Things to Know About the Distributor Cap in Your Car It is a moment of pride for anyone owning a car. People always want the best car for the money they have invested. Nowadays, also cars are coming with powerful engines and many additional features that make driving more pleasurable. However, just owning a car is not everything, as it often comes with additional responsibilities like maintenance and servicing. If you carry out regular maintenance and servicing of your car, then, in the long run, your car will not trouble you with any serious issues. However, when it comes to maintenance and servicing most of the people become complacent. This has an adverse effect on the performance of the car. Moreover, if any of the vital components of your car which are responsible for the smooth running and better performance of the car gets damaged, then you have to spend a hefty sum of money in fixing those malfunctioning parts. One such component of your car is the distributor cap which plays an important role in the smooth running of the car and the car won't run with a faulty distributor cap. Here are the things that you should know about the distributor cap in your car.
Working mechanism The distributor cap plays a pivotal role in the car's mechanism and a vehicle won't run with a malfunctioning distributor cap. Moreover, it supports the engine's distribution of current and connects the spark plugs to the ignition coil. However, the symptoms of a damaged distributor cap can get revealed in your car anytime and you need to be careful about it. Furthermore, the distributors are mechanical devices that use rotating shaft for its functioning. The distributor cap along with the rotor is responsible for keeping the distributor away from the engine. Consequently, they keep the distributor's engine parts neat and clean. In the meantime the rotor and cap also support the high volts of energy and deliver it to the spark plugs which help in the smooth running of the car.
Signs of a malfunctioning distributor cap Like every other mechanical part in your car, the distributor cap is also prone to damages and may malfunction in due course of time. However, there are certain signs given out by your car whenever the distributor cap malfunctions. Here are the signs that you need to look out for.
Abnormal noise One of the first signs of anything wrong with your car can be gauged from the sound coming out of your car. If you get to hear squealing noise from the car then it is the first sign of a bad distributor cap and if nothing else seems to be wrong, then you need to check the distributor cap. Moreover, there is a reason behind this squealing noise and it is caused due to the air circulation through the car engine. In addition to this, you will also find the distributor cap dirty, greased and full of pollutants.
Problem in starting the car This is perhaps one of the major signs of a malfunctioning distributor cap in your car. If you ever face any issues with starting the car, then it might be due to the failed distributor cap. Moreover, the problem becomes acute in the cold weather or low temperature. This is caused due to the fact that the cold weather freezes or cools down the cap and when sudden heat is passed to the cap while starting the engine causes it to develop cracks. This issue can be easily prevented by keeping the car away from extreme weather conditions.
Stalling & backfire If your car starts easily, however, stalls or backfires on the road, then this is because your distributor cap has malfunctioned. Since the distributor cap contains the rotor that spins the voltage it has to work properly and if anything prevents the rotor from spinning, then it will cause your car to stall or backfire while you are driving.
Shaking If you are experiencing extreme shaking or vibration when starting or shifting the gears, then it indicates an issue in the distributor cap. Furthermore, the problem is more alarming when you feel the vibration throughout the vehicle and never ignore this problem when it arises.
Finally The above-mentioned signs are an indication that the distributor cap of your car has malfunctioned and needs to be replaced. Whenever you experience any of these symptoms, then you must take your car to an automotive repair shop to fix the issue immediately.