carbon rod in distributor cap

It is sold as a separate piece Ken but I'm sure it is nutty in price. I would go to your local autoparts store and look at a cap for a mid 60's small block Chevy and see if it is close.

 

I've purchased them from Ferrari for my 412, could be the same, it is available from Ferrari, I found the part number in one of the 412 service bulletins

Prior to that I've also extracted the carbon pin from a new 70's Fiat distributor cap, (heaps cheaper than a new Ferrari cap.)

M

 

Ken....you can "McGyver" by one by ripping apart an old "C" or "D" cell, they have a nice carbon rod thru them, the rod is soft and can be sanded or carved...the trick is to fasten the spring to hold on to the section of rod.
Either neck down the upper end of the rod by carving or sanding, if the spring has a full circle on one end...or....carve a thread pattern on the outside of the rod and screw the spring onto the rod. Measure out your length to give a little extra to keep tension on the butt end sitting on the top of the rotor.
I am not saying this is the perfect solution, but...on a 25 ft Cobia with a SBC sitting about 20 miles off Walkers Cay, it just might be enough....

Gary

 

Does anyone know the part number?

Mike

 

When I went through this I learned there to be two different diameter cabons. The one then available would not fit my '84 400i. It does fit the new replacement caps. In my case the spring had perished while acting as the "contact".

You will not believe the difference in operation an actual carbon contact will make. Plus, the old cap makes a dandy, though expensive, pen holder in the garage.

Greg

 

The carbonico for a 400 is smaller than the other caps and I have never seen it available by itself.

The one for all the twin distributor motors is available and can be ground down to fit, I have done it but it is a major PIA.


All the American distributor caps I am aware of the carbon is attached to the cap and will not come out. The springy contact on the rotor takes care of the moving part of the contact.

 

Lack of a carbonico will not effect timing but it will destroy a cap and rotor given enough time.

The distributor and the distributor drive are both notorious for causing ignition timing issues on that motor. Erratic timing, no advance or large sudden changes in timing are common problems due to one or the other. My routine was to take off the cap and firmly try and turn the rotor first one way then the other. If it moves and does not return on its own you have an issue with the drive. That's just one check.

 

GREAT! One MORE thing I have to keep an eye on.

 

"Note that car ran with NO carbon rod at all."

There is a lot of "juice" available to jump that gap inside the cap. However the system was never intended to operate as a welder. Energy must have been lost during the jump that would be better used at the plug.
I think you'll be pleased with the repair over time.
Greg

 

From service bulletin 80-40, 7/15/89
The carbon & spring is part number 150567

Suits TR/328/Mondial 3.2 and 412.

M

 

But not any of the caps for single distributor V12 motors. There is no number because it is not offered as a separate part. It is shown in the parts books with the note that it is not sold separately.

 

That makes for a very expensive carbon rod if that is all you need.

 

No kidding but in fairness who else sells "parts" for distributor caps. Ferrari is not the only car in the world with stupid expensive distributor caps either. Some of the very obscure caps and rotors from Bosch have been getting stupid money for a very long time.

 

This is why I never throw anything away.