rotor and cap have short life...
 

My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the rotor's
tip burned and/ or worn.

The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably could
improve mileage.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

tia,

Mel P.
96 Cherokee - 4.0 L

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.

Cheers,

Earle

"Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
> rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>
> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
> could improve mileage.
>
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.

Cheers,

Earle

"Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
> rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>
> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
> could improve mileage.
>
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Should I try buying better cap & rotor?

Mel P.
"Earle Horton" <123456@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:475a29de$0$26087$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
> Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
> dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
> tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
> analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
> on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
> in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
> voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
> night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
> distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Earle
>
> "Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
>> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
>> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
>> rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>>
>> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
>> could improve mileage.
>>
>> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>>
>> tia,
>>
>> Mel P.
>> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Should I try buying better cap & rotor?

Mel P.
"Earle Horton" <123456@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:475a29de$0$26087$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
> Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
> dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
> tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
> analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
> on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
> in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
> voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
> night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
> distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Earle
>
> "Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
>> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
>> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
>> rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>>
>> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
>> could improve mileage.
>>
>> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>>
>> tia,
>>
>> Mel P.
>> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Yes, some of the ignition parts on the market these days are junk.

Try getting a quality set of points!

Jeff DeWitt

Mel P. wrote:
> Should I try buying better cap & rotor?
>
> Mel P.
> "Earle Horton" <123456@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:475a29de$0$26087$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
>
>>Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
>>dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
>>tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
>>analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
>>on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
>>in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
>>voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
>>night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
>>distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Earle
>>
>>"Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
>>news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
>>
>>>My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
>>>Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
>>>rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>>>
>>>The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
>>>could improve mileage.
>>>
>>>Any thoughts or suggestions?
>>>
>>>tia,
>>>
>>>Mel P.
>>>96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>>
>
>
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Yes, some of the ignition parts on the market these days are junk.

Try getting a quality set of points!

Jeff DeWitt

Mel P. wrote:
> Should I try buying better cap & rotor?
>
> Mel P.
> "Earle Horton" <123456@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:475a29de$0$26087$88260bb3@free.teranews.com.. .
>
>>Some pitting is normal. Improving mileage on a 4.0 L Cherokee is a pipe
>>dream. If you think the wear is more than normal, then the only way to
>>tell really is to have someone hook the vehicle up to an ignition system
>>analyzer. Otoh, if it's not throwing codes ("Check Engine" light coming
>>on) then it's probably working alright. What you should be looking for
>>in the distributor cap is cracks and carbon tracking, signs of a high
>>voltage short. You can also look at it when the engine is running at
>>night. Sometimes if you do that you see sparking around the
>>distributor, coil or plug wires. That is a sign of trouble.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Earle
>>
>>"Mel P." <mpernice95@verizon.net> wrote in message
>>news:5rul05F16pk00U1@mid.individual.net...
>>
>>>My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
>>>Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the
>>>rotor's tip burned and/ or worn.
>>>
>>>The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably
>>>could improve mileage.
>>>
>>>Any thoughts or suggestions?
>>>
>>>tia,
>>>
>>>Mel P.
>>>96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
>>
>
>
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

There are a 'bunch' of mis-matched cap and rotor sets out there! I even
bought an expensive Accel cap and rotor and that SOB burned out in a
couple months.

The rotors are too short so they arc out very fast, even the expensive
rotor was over 1/8" too short.

I gave up after spending big bucks on parts and went back to OEM from
the $tealership. Those parts match and last!

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip Photos:
http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

Mel P. wrote:
> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the rotor's
> tip burned and/ or worn.
>
> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably could
> improve mileage.
>
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

There are a 'bunch' of mis-matched cap and rotor sets out there! I even
bought an expensive Accel cap and rotor and that SOB burned out in a
couple months.

The rotors are too short so they arc out very fast, even the expensive
rotor was over 1/8" too short.

I gave up after spending big bucks on parts and went back to OEM from
the $tealership. Those parts match and last!

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip Photos:
http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

Mel P. wrote:
> My distributor cap and rotor seem to 'wear out' quickly.
> Within months the cap's contacts are pitted and/or burned and the rotor's
> tip burned and/ or worn.
>
> The engine runs smooth. I guess the computer adjusts. But I probably could
> improve mileage.
>
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
>
> tia,
>
> Mel P.
> 96 Cherokee - 4.0 L
>
>

Re: rotor and cap have short life...
 

Mike Romain wrote:
> There are a 'bunch' of mis-matched cap and rotor sets out there! I even
> bought an expensive Accel cap and rotor and that SOB burned out in a
> couple months.
>
> The rotors are too short so they arc out very fast, even the expensive
> rotor was over 1/8" too short.
>
> I gave up after spending big bucks on parts and went back to OEM from
> the $tealership. Those parts match and last!


That would explain the increased ignition RF interference
to all my radios after I replaced the cap and rotor.