How long has it been since the distributor cap has been changed?   I would
attribute it to an old cap that needed changing.  After a time there is
corrosion
build up which causes resistance which causes the carbon build up.  Also,
maybe
that last person that reconnected it didn't do a very good job which
allowed more
carbon build up and hence a resistive connection and bad running because of
a crappy spark to each cylinder....

Steven
91 Westy

On Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 8:10 AM, Sondergaard, Arlene <asonder@usgs.gov>wrote:

> My 87 vanagon idled rough and died this morning.
> Tightened up distributor cap wires just in case
> and the middle one came off in my hand.
> It was all carbon-no wires connecting anything!
> What would cause this?
>
> I have been having power issues for months.
> Maybe it was the distributor cap all along.
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Arlene Sondergaard
> CVO Sediment Lab
> 1300 SE Cardinal Court, Suite 100
> Vancouver, WA  98683
> 360-993-8943
> asonder@usgs.gov
>