Ignition Breaker

• Distributor contacts should be inspected every

10,000 kilometers or less if a fault is suspected
• If the points are burnt or pitted, replace them.
• The contact breaker is operated by a cam
which forms part of distributor shaft. There
are as many lobes of the cam as there are
cylinders in the engine.
• As the shaft rotates, the cam operates an arm
that forces the contact breaker points apart. A
spring closes them when the cam moves
around.
• Arcing (sparkling) between the points is
reduced by a condenser which is connected
across the points.
 Removing and Fitting Distributor
Contact
• Contact points should be replaced every
20,000 kilometers or as necessary.
• It is a common practice to replace the contact
point and condenser when a tune up is
performed.
• When you replace the point and condenser,
you then must check, and if necessary, reset
the timing to specification.
• The distributor contact breaker consists of 2
metal points. One is fixed, the other is sprung,
so that it opens and closes as the cam in the
distributor revolves.
 Resetting of Distributor Contact Point
• With the ignition off and the distributor cap
and rotor arm removed, turn the engine over
slowly by hand until the shoe of the moving
point is on the peak of one cam.
• The points should now be fully open.
• Check the gap with a feeler gauge.
• To adjust, loosen the securing screw and move
the contact-breaker base plate with
screwdriver until the points just touch a feeler
inserted between them.
• Tighten the screw and recheck the gap.
The Distributor Condenser/
Capacitor
• The distributor condenser, also known as a
capacitor, acts as a device which minimizes or
regulates sparking across the contact points
for efficient flow of current as the distributor
rotates.
• The distributor condenser looks like a small
battery attached inside the distributor.
• The distributor condenser should also be
replaced when the contact point is replaced.