Charles T. Low wrote:

Just to increase the odds that I'm not missing anything: I have condensation
inside my distributor cap. (This on a Chrysler 318, 1978,
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26). Needless to say, it runs poorly that way! The seal
is old and brittle, and I have a new, marine cap on its way. We dried it out
the other day (after which it ran well), and I'm trying to leave the engine
hatch a tad open to improve ventilation (having put weather-stripping and
sound-insulation under it over the past few years...), and today it's wet
again. My bilges are always wet, long story, but they are.

I found an article on Car Talk
(http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...ctober/06.html) about this.



Lots of people have scratched their heads over this. We didn't notice the
distributor cap condensation, though, until this year, and I'm hoping that's
it. But, from Car Talk, perhaps I should get a ventilated one, if such
exists...

Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks to all in advance.

Charles

Charles, you don't mention what you've done with the points & condenser.
I'm assuming this is the Prestolite distributor?

Do not "make" a vent as outlined in the Click & Clack article. The
distributor is the ignition-protected variety and the housing itself
should have a screen, a vent if you wish, for flame suppression.

A good, new cap, base gasket, and the electronic conversion (I use Retro
Rockets to source the Pertronix units - Sierra also has them) should
take care of the problem except in extreme situations... it worked for me.

Rob