Distributor Shield
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Distributor Shield
My 74 has a Pertronix electronic ignition installed. When I bought the car the chrome cover for the distrbutor was not on, but the owner did have it. It would not fit over the new distributor. I have modified it slightly so it now fits nicely. My question, will this cover cause any heat issues with the Pertronix? There is plenty of clearence under the cover for the wires, etc. but just wondering if there could be any issues. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
That 'shield' is to drain off electrical emissions so that the radio output isn't noisy (static). It is not a heat shield. If your radio output is 'clean', don't worry about it. If you get static, pops, clicks, etc. as the engine speed increases, then you need some electrical shielding around the distributor & coil.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Distibutor Shield
Thanks for your reply, I know the cover is for radio static suppression, I was more concerned if the cover could trap too much heat around the coil on top of the Pertronix dist, and maybe that is why the previous owner left it off? Have others coverted pre 75 to electronic ignitions and been able to use the cover/shield without problems?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
There should be quite a bit of airflow in the engine compartment and that shielding is open at the bottom. It shouldn't be an issue, unless you have headers. If your engine is running hot at idle/low speeds, you might want to work on the timing/advance settings there. If you have your vacuum advance hooked to a "timed" port [instead of manifold vacuum port], swap it over. The purpose of hooking to the timed port was to MAKE the engine run hot at idle/low speeds so it would burn off more hydrocarbons; doing so isn't really the best thing for the engine.
