Distributor caps and Ignition wires

[sammaw@bellsout]

Hi Guys, I just received a parts order from VB to begin work on the 64 SIV I bought in November. The cap is a screw on, but the wires they sent are press on. I figured they would know enough about this stuff to send compatible parts, live and learn. The questions for you:

1) They show a cap for press on leads but show the application as being for a SV, will this fit the OE distributor on the SIV 1.6 engine? (page 93 winter special cat.)

or

2) Can the wires be modified by cutting/crimping the contacts on the dist end and and fit in the screw terminals?


Thanks for your help

 

[mikephillips]

Either option will work as caps interchange across all series. If you go the route of altering the wires you'll need the plastic screw in nuts for the cap and the brass washer that goes on the bottom that the wire core goes through that keeps the wire from pulling out of the cap. I'd say the easier route is to get the other cap.

 

[mxp01]

By the way if your affraid of cutting your spark plug wires becuase if you cut one to short you will have to order a new set from VB or SS (I did this with my Bugeye) . I have found that the wires are avaliable at any Auto Parts store (along with plugs).

Cade P

 

[sammaw@bellsout]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I'll swap the cap out with them.

Sam

 

[Green67Alpine]

I figured they would know enough about this stuff to send compatible parts, live and learn.
]

You were talking to an order taker, not someone who knows about cars, just another reason to support Sunbeam vendors..
Sam, your right live and learn, I also made that same mistake although with different parts.

Tom j

 

[64beam]

Hi,

Surely if you sent the leads or the cap back to VB, they would exchange them for the correct item or are they still too unreasonable to customers? Sorry, I just don't like VB from previous experience; They make me .

Regards, Robin.

 

[Alpine Bob]

The last time I called "VB" to order an Overdrive solenoid I had a hard copy and was on the internet in their catolog. I gave the order taker the part number and told her what page it was on, still the order taker told me they don't have any Sunbeam parts, and she said she never heard of Sunbeams. I asked her to put on her supervisor, then I got the soleniod ordered and then everything went smooth from there on. Now my overdrive works fine.

 

[skywords]

I like the NOS caps that the leads come out the side with the brass posts. Just a personal preference. My SII had the push in type with aluminum posts and one lead kept popping off even though it pushed in tight. A real nuisance.

 

[sammaw@bellsout]

I sent the cap back for exchange. I understand that the person on the phone is just a cubical bound, phonebank operator, but when I explained why a person would order a mismatch due to the fact the catalog application data indicated the cables fit all series, and the cap ordered fits a series IV, which is a member of the indicated models, the reasonable person would expect the cap and wires to match, and since the catalog is muddled in this area, she should pass the discrepancies back to management so it wouldn't trip up other customers in future catalogs, thus saving money and time. The response was " I don't have any way to communicate what you just told me to any anyone who could do something"

By policy, They will exchange without any additional shipping charges, but I pay to send it back.

I did get all the other parts I ordered OK, so I have got plenty to do before I need the cap.

 

[64beam]

I sent the cap back for exchange. I understand that the person on the phone is just a cubical bound, phonebank operator, but when I explained why a person would order a mismatch due to the fact the catalog application data indicated the cables fit all series, and the cap ordered fits a series IV, which is a member of the indicated models, the reasonable person would expect the cap and wires to match, and since the catalog is muddled in this area, she should pass the discrepancies back to management so it wouldn't trip up other customers in future catalogs, thus saving money and time. The response was " I don't have any way to communicate what you just told me to any anyone who could do something"

By policy, They will exchange without any additional shipping charges, but I pay to send it back.

I did get all the other parts I ordered OK, so I have got plenty to do before I need the cap.

What great customers service! I'm glad I canceled my order when I tried to deal with them after reading these last few posts. Near enough must be good enough in their eyes. What a joke. Good to hear you got your part sorted out, but it should be at their expense though.

Regards, Robin.

Regards, Robin.

 

[sammaw@bellsout]

I understand their business model, its to make things available at a low cost to them, and a reasonable cost to the customer, much like a walmart. And like a Walmart, you take the good with the bad. In the big scheme of things there is a place for them, and I'm glad they are there. As time goes by, parts for limited demand items will be harder and harder to come by, and we will need as many vendors as we can to have parts to serve us. My lesson is to be sure of what I need, seek advice from the group if I'm not sure, and hope the vendor parts are of the quality necessary to do the job.

 

[Tom H]

I've had similar problems with VB. By and large I am glad they are there. But it WAS extremely frustrating one time when I got the wrong part because of an errror or omission in their catalog. And so I went into great detail explaining to the phone person how VB could correct the problem so VB and their customers could avoid this problem in the future. And I recall her answer was very similar (maybe exactly the same as) "I don't have any way to communicate what you just told me to any anyone who could do something" . I was flabbergasted!

Tom H