E420 Distributor Rotors
 

Need some advise. I've getting ready to order distributor caps and rotors for my '94 E420 and am a bit confused. I pulled the caps this weekend and they do in fact need to be replaced. Rotors have the adaptor plate/bracket.

I've been to the DIY section here and appreciate the post on replacing caps and rotors. However in searching for parts on-line I came across a warning about a new rotor and how using it with the old bracket can cause a fire!?

I'm trying to figure out which bracket and rotor combination I should use as I'm planning a road trip later this month and an engine compartment fire somewhere on I-5 doesn't sound like fun.

Thanks,

I did mine at 60K and bought them from FastLane but do not know what you mean about plate/bracket adapter I just pushed rotor on the spindle. Have had them on for 13K miles no problem and followed the DIY info here...real easy job.

Gary-

My rotors screw down with allen nuts (3mm like the DIY shows) and sit on a steel (alum?) bracket. Caps use 5mm allen to loosen/install.

Ky

I just replaced my rotor & cap at 179,000 but did not replace the back plate.
I had not heard about the possibility of fire... but I would certainly be interested if anyone could add something about that.

Usualy I try to do any DIY job at least 2 or three times over to get it right so this would give me an excuse to get back in there and hone my skills :D

ky guy...I stand corrected. I just looked at the DIY again and yes they do screw down....Its been around 2 years since I did this and I forgot,,,,I must have been thinking about the 69 TR-6 I used to have.

Ordered parts arrived late last week and I tackled the replacement this weekend between rain showers (hey, the 6.3 owns the garage!).

Most of the confusion was around the "replaces part number..." issue. So I just ordered the cap, rotor and rotor mounting bracket. The "new" parts all looked exactly the same the number matched. Car has about 60K on it and I'm sure what I took out were factory installed. Who knew? Old parts showed signs of wear and exposure to heat.

Used the site's DIY on this and whole remove/replace process took less than 1 hour. Seem to be getting better mileage. This is flat out easy job and something not to be overlooked.

Ciao for now,

A 1994 V8 E-Class still has cap / rotor? My 95 E320 (and the '94, too) have electronic distributorless ignition. (Coil packs)

Yep, the M119 engine upto 1995 in the USA, still uses a rotor & cap.

When the M119 engine in 1996+ moved to ME electronics (from LH), then it went to distributorless (aka, coil-packs).

:-) neil