disributor moisture problems

[71chevylongbed]

it has been pretty wet around here lately rain everyday for last 2 weeks and the HEI dist. in my truck keeps getting moisture in the base around the electronics not alot but it feels damp. it idles really rough at like 350-400 rpm and likes to die and when im crusing at a steady speed i can feel it cutting out the tach drops about 100 rpms when it happens until i have driven it for at least 30 minutes and get it really warmed up. what can i do to fix the problem i thought about spraying some wd40 in it but im not sure if that would mess electronic things up. any ideas?????

[Zeke]

Mine had hood to cowl sealing problems (rust) and if I parked with the truck on a slight incline water would drip on the vacuum advance plate and run into the distributor. It didn't even have to rain just the dew would collect and drip. Two modules later I smeared some dielectric silicone on the bottom of the module and terminals and haven't had a problem since. I also try to park the truck level or facing uphill and keep a spare module in the glove box.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I've gotten out of the ditch [or running flooded street] more than once by shooting WD-40 inside the distributor cap and putting it back on. The L6 distributer is a lot more susceptible to splash-up than the V8. I've never had the problem in a V8. This was with the points-type dizzy.

[special-K]

If you have a black cap get rid of it.A Standard Blue Streak or tan cap will give better service Blabk caps are junk.I had a mechanic prove it to me years ago.After hauling me into his shop and out of the rain,he removed my new black cap,tossed it in the can,reached down in the same can,pulled a nasty looking tan cap out,and put it on my truck.He said he took it off a woman`s car that day when he tuned it up with 30,000 miles since the last tune-up.The truck fired up and ran well until I got a chance to get a new one.That was in Ft.Pierce,FL after traveling from Maryland.After living there a while,I remembered,"oh yeah,oughta change that old cap."

[71chevylongbed]

thanks! i never thought about water getting in buy the vac. adv. i'll see if i can seal it up

[71chevylongbed]

Originally Posted by special-K

If you have a black cap get rid of it.A Standard Blue Streak or tan cap will give better service Blabk caps are junk.I had a mechanic prove it to me years ago.After hauling me into his shop and out of the rain,he removed my new black cap,tossed it in the can,reached down in the same can,pulled a nasty looking tan cap out,and put it on my truck.He said he took it off a woman`s car that day when he tuned it up with 30,000 miles since the last tune-up.The truck fired up and ran well until I got a chance to get a new one.That was in Ft.Pierce,FL after traveling from Maryland.After living there a while,I remembered,"oh yeah,oughta change that old cap."

did he explain to you why the tan caps are better than the black ones?

[special-K]

Yeah,quality of the bakelight.The black ones are light and cheap replacement parts.The upscale ones are more dense andless prone to hairline cracks and other causes of moisture intrusion.Although the black cap was new,I had serious carbon-tracking.