Need Advice On Aftermarket Distributor Cap And Rotor

[F.POLLIO]

I have an IHC distributor and coil set up on a 140. Last Spring I changed the cap and rotor along with the points and condenser. It all worked fine for a while and then started having trouble with the engine hesitating and puffing some black smoke. Well, assuming that it was not any of the new parts, I replaced the coil, sediment bowl, spark plugs, copper wires, along with rebuilding the carburetor. I even went as far to remove the distributor to replace the bushing(which had some wear),also the shaft with a small gear on it. Because the previous set of points had made grooves in the distributor lobes I replaced that part with a good used one. All of that and it would still act up. The replacement cap would get a type of corrosion on the metal contacts that the rotor passes by. If I would clean them off with a small brass brush the engine would run ok for a while but would start to hesitate and puff black smoke and the corrosion would be back. OK, now being frustrated and discouraged I put the old cap and rotor back on and have not had any trouble since then. After reading through some older threads there were some comments about the quality of some aftermarket caps and rotors. I think I was a victim of that. Does anyone have advice or recommendations as to the best quality cap and rotor? I could but would rather not look for NOS parts unless that is the best and only way to go. I trashed the replacement cap and rotor but maybe should have kept them to try and figure out what was defective.

[tst]

use a cap with brass inserts, the aluminum corrodes quickly

[inairam]

I have also had trouble with IH points and condensers for the past year or so.

I started using parts from NAPA. The points especially look different and appear to hold up better.

[Gary Dotson]

I agree on the NAPA suggestion but be aware that NAPA, like everyone else, has high quality and lower quality components. Specify their Echlin parts line, for ignition and electrical parts. There are a few other quality brands but you always know where to find Echlin. I also agree on the brass conductors, especially in damp environments.

[inairam]

I agree on the NAPA suggestion but be aware that NAPA, like everyone else, has high quality and lower quality components. Specify their Echlin parts line, for ignition and electrical parts.

I have been using IH200 cap and CS1600 points both say NAPA ECHLIN on the box.

[F.POLLIO]

Thank You for the NAPA information. That is where I should have gone to start with. Also the cap I purchased had brass inserts not aluminum. The rotor could have been the problem. I can remember when they used to sell those aluminum insert caps with automotive tune up kits in some department stores around here. They were not very expensive kits but were not the quality of O.E.M. or Echlin.

[Gary Dotson]

Years back, if we went to our local Chevy / Cadillac dealer and asked for dist. cap for a Chevy V-8, you got one with aluminum contacts but if you asked for one for a Cadillac, it had a different part # and brass contacts. They sold a lot of Cadillac caps!

[SamsFarm]

use a cap with brass inserts, the aluminum corrodes quickly

I have had the same problem in the past.

Why some manufactures want to make inferior products is beyond me!

[tst]

its cheaper, all about the $$$$

[SamsFarm]

Tst, your right!

But a bad reputation is costly!

[PoconoCub]

Not knowing when my Super A was tuned up last and I have owned it for 2 years now, I have found the ECHLIN Distributor Cap Part #: ECH IH350, Contact Set (Points) Part #: ECH CS1600, Distributor Condenser Part #: ECH IH200, but I do not see an ECHLIN Rotor part number, does ECHLIN not make a rotor or does anyone have a part number for one?

I am also considering the NAPA Belden Suppression Spark Plug Wire Kit - Part #: BEL 700168 to hopefully stop the radio interference when running my Cubs or Super A near the house, does anyone have thoughts on those, and will it cut down on the radio interference?.

[Glen]

Hi,
Try IH 300 for the rotor, someone put that number at the Cub forum before.

I put suppression spark plug wires on a Cub in the past.

I noticed later that the points had problems with burning, and metal moving from one point to the other.
I asked the man that I buy things from at the Case IH dealer in this area about it, he has been there for over 40 years.
He asked me if the Cub has resistor, or suppression spark plug wires, or resistor spark plugs. I said yes, it has the suppression wires. He said change them to regular solid core wires, the Cub ignition system was not designed to use suppression wires, or spark plugs. It upsets the balance in the system, and metal will move from one point to the other.
I put on new solid core wires.

They have said before on the Cub forum to use only solid core wires.