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What is the distributor cap?

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What is the distributor cap?

The distributor cap is the cover that protects the distributor’s internal parts and holds the contacts between internal rotor and the spark plug wires. The rotor is attached to the top of the distributor shaft which is driven by the engine’s camshaft and thus synchronized to it.

What are the parts of a distributor cap?

Components of a Distributor Cap

  • a main housing (typically plastic)
  • at least one contact/lead per cylinder.
  • a main contact point (to connect the rotor and coil)

What are the parts of a distributor?

Components of a Distributor

  • a rotor.
  • a distributor cap.
  • points.
  • a hall effect sensor (or an optical sensor)
  • a condensor.
  • a vacuum advance (or a mechanical advance)
  • an ignition coil (sometimes located inside the distributor)
  • an ignition module (sometimes located inside or on the distributor)

How does the distributor cap work?

Distributor caps and rotors are responsible for passing the voltage from the ignition coils to the engine’s cylinders in order to ignite the fuel-air mixture inside and power the engine. The coil connects directly to the rotor, and the rotor spins inside the distributor cap.

What is distributor cap and rotor?

Do you need to remove the distributor cap?

While performing maintenance on your ignition system, you should remove the distributor cap in order to clean the contacts or replace the cap. But when you put a distributor cap back on, it must be done a certain way. Become familiar with your distributor before you take it apart.

Is the ignition coil inside the distributor cap?

It should come as no surprise being one of the most popular options among modern rodders and race enthusiasts to this day. Most of the original GM V-6 and V-8 models used an ignition coil inside the distributor cap, making it a one-piece ready-to-run distributor.

Is the distributor part of the ignition system?

A vehicle’s ignition system is composed of several parts that work together to make your engine start smoothly. The distributor is part of the ignition system on a fuel-injected engine, and its job is to “distribute” electricity to the spark plugs.

What does the distributor do on a fuel injected engine?

The distributor is part of the ignition system on a fuel-injected engine, and its job is to “distribute” electricity to the spark plugs. While performing maintenance on your ignition system, you should remove the distributor cap in order to clean the contacts or replace the cap.