The 10 Best Cap And Rotor Kits
This wiki has been updated 26 times since it was first published in October of 2016. Whether it's because the stock components failed or you want your vehicle performing at its very best, replacing your distributor cap and rotor can help to keep your engine running well. These kits are guaranteed to restore the power and efficiency of your ignition system and let you get more out of your machine. Note that you should observe all electrical safety protocols when installing. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Accel 8132ACC
2. Mallory 208M
3. MSD 8482
Editor's Notes
November 19, 2020:
In this update we removed the ACDelco Ignition due to availability concerns and replaced it with the more current ACDelco D329A, which is also a replacement for GM V8 engines. We also removed the Proform 66947RC due to a lack of consumer interest and replaced it with the Big Autoparts D303A, a far more popular option designed for GMC 8-cylinder engines.
If replacing vehicle parts has gotten you in the mood for more affordable tune-ups, check out the best headlight restoration kits, car cleaning kits, and car detailing kits.
July 31, 2019:
Distributor ignition systems require the periodic replacement of the cap and rotor components because of mechanical wear and because the constant arcing across the cap contacts and the rotor eventually oxidize them. These type of systems are considered mechanically controlled because they are directly connected to the camshaft and timing systems in the engine. They have now been nearly universally replaced by electronic ignition systems like the popular coil-on-plug system. Electronic ignitions are much more efficient, require less maintenance, and eliminate mechanical wear in the ignition process.
Distributors are nevertheless common in older model automobiles and particularly, in marine engines. This is why we included the Quicksilver 805759Q3 which has design features that allow it to perform in the hazardous conditions that marine engines are exposed to. For performance enhancements to mechanically controlled ignitions, the Mallory 208M and the MSD 8482 can be used in conjunction with high-output distributors and camshafts to yield sizable gains.
All auto repair and modification is dangerous and should only be performed by trained technicians to avoid personal injury or damage to equipment.
4. Hypertech 4060
5. Quicksilver 805759Q3
6. Big Autoparts D303A
7. Taylor Cable 918132
8. Pertronix HEI D4002
9. ACDelco D329A
10. NTK 3D1090
Luke is a writer, director, and illustrator living in Massachusetts. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Literary Arts from Brown University, where he honed his skills as a writer and editor working for various campus newspapers, festivals, and film organizations. Upon graduating he traveled the world, eating scorpions in Thailand and hitchhiking across New Zealand before settling down in New England to write prose fiction. An autodidact and media sponge, he’s well-versed in topics such as literature, nonfiction, textbooks, film, television, recording equipment, video games, and art supplies. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, boxing, playing the piano, and translating complex subjects into plain language.