Charles T. Low wrote:
Thank you Rob and to the others who have replied. I'm learning by leaps.

By the way, someone asked if it's a Prestolite - don't know, no name shown
that I've seen.

While waiting for my new cap/rotor, I sprayed it with pressurized "air" from
a can because it still _looked_ damp, sprayed some oil in there (I have some
generic brand which says "penetrating and water-dispersing..." ???), waited
a while, wiped out the small amount remaining, and ran it again.

It was still horrible. I thought I would try detaching and reattaching leads
one by one from the distributor to see if any particular ones were at fault,
and it didn't make a noticeable difference running it on 7 cylinders only,
except that gradually, barely noticeably, by the time I had finished, it was
running almost normally. As if each lead connection needed air ... ???

Sounds like the cap is carbon tracked. Check the plug wire continuity &
resistance, too. Swap out a known good coil - coil could be weak. On
the Chrysler ignition, I always carry a spare ballast resistor, &
ignition/amplifier module, either of which can give similar
problems(resistor usually is no start or runs while cranking only).


Anyway, when the cap comes, I'm also going to install upgraded spark plugs,
new leads, and will take it from there.

I will check under the oil cap for milkiness. Don't think so. (Distributor
open to crankcase ... would not have thought of that! And why are they
designed that way ... ???)

Where would I see a spark/vent screen on the distributor mechanism? Haven't
come across it so far.

Picture C, the round "spot", is a screen:

http://marinemechanic.com/merc/distr...-ford-dist.jpg

Rob