Distributor Cap Chirpping...Why? Please help!

I found the inside of the cap on my new to me 96 Cherokee just like yours. Does the shaft have sideways play? Mine had a lot and it must be a common problem as the local AutoZone had one in stock. Easy to replace. Just one important part Note exactly where the rotor is pointing before taking the old one out. Then when you have a new one put it back in the exact place. The distributor is held from turning so there's no timing there, just getting the gear tooth back in position is the only trick. When you put it in the rotor turns. You must calculate what direction and amount. You can do this when removing the old one.

JoBo

I do not know if this applies to the newer distributors, but on the ones that have a mechanical timing advance inside, their is a place to oil it that very few places seem to know about or do. There is a felt wick under the rotor that needs engine oil added to it. This lubricates the timing advance plates.

Maybe yours is dry?

The other thing to do is to grab the rotor and see if it has any side to side slop. Maybe it just plain has a bad bushing in it, I think I have heard of some newer ones being bad.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Football God wrote:

Football God did pass the time by typing:

Oddly, it is.

That's oil vapor sneaking up and getting deposited in the cap.

The bushing in your distributor is shot. Time to replace the distributor.

I had the same thing happen a few months ago. The bushing is shot. You will need a new distributor. I too wasted time and money with new caps and rotors, but the only fix is a new distributor. Regards,

Guri Sandhu

98TJ4.0