The Ford Barn

oldmanandakid · 10-04-2012, 06:16 PM

When we started the car yesterday the number three cylinder was missing. It was quickly obvious the spark plug wire was sitting close enough to the distributor body that the spark was jumping to the body. A quick bend of the wire resolved the problem but raised a couple of questions. Why? I didn't think that body was conductive and we could not see or feel any cracks that would leak current. Is this normal or are we overlooking something? Or is it just a simple solution looking for a problem?

Sparky · 10-04-2012, 06:52 PM

Do you mean the lower distributor body or the cap? The distributor cap is made from non-conductive phenolic plastic but the body is cast iron.

oldmanandakid · 10-04-2012, 07:14 PM

Not the housing or cap but Part A-12105-C, it is bakalite (or similar) and I would not think it is conductive.

d.j. moordigian · 10-04-2012, 07:27 PM

It could be....does it have a crack for dirt to build up in? Using a regular pencil too
write on the cap will do it also..

dave in australia · 10-04-2012, 08:05 PM

If the body was conductive, then all four plugs would receive spark at the same time, as the conductor that conducts spark from the rotor to the plug wire travels through the body. So if it was conductive, all four conductors would be shorted together.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 10-04-2012, 08:11 PM

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Yep, probably cheap repros. My # 4 would arc to # 3 at times. Took small skinny wire, bent in a tall loop to # 3 and ran good 'til I got a new dist body. Checkem' in the DARK, if you have an intermittent 1 cyl miss at times. Bill W. (Positive point is that if it does that, you KNOW you have a GOOD strong spark!)

10-04-2012, 06:16 PM	#1
oldmanandakid Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Southern Nevada Posts: 149	Is the distributor body conductive? When we started the car yesterday the number three cylinder was missing. It was quickly obvious the spark plug wire was sitting close enough to the distributor body that the spark was jumping to the body. A quick bend of the wire resolved the problem but raised a couple of questions. Why? I didn't think that body was conductive and we could not see or feel any cracks that would leak current. Is this normal or are we overlooking something? Or is it just a simple solution looking for a problem?

10-04-2012, 06:52 PM	#2
Sparky Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 649	Re: Is the distributor body conductive? Do you mean the lower distributor body or the cap? The distributor cap is made from non-conductive phenolic plastic but the body is cast iron.

10-04-2012, 07:14 PM	#3
oldmanandakid Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Southern Nevada Posts: 149	Re: Is the distributor body conductive? Not the housing or cap but Part A-12105-C, it is bakalite (or similar) and I would not think it is conductive.

10-04-2012, 07:27 PM	#4
d.j. moordigian Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fresno, Ca. Posts: 3,636	Re: Is the distributor body conductive? It could be....does it have a crack for dirt to build up in? Using a regular pencil too write on the cap will do it also..

10-04-2012, 08:05 PM	#5
dave in australia Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 1,175	Re: Is the distributor body conductive? If the body was conductive, then all four plugs would receive spark at the same time, as the conductor that conducts spark from the rotor to the plug wire travels through the body. So if it was conductive, all four conductors would be shorted together.

10-04-2012, 08:11 PM	#6
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Is the distributor body conductive? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Yep, probably cheap repros. My # 4 would arc to # 3 at times. Took small skinny wire, bent in a tall loop to # 3 and ran good 'til I got a new dist body. Checkem' in the DARK, if you have an intermittent 1 cyl miss at times. Bill W. (Positive point is that if it does that, you KNOW you have a GOOD strong spark!) __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"