Distributor and wires needed ?

[goochadeal]

Hello I live in N.Y. - We have had nothing but rain lately. Anyway..i have noticed over the past year when it is very damp out my festy, at startup runs rough..even stalled a couple of times. Once it is running for a bit it is ok.

Today after two days of steady pouring rain (havent used the car in those two days either) the car wouldnt start. It cranked so i know its not the battery. I opened the hood and the area around the distributor was damp could see condensation. The sun did come out for a while. The combination of air being dry and the sun hitting the engine compartment seem to dry things up and eventually the car started.

Im thinking it's time for a new distributor and wires. The distributor looks like a couple of screws then removal and replacement. Im kind of handy..however, dont want to screw the car up. I can bring it to the repair shop..however would like to save on labor charges.

Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[Biglay5150]

What year is your car?

[goochadeal]

what year is your car?

1990

[Pu241]

Betting on the wires alone!
Had same problem many years ago, replaced wires and presto!
That said if you don't have a log of the maintanence performed on your ship and don't know when the distributor cap was last replaced then replace that too.
But replace wire first and I'll be she starts better on any day!

[jglutz]

If the car runs ok once started...it's probalbly more than the wires. The inside if the distributor cap and the rotor are propbalbly all full of crud. Also the the high tension wire connection at the ignotion coil is probalbly corroded. open them up and clean them with a little steel wool or scotch brite.

After market componets are notrorious for this. Beter yet change the rotor and cap while your changing the wires. They're cheap enough.

[Oranger]

Watch which way the rotor is pointing before you take it off it fits three ways.I used dielectric grease around top of the dist and the bottom of the cap to seal it after I dried inside with air.

[sanjeet]

And a good tip for the uninitiated is to mark the HT leads and the distributor cap 1,2,3,4 or replace the leads one at a time so you don't stuff up the timing sequence and be careful not to accidentally disturb the spade terminals on the coil (no.1 is the one closest to the timing belt cover)

[goochadeal]

update to -- Distributor and wires needed ?

6/22
I have replaced:
- Rotor - carquest part # 23070
- Distributor cap Carquest part # 51-1654
- Spark plug wire set car quest 2984

Car is not running properly, it's missing then loses power. I was careful to place the rotor in the direction the old one was placed in. I marked the old distributor cap 1 through 4 and installed each wire separately on to the new dist. cap. Not sure what else to do. Have friend who is a mechanic coming by in a couple of days to check it out. Is there something more that needs to be done ? checked ? Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks to all of have responded so far.

[goochadeal]

Success !!

Found my problem. Wires three and four crossed.

[Gforcefd]

Well i was going to ask what part of NY you were in and if you needed help let me know, but you got it.

[goochadeal]

Live in westchester county....about 40 miles north nyc. Thanks.