New Distributor Cap Blew Up.
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From: Petaluma
New Distributor Cap Blew Up.
I had just replaced my distributor cap and rotor with a brand new Napa distributor cap and rotor. Screw in model. I was driving my truck for 5 minutes and I hear a pop and my truck stalls. I try turning it over a couple times and no luck. I pop the hood and my distributor cap has a hole blown in it and the rotor looks like french toast. My Dad says the timing accelerator might be frozen. I am wondering if any of you have had this problem before. I am running a Ford 300 inline 6 with a manual 4 speed. I believe the cap blew after I shifted into 3rd.
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From: Virginia
Never have had that happen before. Your Dad must be talking about the centrifugal advance down inside the dist. I can see that hurting power, but I don't see that blowing a hole in the side of the cap.
Did you happen to spray any cleaner around the dist or the engine bay while replacing the cap?
Did you happen to spray any cleaner around the dist or the engine bay while replacing the cap?
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From: Petaluma
Never have had that happen before. Your Dad must be talking about the centrifugal advance down inside the dist. I can see that hurting power, but I don't see that blowing a hole in the side of the cap.
Did you happen to spray any cleaner around the dist or the engine bay while replacing the cap?
Did you happen to spray any cleaner around the dist or the engine bay while replacing the cap?
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From: Angier, NC
The only time I have seen this is fumes build up in the dist. and with sparks flying around inside you get BOOM!
See if the vacuum advance works. If the diaphragm is bad the vacuum can pull fumes up the shaft from the engine block into the dist. and BOOM!
Also check to see if the fuel pump diaphragm is bad and maybe leaking fuel into the oil. Oil alone will not go boom!
Sometimes drilling an 1/8" hole in the cap will let fresh air in as it is easier to pull air from the drilled hole than the dist. shaft.
But fixing the vacuum advance is the thing to do.
Dave ----
See if the vacuum advance works. If the diaphragm is bad the vacuum can pull fumes up the shaft from the engine block into the dist. and BOOM!
Also check to see if the fuel pump diaphragm is bad and maybe leaking fuel into the oil. Oil alone will not go boom!
Sometimes drilling an 1/8" hole in the cap will let fresh air in as it is easier to pull air from the drilled hole than the dist. shaft.
But fixing the vacuum advance is the thing to do.
Dave ----
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Got pics?
If teh rotor drifted up, you'd see scrape marks on its top edge and on the bottom of each post.
If the cap was off center, you'd see scrape marks on the side of posts adjacent to the damage.
If teh rotor drifted up, you'd see scrape marks on its top edge and on the bottom of each post.
If the cap was off center, you'd see scrape marks on the side of posts adjacent to the damage.
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From: Angier, NC
If the caps spring clips were not seated all the way I can see the cap popping off 1 side and the rotor hitting the inside of the cap taking them both out.
I also have see gases build up inside the cap, like I posted above, and when the gases "fire off" pop the cap and the rotor hits it.
I still say check the vacuum advance if working right and get a new cap & rotor and make sure the spring clips holds the cap tight.
Dave ----
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From: Petaluma
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From: Petaluma
Yeah the metal spring on the old rotor is missing. The old set blew up the day after installing them. I have the new rotor and distributor cap that I'm going to install later. I just want to find out the problem before installing the new ones and loosing them. Not looking forward to wasting another set.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2013
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Make sure all the debris is out of the distributor when you put it back together! Also wiggle the distributor shaft to see how much play is in it. I suppose if it’s got a bad wobble things could run into each other.
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