Quick and to the point. If my distributor cap has not been changed, would it be worthwhile to have this done? Will I see an improvement in Gas Mileage and engine performance, or is it just a wear & tear item that gets swapped out when it starts to get eroded with carbon desposits, or both? I just got this car recently so I will have to consult the previous owner’s records to see if it was included in the last tuneup. Thanks in advance.
A distributor cap is often good for near forever.
They can be reused as long as there is no carbon tracking, terminal damage from excessive shaft play (worn out distributor basically), or excessive burning of the terminals inside or corrosion on the outside.
Excessive burning of the inside terminals are often caused by chronic misfires related to bad spark plugs, wires, corroded cap or coil terminals, etc.
Light burning will not hurt anything but it won’t hurt to replace the cap if you’re worried about it.
You’ll never notice random misfires. An oscilloscope of the ignition will show them. The car may have decreased gas mileage. It may not pass emissions test. If it looks like the distributor cap has been in use for a lot of miles, or if the performance, mileage, or emissions test need improvement, change the cap and rotor.
What’s the mpg now? How’s the performance? The 87 Accord should be getting 25-35 mpg. Rocketman