Distributor

The ignition system is infused in the vehicle’s body for two basic purposes. First is to produce high voltage, enough to arc cross the gap of a spark plug. It thus builds a spark strong enough to ignite the air/fuel mixture for the engine’s combustion process. The second task that’s expected from the vehicle’s ignition is to take charge of the timing to ensure that the spark happens at the right cylinder and at the right time. For more than 75 years, the basic principle of the electrical spark ignition system was not altered. The only thing that has changed is method by which the spark is generated.

One of the imperative components in your vehicle’s ignition system is the distributor. It may not be that familiar but the distributor handles several important duties. Among the distributor’s significant tasks is to hand out the high voltage from the coil to the right cylinder. The distribution of this voltage is accomplished by the distributor cap positioned on top of the distributor shaft and the rotor which serves as a rotating arm inside the cap. The rotor passes close to the output contacts without touching them. These contacts are connected to the spark plug of each cylinder through high tension cables. Inside the distributor, the high voltage energy becomes capable of leaping the small gap from the rotor arm to the contact.

The older distributors featuring breaker points have another section in the bottom half. This section is responsible for breaking the current to the coil. The ground side of this coil is linked to the breaker points. The cam located in the center of the distributor drives a lever which is connected to one of the points. Every time the lever is pushed by the cam, it opens the points. And opening of the points causes a high induction voltage in the ignition coil.

These points also control the timing of the spark which is so critical in the performance of the engine. That’s one of the reasons why most cars don’t use points. They employ sensor instead to tell the engine control unit the exact location of the pistons. When you conduct a tune-up in your vehicle, one of the components you usually replace is the distributor cap and the rotor. These two components of the distributor wear out easily due to the arcing.

Damaged or defective distributor can lead to very mysterious engine problems. So if ever your vehicle’s distributor becomes worn out, find a replacement right away. Replacement distributors for various vehicle makes and models are widely available in the automotive market, so why compromise the performance of your engine? And what’s more amazing? Through the numerous online stores, you can get your needed distributor without leaving the comforts of your home.