Transparent distributor cap.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 16, 2016

Video isn't that great. Look at the sparks given off where the center electrode comes in contact with rotor and the sparks coming off the tip of rotor and electrodes in cap.

If you have a link to a better video, please post it.
vw 4 cylinder

Geo-TH,In · Aug 16, 2016

Google transparent distributor cap. I found a better one. This one shows what happens when you remove one wire. Neat light show.
delco dist

blue water massey · Aug 16, 2016

in the early 80's I had a Manix dune buggy
had one of those clear caps on it
mostly only drove it during the day
as the motor was totally in view and at the back it was quite the light show at night
the one time I drove at night with that cap lots of cars chased me down to say that omething was on fire but the two cops that pulled me over and ran up with fire extiquisers (sp) convinced me it was neat for the car shows but not while driving around in public

Steve@Advance · Aug 16, 2016

Interesting that the spark from the rotor seems to be firing before the terminals line up at idle, but then fires on center when revved up.

Coil saturation time? Or is there a delay timer in the trigger electronics? If so, why? Wonder what would happen at higher RPM?

ss55 · Aug 16, 2016

Would the centrifugal advance on the distributor shaft move both the points cam and the rotor together relative to the distributor cap? Vacuum advance too?

Bob · Aug 16, 2016

Yes, ss, you have it figured out. Thought "Steve" would have known that?

K Effective · Aug 17, 2016

IF you read the comments for the video, the question is raised there as well, and the owner indicates the distributor was one tooth off where it should have been. He thought maybe from when the engine had been swapped some time before.

JMOR · Aug 17, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:00:53 08/17/16) IF you read the comments for the video, the question is raised there as well, and the owner indicates the distributor was one tooth off where it should have been. He thought maybe from when the engine had been swapped some time before.

'm not buying that 'owner's comment'. One in 13 teeth is 27.7 degrees and there is 45 degrees between cap posts, so it would then be closer to wrong post than correct post. Didn't look like that in video & I strongly doubt that it would even run if off by one tooth or 27.7 degrees. Can't believe everything on you tube or internet. :shock:

Destroked 450 · Aug 17, 2016

I had one of those clear caps years ago on a 351 Cleveland in my Torino, raised the hood one night with the engine running at a local hang out, my buddies thought it had bad wires or broken cap until I shined a flashlight on the cap. It was a neat novelty item but after a while I got tired of keeping it clean.

Transparent distributor cap.

Geo-TH,In

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Geo-TH,In

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blue water massey

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Steve@Advance

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ss55

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Bob

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K Effective

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JMOR

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Destroked 450

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