• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Carbon Tip in Distributor Cap

Share this page

B

BlueRidge1

Jedi Warrior
Offline
I had to remove the carbon tip that rides the rotor cap on my bn7. I noticed on a bt7 the cap had a screw beside the carbon tip to access the wire, not so on mine .I had to remove the tip and I can't seem to get it to clip back into the spring. If I remove the screw completly can I get the spring out and possibly repair or replace it? Thanks Bob
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

HI BOB, I am not sure I understand the problem you have.However ,if the carbon tip is out of the spring and you can not get it back in,then you will be required to free the spring in the center of the cap. Once the spring is removed you can refit the carbon contact to it and replace it.Make certain that the spring has not become frozen in the bore and take care not to incur any damage when removing it.---Fwiw---Keoke
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

Keoke, The reason I removed the carbon tip was accees to remove the coil wire for renewal. I haven't tried removing the piercing screw yet for fear I may not be able to get it back in place . My question is if I remove this screw will I be able to remove the spring and repair or replace it ,or have I ruined a good original cap??? Thanks Bob
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

Hi Bob, If the piercing screw is frozen in the thread. I think you can soak it in PB Blaster until it loosens up and remove the parts safely .---Keoke
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

It's not frozen, I even put the wire in and screwed it back down and put it on the car and it runs. If I remove the cap the tip will just fall out. Debating wether to take it back appart remove the screw completly and try to repair the spring and reassemble. Afraid if I don't fix it she'll leave me sitting along side the road. Thanks Bob
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

OK Bob, Here is what may have happened. The carbon pin has/had a small grove around the bottom, if that portion of the pin is broken off the pin will fallout. Similarly, if the pin is good but has not been installed in the spring so that the spring is captured in that grove the pin will also fall out when the cap is right side up.--Fwiw---Keoke
 
Re: carbon tip in distributor cap

Yes ,thats the problem,trying to get the carbon to engage back into the spring. I guess I'll have to remove the spring from the cap to see if it needs reshapeing (if thats proper english?) It worked perfectly prior to removal,now it wont engage and the spring seems jammed,just have to tinker with it a bit ...Thanks for your input.Bob
 
Back
Top