What Happens When Your Distributor Cap Goes Bad?

The distributor cap, the top part of a car’s distributor that regulates the engine’s firing order, serves as an integral part of an automotive ignition system. When the distributor begins to fail, drivers may notice symptoms that range from a rough idle to a car that will not start.

Symptoms

According to the automotive website Clark’s Garage, a cracked distributor cap can cause a car’s engine to miss. Misses in the engine may lead to a rough idle and hesitation during acceleration. A completely failed distributor cap will also interrupt the flow of electricity to the car’s spark plugs, preventing the vehicle from starting.

Signs of Wear

In some cases, a bad distributor cap may display physical cracks. Clark’s Garage notes that distributor caps do not always display physical symptoms, so vehicle owners may need to remove the cap for testing.

Considerations

Many new cars, according to the automotive website EconoFix, do not have distributors. Because distributors and distributor caps are somewhat prone to failure, many newer vehicles now include distributorless systems known as direct ignition, or DI, systems.

References

• EconoFix.com: Auto Ignition Distributor Repair
• Clark's Garage: Troubleshooting - Engine
• Tegger: My Car Won't Start, Starts Then Stalls, Stalls a lot When Driving or Just Runs Badly

About the Author

Keith Evans has been writing professionally since 1994 and now works from his office outside of Orlando. He has written for various print and online publications and wrote the book, "Appearances: The Art of Class." Evans holds a Bachelor of Arts in organizational communication from Rollins College and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration in strategic leadership from Andrew Jackson University.

Photo Credits

• David Broberg/iStock/Getty Images