Distributor is sparking externally.
02-14-2008, 08:37 AM
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Distributor is sparking externally.
Got my car back from a kid that I work with. He swapoped tyrannies for me.
Started her up and now theres blue sparking coming from what seems like the distributor in the front.
Possible causes for this?
Started her up and now theres blue sparking coming from what seems like the distributor in the front.
Possible causes for this?
02-14-2008, 09:37 AM
#4
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Car: Yes
Engine: Usually
Transmission: Sometimes
Axle/Gears: Behind me somewhere
Re: Distributor is sparking externally.
Yes there is. Cap in particular. On the other hand, see my signature for a hint about logic. 
Check for disconnected plug wires first. Go from there.
Check for disconnected plug wires first. Go from there.
02-14-2008, 04:35 PM
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Car: 87 firebird none soon
Engine: None
Transmission: none
Axle/Gears: 2.73 10 bolt
Re: Distributor is sparking externally.
i don't know why he would have but if he puled the engine to do it he could have hit the fire wall with the dissy, check all connections only high voltage would cause an arc like that so it is the cap, connection, or a damaged wire,ignition coil.
02-14-2008, 06:28 PM
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Remove crossmember, drop back of tranny down to get at bellhousing bolts - oops, forgot to remove the distributor cap, hope I didn't crack it. I'm sure he'll never notice, anyway.
02-14-2008, 06:28 PM
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Re: Distributor is sparking externally.
Or if it was a 700R4, he might have lowered it and gone after the top bolts from below like i did. If this was the case, he may have gone too low, and rested the weight of the driveline on the dist cap and easily cracked it. Sofa is right, check your plug wires first WITH THE CAR OFF, and go from there.
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02-14-2008, 10:19 PM
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Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
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Re: Distributor is sparking externally.
But, but, you are MUCH more likely to find the culprit with the engine running....... 
02-15-2008, 12:27 PM
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Re: Distributor is sparking externally.
Yeah. So I took a look at it yesterday and the plug wire was totally off and was sparking between the post and the air cleaner bowl.
Reved the car up in parka dn all of a sudden it started going in reverse! Came inches from smashing into my brothers s-10. Also, my shifter plate is garbage now. When he was working on it, he didnt know the shifter area and the ash tray are one piece so he tried prying up the shifter plate and its in like a dozen pieces now. Hard to tell what gear youre in
Reved the car up in parka dn all of a sudden it started going in reverse! Came inches from smashing into my brothers s-10. Also, my shifter plate is garbage now. When he was working on it, he didnt know the shifter area and the ash tray are one piece so he tried prying up the shifter plate and its in like a dozen pieces now. Hard to tell what gear youre in
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