How do I find my distributor cap?

Locate the distributor cap The distributor cap is located under the car’s hood. Open the hood and look around for a plastic grey component near the centre of the engine. The distributor cap looks like a crown that has black cables connected to the spokes on its top.

Does my car have a distributor cap?

Many modern cars have no distributor at all. The ignition is triggered by toothed timing wheels spinning with the crankshaft, which is much more accurate than points. Then there are individual coils for each cylinder, fired by the engine management computer. Some engines share coils between two cylinders.

Where is the engine distributor?

The distributor acts as a spinner, ensuring that spark is continuously distributed to each spark plug. It’s composed of a rotating arm located within the top of the distributor shaft. That shaft is moved by a gear attached directly to the camshaft on most overhead valve engines.

Where is the distributor shaft located?

You will need to locate the distributor. It is commonly located on the top of the engine block in either the front, or rear of V-6 and V-8 engines, or on the side of the block on 4 and 6 cylinder engines. The distributor has a plastic cap with spark plug wires coming out of the top of the cap.

Where is number 1 on a distributor cap?

The rotor button should be pointing to the number 1 position on the distributor cap when the number 1 piston is at top dead center (on the compression stroke). The pistons come up two times during the combustion cycle.

What are the signs of a bad distributor cap?

Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Distributor Rotor and Cap

• Engine misfires. Engine misfires can occur for a number of reasons.
• Car doesn’t start.
• Check Engine Light comes on.
• Excessive or unusual engine noises.

How do you find the number 1 on a distributor cap?

Finding the Number One

1. Look on the distributor cap. Some manufacturers label the number one terminal.
2. Follow the wire from the number one cylinder to the distributor cap.
3. You can also find the number one terminal by turning the engine manually until the timing marks on the camshaft and crankshaft are lined up.

How do you tell if you have points or electronic ignition?

If you do have a standard distributor cap, you can open the cap up and peek inside. A points type ignition will have what are called points (duh) installed in the distributor, just below the rotor (that colored plastic part that spins around when the engine is running).

What are the signs of a bad distributor?

What does the 1 on distributor cap mean?

The distributor cap only goes on one way due to the notch in the bottom. So you are locked in to that position. Now notice on the TOP (not the side) of the distributor cap the is a “1” raised letter. That indicates the tower where No 1 spark plug wire goes.