Distributor caps & leads

[rswaffie]

Hi,
Hoping someone can confirm something for me.

I had my 3.8 engine rebuilt, fitted and tested with a standard 123 distributor. However, there were some subsequent earthing/wiring issues that fried the 123 circuit board and I had to get it repaired.
I've now hopefully sorted the electrics, but thought it best to re-try the engine start up with the original distributor (re-built by the Distributor Doctor) just in case. It would be cheaper to fix than the 123!

I'd assumed that the leads would have different terminations at the cap, as the two seem quite different...





The original cap has loose copper discs, whereas the 123 doesn't. I'm assuming the discs serve some sort of purpose to make a good connection?

So I've purchased a new set of leads for the original distributor, however they look similar to the set used with the 123.

Can someone confirm that these leads are correct for the black dizzy cap?




TIA,

[tim wood]

The leads for the original cap differ completely from the 123 leads.
Those for the original were copper cored and the brass disc served to spread the internal cores. The cables were secured with acorn types screw fixings as shown in your photos.

The cables on the 123 are the modern push in type.

I doubt you could convert these to fit the original distributor.

[mgcjag]

Hi Richard...are your new leads copper core....or you can use these cable ends https://simonbbc.com/cap-ht-lead-termin ... utor-coil/ Steve

[rswaffie]

Hi, no they are powerspark silicon.

[johnetype]

Richard, to answer your question directly, the black leads in your picture will not fit the black distributor cap also in your pictures and can't be made to fit.

As you suspect the black leads you have are for the later type of distributor cap which took push in leads not the earlier screw in type.

The 123 cap is also a push in leads cap.

As Tim says, for the screw in type distributor cap you need leads which have a multi strand copper wire centre (core).

[rswaffie]

Thank you all, I'll get these sent back!

[Turnip]

Or you could get a new distributor cap that takes push-in leads. When the Dizzy Doctor did mine I asked for such a cap, and that's what I got.

Simon

[rswaffie]

Simonbbc is sending out the correct leads, so all should be good.