Friends TH was sounding as if it had a bolt inside a cylinder so after reading on the forum I looked in the distributor. The cap was worn so took the one out of a TH I have here and problem was solved. Then, as her distributor had an oil leak, ordered a second hand one off eBay as a replacement which arrived yesterday.

On the original cap the ferrite/carbon rod in the centre of the cap that feeds voltage to rotor was recessed into and flush with the cap and there was no sign of a spring fed action to make contact with the rotor centre.

On the one I got out of the second TH to replace it with, the rod was on a spring which moved freely in the cap to make contact with the rotor.

On the eBay distributor once again no sign of spring action with the rod recessed into, and flush with, the cap.

Here is the question.

Are the recessed rods Ok, or dysfunctional?

Thanks.

No, they are worn out

Thought so. It's wierd how they retract into the cap, any reason for that phenomena? Thanks for the prompt reply.

Not retracted, just worn down. Try pushing them further in, see if they pop out. May be jammed.

No locked solid unfortunately. thanks for the suggestion though.

Well the sellers apologised and said he is sending a good one so all is well that etc.

Good for them to do that, did they advertise as a "distributor" or a "Distributor with cap and button"

Just as 'Distributor' with 90 day guarantee. Ashley Auto Wrecking Breakwater $55 posted.

Just checked my spare distributor cap that I picked up at the wreckers. A good 5 to 6 mm of carbon rod sticking out, moves freely under spring tension, very little wear on the tip. Might be newish, the car it came off certainly wasn't. Never seen one worn down flush with its seat.

They dont generally wear but more often the carbon tip gets jammed or the spring shits iteself thus it does not longer protrude

If advertised as a Distributor then it is good of them to offer another cap as generally when a distributor is sold that is what you are buying, a distributor.

It's part of a car that has stayed the same since the model T Ford. lol
At least COP doesn't have this weakness.