Distributor

[4X4HIGH]

Ok, so what causes this to happen inside my distributor? I currently have the heads off my rig because of blown head gaskets and while i'm putting everything back together I thought it would be a good idea to do a complete tune-up but when I removed the cap this is what I seen. I thought usually it was caused from a non funtioning PCV valve that allowed combustion gases that get into the crankcase to go up the distributor shaft and cause this corrosion? How should I go about cleaning it off/out (maybe a small wire brush and some form of contact cleaner)?

 

[British Slave]

I was going to ask that a few months ago. I have three disrtibutors and they all have that corrosion in them.

 

[boggerless]

damn bro, does it sit alot? and do you have high humidity where you live?

 

[shady]

distributors are cheap. buy a replacement, No just kidding, You can use a wire brush like the toothbrush size ones. It looks like it has tore up the pickup a little to?

 

[76zimmer]

is it corrosion or deposits that will flake off. I've had a couple that have a coating of metallic dust on them, like dust from grinding metal....couldn't see where it came from though....didn't look copper/rust colored either like yours. It brushed off with a small wire brush.

 

[British Slave]

On mine it's rust. And the first distributor on it was in that condition and it came from Armigosa Valley Nevada! So humidity wasn't the issue.

 

[4X4HIGH]

damn bro, does it sit alot? and do you have high humidity where you live?

No it doesn't sit hardly ever, I DD this rig. Humidity here is not an issue.

 

[4X4HIGH]

distributors are cheap. buy a replacement, No just kidding, You can use a wire brush like the toothbrush size ones. It looks like it has tore up the pickup a little to?

Nope, the pick-up is good but there are some deposits on it as well.

 

[Slapperbar]

Brass or stainless wire brush, clean and go.

 

[folkenheath]

I don't know this for a fact, I am just speculating based on other experience, but I think it has to do with the magnetism. Magnets attract iron particles(obviously), but even tiny micro particles that you may not see from anything ferrous that wears will stick near there, and they may be bare steel, stuck together they attract moisture with no way to dry inside the cap. Have you ever seen those trucks with a bunch of rust right in the middle of the door and no where else yet, and wonder why? Many times it's because someone had a magnetic sign stuck to the door for a while. My Dad has to use those signs occasionally with rental trucks, and he will remove them to clean behind them because they will start to have rust form outside the paint even within days.

 

[diesel4me]

Ozone generated by arcing inside the cap also causes corrosion to happen quickly...you dont need much humidity to get a dizzy cap to sweat during engine watm up,that'll make it rust fast too..