Back story ... 1986 F150 4x4 .. daily driver, nothing special ... paid $1000 for it 5 years ago including a snow plow (vital here in VT).

Ignition kept giving me trouble ... plus not advance (someone before me stripped out the control box).

Got fed up and found a Chevy distributor on Amazon for $99 that was adapted to fit my 300 straight six.

Got it ... one hot wire (put a relay directly from the battery and had the ignition switch turn it on) and a vacuum line ..... works great!

Not a problem in 5 years.

OK ... time for a tune up ....

Two questions ... first (and I "think" I know the answer) ... are all GM V6 caps and rotors from the early 80's the same? I have not idea what cap was used on this distributor but it looks just like any cap from that period ... coil in the cap.

Second question ... is one rotor and cap better then another? This is a stock non performance engine so I am sure anything will work but may as well get the best I can for the price.

Rock Auto lists them from $10 to $30 ... some say brass, some aluminum, some plate steel, ....

Is one better then another?

Thanks ..... Mike

 

brass distributor cap terminals are superior to aluminum, I always go for the Brass on my Subaru and VW

 

Thanks so much!

i would have thought that to be the case but for some reason, the aluminum ones seem to be more money ... just didn't know if I was missing something.

Thanks!

Mike

 

Aluminum is a better Conductor than Brass but it builds up Oxide pretty quick and at that point it's conductivity has gone out the window ... normally Aluminum is Cheaper but anyway conductivity at 30KV and above is really a Moot point, the Brass is harder and will last longer.

 

Exactly what I wanted to know!

Thanks

 

I'm a retired Electronics/Mechanical Engineer with full Papers I wouldn't Lie to you