[Healeys] RE- 62bt7 -black arcing dust on the distributor rotor

[tammy neumann]

Kurk,

I had a similar problem with my BJ8.  It was misfiring and had no power soon after a full electrical tune-up.  I found a thin coating of black powder inside the distributor cap.
I determined this was carbon powder that came from the carbon brush (top center of the distributor cap that makes contact with the rotor).  I cleaned the inside of the distributor cap with electrical contact cleaner and a clean cloth.  My car has been running fine ever since this one time experience.  I suppose what had happened was that the carbon brush had a break in period initially before it fully seated and that produced the carbon dust.  The cap was not a Lucas but a high quality replacement from one of the preferred Healey vendors.

Mark Neumann
BJ8 


Message: 15
Date: Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:50:49 -0400
From: "Kurt Leslie" <kansl at net1plus.com>
Subject: [Healeys] 62bt7
To: <healeys at autox.team.net>
Message-ID: <000401c8ea56$7cdc5280$e8c264d0 at userch6dgy3z1d>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Took my healey for a ride yesterday bt7, was a hot day but temp in car
ok no traffic. On the way home the engine started skipping on
acceleration and stopped completely within a few miles and I assumed
fuel pump, but it was not it was electrical. Removed distributor cap and
rotor had no real wear, less than 300 miles on cap, rotor,points and
condenser, however there was a small amount of black arcing dust on the
heal of the outer rotor contact, put spare rotor in and started and ran
fine, I am still not sure what happened as the rotor looked ok to begin
with any ideas? Perhaps the hot weather effected the condenser?  Kurt