I used all Accel parts, not OEM: dist. cap, wires, and plugs.

77nomad: the spring was properly up, the terminal was not loose, The cables are newer, but I don't know how bad the old cap could have messed stuff up, so I straight up replaced all plugs and wires this AM. It started up and sounded like the idle was a lot nicer this time. Drove to work, but didn't even punch it. Im going to keep it on the lower side of RPM's and see if it progressively gets worse like last time.

In regards to timing, I did however notice that it appears one of the cables is swapped for sides on the terminal with another one...I don't know who put them on before, but I literally took off the wires and replaced properly one by one with the old and new cap. Ill take a picture later and pop it up, maybe you could make something of it. Keeping my fingers crossed for now!

Camaro69: It is not the original...its an accel set up, so Im not quite sure how much of a difference that makes as far as the timing advance. In regards to the "it wouldnt even start" that was with my old distributor...When It couldn't start, I pulled a terminal one by one to check for spark, and some werent even going. When I replaced the cap and rotor, the used rotor arm that puts out the current looks almost bent farther out of place than the new one...so I wonder if it wasn't even reaching the terminals? When I replaced the unit, it ran but instead of that issue, it was just the one cylinder terminal that was darker, traced it to cyl 8, and changed that plug and wire first.

Like I said, it seems to be running on non heavy loads correctly now, but im going to baby it just a bit until I happen to come across the same issue. Also, ill pop that pic of the distributor wiring tonight in case the timing is out, or whoever owned it before me totally set the wiring config up wrong.

Thanks for all your help

-the new guy

 

If you ask me, the problem starts there. From my personal experiences, i have found ACCEL to have some crappy products.

You should really check your firing order and timing. are you at 8* btdc? you have the set the timing with your advance (electric or vaccuum) disconnected

Make sure none of your wires are melted. I melted tons of wires against my old edelbrock headers. it got to the point where i kept an extra set in the trunk at all times.


Also it is entirely possible your distributor gear is being eaten alive in there and thats causing the backfire and timing issue....depending on your camshaft you may really need a distributor with a melonized gear. That is something that I'm sure an accel would not have, ive only found them on GM (Delco) distributors. I personally had my 355 chew up and spit out distributors which caused backfiring at high rpms, jumped my timing and eventually all the teeth were broken off and the car left me stranded.

 

I think this was most likely your whole problem, having the firing order off will cause all the issues your car had. I'd give it a run and see if it's OK now, as I doubt it will do the same thing with the firing order corrected.

 

Specially if 4/7 were swapped. The engine will run pretty good with those two mixed up. They actually make camshafts for swapping them.

1-8-6-5-4-3-7-2 Learn it like a telephone number. That was one of the most helpful things I have ever learned. I can pull a dizzy without worry, its really nice. Also look at the posts that the weights pivot on. They were right through sometimes. The weights need a touch of lithium grease under them to keep them swinging freely. Look it all over if you still have issues. I agree Accel isnt the best but it shouldn't be any worse than stock.

 

Ahem.... the number you have dialed has been disconnected.
Chevy firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2

 

Wow I dont believe I posted that. I was home on lunch munchin on a piece of garlic bread. I must have got in my eyes. But yes I was wrong. Luckily I havent got the wrong number lately. I have been working on the dizzy/timing on my pick up for about a week now. It fired right up after an intake swap so I know I got it right that night. That was about 3am and I was drunk dialing. I will admit I plugged my vacuum advance into ported and had the timing a 12* initial instead of the 8* I thought. I found that tonight, it was rolling over hard. So I shot some carb cleaner on the timing tab, sure enough I thought the second peak on it was 8*. Turns out it was 12*. Starting fine now just need to get my total figured out because at 8* total is at 28*.


Honestly when I was typing it I was busy thinking if the 4-7 were directly across from each other or not.