First off I have a '88 4x4 pickup with a 3.0 and 5 speed. I was wondering if anyone with a 3.0 has ever had thier distributor cap catch on fire? The reason I ask is I parked my truck today and noticed a few minutles later smoke was coming from under the hood and I found my cap on fire! I put it out and replaced it and the spark plug wires and rotor switch and now the truck seems to run fine but I am concerned because I have never seen this happen before. Any suggestiond on what could have happened and any way to fixx it would be greatly appreciated!

 

wow, i will say thats a new one for me... never heard of that.

 

No body has that is what is blowing my mind! I even went today and talked to a couple of mechanics and they told me that they had never heard of such a thing happening!

 

Is it possible that fuel or chemicals were spilled on the cap and seep under it?

 

thats my guess...

 

Ok i think i know your answear. your cap was "stolen" off another 3.0 so that would make it a (HOT CAP) J.P I have never seen or heard of this happening before .like someone above said it must of got oil or poss fuel on it to make it flame up.

 

I don't know how any thing could have got in it, but it could have happened. Right now though the truck doesn't have any leaks and I ahven't sprayed anything under the hood but I really don't know but the chemical idea is the best any one has come up with and it is running like a champ now so I guess that is good enough for me.

 

if the wires were arcing across the cap got hot and burned??? but ya think ya would have had a poor running truck

 

any pics of the cap?

 

I've only heard of distributor fires when folks spray WD-40 in it "to get the water out" and then put it back together and immediately start the engine. Keep an eye on it!

 

THis is what the cap and wires look like now.
Keith B. I've only heard of distributor fires when folks spray WD-40 in it "to get the water out" and then put it back together and immediately start the engine. Keep an eye on it!

I wa told the same thing the only thing is that I had sprayed nothing in it and as a matter of fact had been driving it all morning until this happened.

 

My dist cap burnt yesterday. I was driving and the engine stopped. I couldn't start it again, and saw smoke coming from under the hood. I had new dist cap, new rotor and new wires.

 

could the caps be burning due to inferior materals, cheap cap?? my cap and rotor come from toy dealer, this just seems so weird something breaking down and being ignited im no guru but ive never heard of dist cap letting the smoke out

 

Were these OEM caps?

 

ChickenLover Were these OEM caps ?

Yes as far as I know it was I just bought the truck so I can't be for sure

 

Mine was not original, but still from Japan.

 

Carbon tracks on the inside top of dist. will /can arc....saw it on a Camaro I had....they were numerous..suprised the engine even started

 

I want to see pix of that vehicle on you're avatar....

 

I ment cap and rotor. I'll get some pics on monday.

 

I've seen caps rotors and wires get pretty burnt up from resistance related heat. I've never actually seen or heard of one flaming up though.