Heavy-duty distributor caps for flat-out Mazda performance

Anthony Fontanelle
October 2, 2007

The most critical engine operation in Mazda cars is the ignition. Tasked with firing up the burn material in the cylinder heads, the ignition system is responsible for maximizing, or fouling up, the fuel that the Mazda engine burns. From the ignition coils, high-voltage electric current is transmitted into the Mazda distributor and the current is emitted from the cap where the ignition cables of the spark plugs are connected. The spark plug then gets charged up and ignites the burn material in the combustion chambers. As each of the cylinder heads open up and get ignited at different intervals, it is an important design consideration for the Mazda distributor cap to provide a precisione spark delivery to make sure that it charges the ignition cables at the appropriate time.

A typical Mazda distributor cap is equipped with an RFI resistor technology to safeguard it against radio static. Interference from the car’s electronic control unit and other electronic devices like cell phones and on board computers often affects spark delivery, causing the ignition system to misfire, waste the burn mixture in the combustion chambers, and damage the engine. Designed to withstand high-voltage electric current, the Mazda distributor cap is made of tough plastic material. It sports a superior finish on its copper contact surface with the rotor and the ignition cables to facilitate a smooth power transmission. With the rotary motion of the rotor, electric currents are rubbed off to the copper portion of the distributor cap and charges up the spark plugs.

On account of the high-voltage current that circulates in the ignition system, individual parts are prone to carbon tracking. Critical maintenance parts like the Mazda distributor cap need regular inspection to keep it up to specs. Over time, it may succumb to vibration and heat from the current. Once the terminals of the Mazda distributor cap get eroded from carbon, hard starting, "miss" in the power band, stalling, backfiring, and pinging can burden the engine. Like other maintenance items, the Mazda distributor cap has a finite life and needs replacement periodically.

Source:  Amazines.com