I'm sure there are multiple opinions and I welcome them all.

I have a '66 F-100 with a 351w from a 1980 F-150 (according to engine and trans. tags). I'm learning with this engine (hence the likely obvious questions). I've changed the oil, water pump, hoses, and alternator. My next goal is plugs and wires.

I've read that it's best to replace the distributor cap and rotor at this time. It seems there are many available, so I'm hoping you guys can shine some light onto the subject.

Any install advice is also welcome.

 

I recently changed my old cap on my 87 Mustang, and found the old one had most of its terminals worn away. They were made of aluminum, so the new one I got has brass terminals, which should last longer. I think the replacement was made by Ford or Motorcraft.

In my case, the wear was very obvious. I have to admit that I cheaped out during the previous maintenance, and just cleaned the terminals with sand paper. I was amazed that they still worked as well as they did.

I think all the rotors use brass terminals.

 

So I gather brass is more important than brand?

 

Standard ignition products (think that's the vendor or was) in brass. Aluminum conducts electricity better, but also corrodes faster in service.

 

Brass is (I guess) only 28% as conductive as copper, making Aluminum a better material at 61% Had to look that up. Want to win a bar bet? Silver is far more conductive than gold. Not sure any of this matters.

Anyway the terminals get a corrosion after a while (aluminum). Wondering if maybe a dab of silicone grease over them would help to prevent that?

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I know the plug wires I got from Ford say to put some di-electric around the distributor contacts.

So no brands favorites? I figured this would open up a hornet's nest, haha.

 

Definitely, good stuff. I put a tiny bit where the rotor contacts the button at the top of the cap. Never tried it on the contacts though. Don't think it can hurt anything?

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The grease would burn off over time, how long that is ? I don't know, but probably not long. There are two spark's that happen in one firing, one inside the cap as the spark jumps from the rotor to the terminal, the other at the plug.

 

I go with what the parts store has.

Seriously

I just replaced the cap and rotor on my forced induction Mustang and I think I went with Napa. Works just like it should. They are a wear item anyway.

 

Very true point.

 

In my case, the problem wasn't with the aluminum corroding, as with it wearing away from the sparking during normal operations. It didn't help that I had a MSD 6AL, which fired 6 times for every ignition event. I should have taken a picture of it before throwing it away, but the terminals that started out with a half-circle shape ended up with most of the materials inside the half-circle blown away, leaving a burnt shell that's still shaped like a half-circle, but it wasn't conducting.

When I was at Ford, we did dab each terminal with crease, and the spark would have to find the shortest path to the terminal. This meant that sometimes the shortest path would be on the back side of the terminal, because the front had so much grease on it. It would then continue to drill through that path, leaving a deep hole in the terminal. I've decided to stop doing that.

Yes, silver is the best conductor, but it also corrodes very easily.

 

By far the best cap and rotor on the market is the MSD with the retention cap. I use them on everything. Brass terminals, a special plastic and internal ribbing to prevent crossfire. Plus the retention cap makes maintenance amazingly easy while making sure plugs never come loose. To top it off they aren't that pricey and you only have to buy the retention portion once. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ms...view/make/ford

Wires, I'm a huge fan and use on everything the Taylor Cable Thundervolt 8.2 wires. A huge factor in wire performance and longevity is ohms per foot lower the better. Many are in the 500-800 area, the taylors are 50. So are the MSDs but I find the taylors are better made and cheaper. You can get them either completely pre-made but they tend to be long. Or in a kit where you install the distributor end which is what I always do. Also in 3 colors red, black, or blue and 3 plug boot angles,, or straight, 90 deg, or 135 deg. These are straight, black, unassembled http://www.summitracing.com/parts/tay-83055/overview/

 

I prefer MSD stuff.