Distributor caps on the 360 V8 don't last very long, do they?

[Bill Crowell]

I've had 360 V8s in 3 different vehicles over the years and am generally satisfied with their performance, but have found that the distributor cap on this motor lasts only about 8 months to 2 years. I have tried various brands, always with the same result, and when it fails often the engine won't even run. Has anybody else had this experience? Has anybody discovered a distributor cap that will last longer?

 

[RedFish]

So what is it that fails about your caps ?
I learned a long tme ago that the cap and rotor should be repalced
together as matched set. Like both brand A or both brand B.

 

[Bill Crowell]

The usual stuff, Red: either one or more of the contacts in the cap gets really burned, melted and pitted, or the cap itself gets burned along a big carbon track.

 

[needsaresto]

Try the blue streak brand.Been on my 318 for 4 years now,no issues.

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I run a blue streak here, but i go through them about once a year. MSD 6A, MSD coil, wires, .045" gap, tends to eat 'em up. I'll upgrade to a accell cap/rotor which i hear is good quality.

 

[redfastback]

blue streak is great. copper/brass terminals inside and out. napa gold and carquest part # with an x.

 

[ted_sweet]

i have had an Accel cap on my car since 2002.

 

[ramcharger]

8 months to 2 years really isn't that bad. Back in the day, we'd replace them with an annual tune up. Add in a hi-perf ignition and they last that much less.

 

[dgc333]

I have 20K miles on the cap and rotor on the 360 in my 68 Barracuda. It's a NAPA unit with brass contacts and shows very little wear. I am also using an MSD 6A box with plugs at 0.050" so it's seeing some very high voltages.

In general I have never had any issues with caps or rotors. I have 140K miles on my Dakota and I replaced the cap and rotor and wires once in 9 years since purchasing the truck.

 

[mr.318]

i've never had trouble with em, i do stay away from accel never had anyluck with there stuff, i've got over 100 thousand miles out of the mopar brand,so thats what i use, what kind of ingnition are you useing ? is your pickup gapped right? i'd say you have a spark problem, cap should last longer just my 2cents,

 

[ramcharger]

I have 20K miles on the cap and rotor on the 360 in my 68 Barracuda. It's a NAPA unit with brass contacts and shows very little wear. I am also using an MSD 6A box with plugs at 0.050" so it's seeing some very high voltages.

Thats impressive. The NAPA units much be much better than the eichlin and standard stuff we used in the shop in the early '80's

in general I have never had any issues with caps or rotors. I have 140K miles on my Dakota and I replaced the cap and rotor and wires once in 9 years since purchasing the truck.

Most people (I'm speaking as a previous professional mechanic in the 80's) will never get that kind of cap/rotor mileage out of a 70's or 80's stock vehicle most likely due to substandard carburation/fuel injection and crappy electronic/points ignition, oil burning and poor quality parts combined with poor maintenance. Cars have come a long way since the 70's and 80's.