5 Symptoms of a Bad Distributor
This vital component is perhaps the most valuable of any modern ignition system in your car, but when it fails it can cause major problems.
In the following guide, we’ll discuss the various symptoms associated with a faulty distributor and also answer some of the most common symptoms associated with distributors.
What is a distributor?An automotive distributor is perhaps best described as an electromechanical device designed to deliver a spark to each cylinder in a precise manner. This spark originates from a coil in the engine before being “distributed” to each cylinder.
The distributor itself is mechanically adapted to the engine it is attached to via a special drive gear. This drive gear is at the end of a rotating shaft with a replaceable electrical contact called the rotor knob at the opposite end.
Said rotor knob is fed with coil-induced energy, which is then distributed in an expertly regulated manner to the contacts attached to the individual caps of each cylinder.
Essentially, the distributor’s rotor knob acts as a rotating electrical contact that energizes each spark plug wire through intermittent conduction with the individual electrodes attached to the caps.
Symptoms of a defective distributor
When your vehicle’s distributor is failing or failing impendingly, it is often accompanied by a number of secondary symptoms, some of which are more serious in nature. It is often important to recognize these signs if you want to expedite a replacement and ultimately a repair.
The following are some of the most common symptoms associated with a defective distributor.
1) Check Engine Light Illuminated
When your engine distributor fails, your vehicle’s check engine light will most likely be illuminated. This usually occurs when multiple misfire codes are logged and stored. The Check Engine Light itself will remain illuminated as long as these codes are active.
2) Repeated Stalls
When a distributor fails, it often results in a loss of proper ignition timing. This creates a condition where efficient engine operation is not possible. This usually results in repeated stalls while the engine in question is running.
3) Failure to Start
Similar to the scenario described above, a defective distributor can quickly lead to a scenario where the engine will not start or will not run after the first few combustion cycles. Any attempt to start is usually accompanied by a series of misfires.
4) Constant misfires/re-fires
When an engine distributor is no longer able to maintain proper ignition timing, you can expect to experience continuous misfires and backfires. This usually continues until the engine itself is no longer able to operate. Often, strong vibrations are also felt along with these symptoms.
5) High-pitched squealing noise
Although rare, the distributor’s internal bearings can sometimes fail during operation. The result is a clearly audible squealing noise that can often be heard over and above normal engine operation. This noise is often most clearly heard during startup.
Distributors and Distributor Caps
The terms “distributor” and “distributor cap” are commonly used interchangeably. However, these two components are not exactly the same.
More specifically, a distributor cap is a single part of a larger distributor assembly as a whole. The term “distributor” refers to the driven assembly responsible for maintaining proper ignition timing relative to the basic cam/crankshaft timing. This assembly uses coils (internal/external) and incorporates a spark advance mechanism.