quick quick distributor question

Fitting a distributor today, it was a makayo one and it came with a rubber cap over one of the heads on the distributorcap (a blank one with some metal in it from what I could tell, it's not meant to attach a lead there because it's not one of the numbered ones), possibly some sort of vent?

fiddling about with it, they put the screws in with cement or something because I couldn't get into it for over an hour to check which way the arm inside was facing for fitment, been hot and humid today I've lost my temper with it about 4 times

Finally got it into the car now, stopped for tea, just looked, at some point the p*ssing rubber cap has disappeared and I've looked everywhere

Do I need it? is it gonna let moisture in and fail sooner without it?
 
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worst thing is, i've took a picture to post in the other thread later (if it starts that is, if not i'm going to the pub and getting blitzed cos i'm stressed and sick of the fkn thing) and in the picture it's right there attached still, of course i only see that picture after I tear the house apart looking for it

I had oil and grease all over my hands from trying to get this seated in there and making sure the bolts aren't gonna rust on me later, i'm twisting it to get it lined up dropping everything and at some point it's come off and probably either blown away or some kid has picked it up
 
DIY perseverance, practice & manual dexterity can pay off big time to save on a lifetime’s garage bills? :cool:
for sure, although it doesn't do wonders for your hairline and/or heart haha

I'm really short on cash at the moment, not been too well. But I saved myself a £225 tow home in December when it died on me thanks to my family, to sort the NATS issue would have been another £150 for a tow to the dealership and however much they'd have wanted for re-programming (if they could still even do it) and then another £150 tow from there to a garage, then cost of diagnostics to find out what issue blew my fuses and killed the ECU in the first place, and then labour costs to fit the new one. Probably a grand and a half total.

I'm not a mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but I've spent less than £250, wouldn't like to count the hours, it takes me an hour to do simple things like get 3 screws loose, spent 3 hours testing fuses and relays. The noise of it finally starting up after all that time was sweet though. Nothing but a fire or a crash is gonna kill this car :ROFLMAO:
 
ECU/Distributer Failure?

Now that it’s running after apparent ECU & distributor failure, in that order, it may be advisable to reconsider the initial fault possibilities that may have caused very rare K11 ECU failure in the first instance?

Did anything unusual occur or any intermittent odd anomaly issues occur prior to total ECU failure such as:-

  • Lamps or fuses failing?
  • Ignition switch intermittent issues?
  • Starter noises/ intermittent issues/sticking in/out/failure?
  • Alternator output/charging issues

“In God we trust, all others we inspect, check, test & verify”.
 
ECU/Distributer Failure?

Now that it’s running after apparent ECU & distributor failure, in that order, it may be advisable to reconsider the initial fault possibilities that may have caused very rare K11 ECU failure in the first instance?

Did anything unusual occur or any intermittent odd anomaly issues occur prior to total ECU failure such as:-

  • Lamps or fuses failing?
  • Ignition switch intermittent issues?
  • Starter noises/ intermittent issues/sticking in/out/failure?
  • Alternator output/charging issues

“In God we trust, all others we inspect, check, test & verify”.

When it broke down the AA did a test on the battery and confirmed it was okay, the starter was good, ruling both out he seemed to think it was a fuel issue, which lead me down the road of fuel-filter and injectors in the first place which originally lead me to NATS.

The front headlight on the right has been intermittently failing for the last 2-3 years, it could be fixed by getting out and either banging on the front or opening the bonnet and fiddling around with the wires so I put it down to a loose connection. I've already bought some ceramic connectors so I'm hoping that fixes the issue. There's also condensation inside the lamp now because it's been standing for 6 months over winter so I've gotta figure out how to sort that.

I think the reason the ECU failed was because the wrong size fuse was in. I've never touched the fuse box since I bought it 6 years back. The distributor has been swapped once but the last time it went it didn't take any fuses. This time it blew a fuse as it went, and it blew an oversized one (I think it was a 15amp in place of a 10amp)... that's the only thing I can think of that could have taken out the ECU, just a massive overvoltage from the ignition system which wasn't caught quick enough. Maybe the voltage is higher if the car is rolling at 40mph in gear at the time of failure too since the alternator is turning fast? The only other thing I can think of that could kill the ECU was it was a cold night the night it broke, it was 2am, I had the feet warmers on and the blowers are right above it. I'd also washed the car about an hour before I set off (so around 7pm). It was dry when I eventually took the ECU out but that was a month later. Perhaps some condensation or damp in the surrounding carpets from the blower/car wash or temperature shock from being 25 celcius and then being -2c as I'm parked at a service station a couple times getting a coffee and then being 25c again as I'm driving along the motorway trying to stay warm throughout this journey?

It has been complicated to diagnose because I took the AA's word that my ECU/immobiliser effected upon the starter motor/fuel pump and it was only since making this account here I learn it was the injectors I should have been testing with NATS.

Overall a difficult issue to sort. It's an old car and the last 2 years it's been under some neglect because I've been off work ill and not had the cash to keep fixing and maintaining it. There's a lot of small things wrong which I'm hoping to slowly put right now because I don't want to scrap this car unless I absolutely have to. Just lots of little issues that need sorting really so I can keep it going as long as possible.
 
Quote; “it's been standing for 6 months over winter”.

When standing unattended & unused for 6 months the firewall drain channels & ventilation system ducting drain holes can become restricted with debris, (leafs etc) leading to cabin water leaks & possibly dripping onto/into the ECU?

May I suggest having a good inspection of the old ECU for any evidence of high tide water marks outside & inside it together with damp under the carpets?

To keep old banger K11s running “we inspect, check, test & verify” in order to pre-empt avoid issues repeating or developing, when possible.

Good luck
 
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