What can cause a distributor to go bad?

What can cause a distributor to go bad?

What Causes the Corrosion on a Distributor Cap? One of the main reasons for distributor cap problems is corrosion on the cap. When you go to clean your distributor, you may find an odd build-up on the cap. This could either be grime on the end of each spark plug wire terminal or corrosion on the the distributor cap.

How do you diagnose a bad distributor?

How to Tell If You Have a Faulty Distributor

1. Check the Distributer Cap. Often the distributor cap is suspect.
2. Check the Contact Points. Inspect the condenser; the engine will not function if it is broken.
3. Check the Arc.
4. Tools and Materials.
5. Crank the Engine.
6. Remove the Old Distributor.
7. Set the Point Gap.
8. Set the Distributor.

How do you test a distributor module?

Connect the ground lead from the 12-volt test light to the negative terminal on the ignition coil. Have your partner crank the engine over several times. Your test light should flicker on and off. If so, your module is working properly and no further testing is necessary.

What are the symptoms of a bad HEI coil?

Bad HEI ignition distributors give off some warning signs that can be diagnosed by the vehicle owner.

• Engine Fails to Start.
• Plug Wire Engine Miss.
• Reduced Fuel Economy.
• Weak Spark.
• Electrical Arc and Shorts.
• Hard Starting.
• Smog Check Failure.

How do you test a pickup coil with a multimeter?

Connect the red (positive) lead of the multimeter to the outer, positive terminal of the ignition coil. Turn the reading dial on the multimeter to ohms to measure resistance of the primary pickup coil. (The Greek letter omega denotes ohms.)

How many ohms should a pickup coil have?

Furthermore, the ignition coil resistance of your pickup should range between 6,000 to 10,000 ohms, and it is advisable you confirm this from the manufacturer’s manual in case you are uncertain on the right range.

What happens when a CDI goes bad?

Sometimes, a bad CDI does not cause sparks at all. Again, when a CDI box is about to go bad, it can lead to misfires, issues with starting, rough running or even stall the motor. Therefore, the only way you can tell whether your CDI has a problem is by confirming that everything else is in the right condition.

How do you test for weak spark?

Check a no-start The proper method to check for spark is with a spark tester. It resembles a spark plug but has a sunken center electrode that simulates a load on the coil. Holding the plug wire and seeing if a spark jumps to ground is inconclusive.

Can a bad rectifier cause no spark?

A bad regulator/ rectifier will result in a dead battery, and once the battery is competely dead you will not get a spark.

Does a rectifier affect spark?

Premium Member. My vote is that YES, a bad regulator / rectifier can indeed effect the CDI and good spark ignition. Think of it this way, a bad reg / rec sends oddball AC electricity where it should be DC and sends serious over voltage or under voltage to other bike components.