Was having trouble finding a distributor cap locally for my
Pleasurecraft 351 (Prestolite screw / clamp cap) so backed out the
information on Pertronix web site to guess that an old Chrysler 340
cap would work. Picked up a cap for a 1969 Barracuda and it worked
like a champ. I say that... it fit and works and I haven't thought
of any risks associated.

So just throwing it out here to hopefully benefit others ... or for
someone to tell me my boat may blow up!


PS: $7 vs. $40 for the one that the dealer thought _might_ work

wrote:
Was having trouble finding a distributor cap locally for my
Pleasurecraft 351 (Prestolite screw / clamp cap) so backed out the
information on Pertronix web site to guess that an old Chrysler 340
cap would work. Picked up a cap for a 1969 Barracuda and it worked
like a champ. I say that... it fit and works and I haven't thought
of any risks associated.

So just throwing it out here to hopefully benefit others ... or for
someone to tell me my boat may blow up!


PS: $7 vs. $40 for the one that the dealer thought _might_ work


The 318/340 cap is vented & not ignition protected.

Rob

On Aug 28, 9:53 pm, trainfan1 wrote:
wrote:
Was having trouble finding a distributor cap locally for my
Pleasurecraft 351 (Prestolite screw / clamp cap) so backed out the
information on Pertronix web site to guess that an old Chrysler 340
cap would work. Picked up a cap for a 1969 Barracuda and it worked
like a champ. I say that... it fit and works and I haven't thought
of any risks associated.

So just throwing it out here to hopefully benefit others ... or for
someone to tell me my boat may blow up!

PS: $7 vs. $40 for the one that the dealer thought _might_ work

The 318/340 cap is vented & not ignition protected.

Rob


This one isn't vented. What does 'ignition protected' mean? I
looked them over very close ... esp for the vent thinking any
'opening' for a spark was bad. The ONLY diff I could find was that
there was no replacement gasket for the new cap. I reused the old
gasket... may even put a thin layer of silicon around it for good
measure.

Thanks!

Note that if your boat does blow up from bilge fumes, the Coasties will
impound it and tear it apart to find out why. When they trace it to your
$7.00 automotive cap, you're gonna be in a heap-o-trouble, boy.
JR

wrote:
Was having trouble finding a distributor cap locally for my
Pleasurecraft 351 (Prestolite screw / clamp cap) so backed out the
information on Pertronix web site to guess that an old Chrysler 340
cap would work. Picked up a cap for a 1969 Barracuda and it worked
like a champ. I say that... it fit and works and I haven't thought
of any risks associated.

So just throwing it out here to hopefully benefit others ... or for
someone to tell me my boat may blow up!


PS: $7 vs. $40 for the one that the dealer thought _might_ work



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

"JR North" wrote in message
news
Note that if your boat does blow up from bilge fumes, the Coasties will
impound it and tear it apart to find out why. When they trace it to your
$7.00 automotive cap, you're gonna be in a heap-o-trouble, boy.
JR

wrote:
Was having trouble finding a distributor cap locally for my
Pleasurecraft 351 (Prestolite screw / clamp cap) so backed out the
information on Pertronix web site to guess that an old Chrysler 340
cap would work. Picked up a cap for a 1969 Barracuda and it worked
like a champ. I say that... it fit and works and I haven't thought
of any risks associated.

So just throwing it out here to hopefully benefit others ... or for
someone to tell me my boat may blow up!


PS: $7 vs. $40 for the one that the dealer thought _might_ work



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

If it does not have the little door to externally adjust the points it is
OK. It will be a closed cap.

"Jeff Burke" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:53:30 -0700, "Calif Bill"

wrote:

If it does not have the little door to externally adjust the points it is
OK. It will be a closed cap.

Some Chrysler caps had a vent hole, not all.
Aren't boats with inboard engines supposed to have exhaust blowers to keep
the
engine compartment clear of fumes? Don't these vent well enough so that a
spark
isn't a problem? I ask because I don't know.

Engine compartment blowers should clear the fumes, but if someone neglects
to run it long enough, the spark can exit the hole in the cap. Insurance
may be void.

If you got fumes concentrated enough to explode up as far as the distributor
then you got a lot of gas in the bilge. The starter and low mounted
alternators are the critical items. And the likelyhood that the coasties
are going to figure out it had an automotive cap are about nill. All the
plastic will be melted anyway. Coasties probably won't even look at it if
it catches fire unless it's convenient.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
...

"Jeff Burke" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:53:30 -0700, "Calif Bill"

wrote:

If it does not have the little door to externally adjust the points it is
OK. It will be a closed cap.

Some Chrysler caps had a vent hole, not all.
Aren't boats with inboard engines supposed to have exhaust blowers to
keep the
engine compartment clear of fumes? Don't these vent well enough so that a
spark
isn't a problem? I ask because I don't know.

Engine compartment blowers should clear the fumes, but if someone neglects
to run it long enough, the spark can exit the hole in the cap. Insurance
may be void.

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
If you got fumes concentrated enough to explode up as far as the
distributor then you got a lot of gas in the bilge. The starter and low
mounted alternators are the critical items. And the likelyhood that the
coasties are going to figure out it had an automotive cap are about nill.
All the plastic will be melted anyway. Coasties probably won't even look
at it if it catches fire unless it's convenient.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
...

"Jeff Burke" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 22:53:30 -0700, "Calif Bill"

wrote:

If it does not have the little door to externally adjust the points it
is
OK. It will be a closed cap.

Some Chrysler caps had a vent hole, not all.
Aren't boats with inboard engines supposed to have exhaust blowers to
keep the
engine compartment clear of fumes? Don't these vent well enough so that
a spark
isn't a problem? I ask because I don't know.

Engine compartment blowers should clear the fumes, but if someone
neglects to run it long enough, the spark can exit the hole in the cap.
Insurance may be void.




Repeat after me...........gasoline produces explosive vapors, not
fumes..............gasoline produces explosive vapors, not
fumes...........gasoline produces explosive vapors, not
fumes..............gasoline produces explosive vapors, not fumes.......;-)