This is a review of the Napa Echlin MA5 cap that replaces the Mallory 2-piece cap # 4001 that goes on the YC & ZC distributor. Im writing this to give you some insight on this replacement cap, & to help you save some money. I ordered the MA5 cap <ST1</ST1last week because I wasnt willing to spend the money to find a used cap online. Hot rodding is NOT about spending $200 on a expendable Mallory NOS distributor cap! The first thing I noticed was how heavy it felt, similar to the Mallory. I was initially thinking it would be a small version of the regular Delco window cap (thin & cheap), but its not. Its more like they used the 4004 lower half in the mold, & custom made the top for a 1-piece unit. The quality is excellent. The thickness & finish feel about the same as the original Mallory. It also has the same outside dimensions. <O</O On the inside, the MA5 has some differences over the 4001. First of all, it has 2 ribs that surround the center button instead of one. This gives more surface area in the cap to lessen a short on the inside surface. This may be an advantage if you plan on running a high power ignition system. <O</OAnother advantage is the option to use better wires. Even though Pertronix makes a nice black 7mm wire, I can now step up to the Taylor 8.2 Thundervolt wires. <O</OOverall, for the $16 I spent on this cap, I am very happy with it. Its still a small cap which will clear my intake & firewall, & it looks good. Since I plan on driving my vehicle a lot, I will save my NOS 4001 cap & 7mm wires for the shows. The rotor replacement is p/n MA-7 more pics below http://59chevypickup.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=7596653
They might, but I don't have the p/n. BTW, the p/n for the YC rotor is MA7. I haven't ordered one of those yet.
You could probably use the 8 cyl cap on a four and just plug the unused posts... ugly, but effective.
i bought a nos mallory 2pc cap complete dist ....the guy also sent me some stuff he had.......including a brown 2pc mallory cap 8cly that inside the cap on ever other cly there was a grd strap running to where it would contact the dist housing when installed >was this factory or???the 4 unused positions on cap where undrilled makes me think from factory or special order................
For years most banger people have used the more findable 8 cylinder inner under an ancient 4 cylinder outer cap. You can still go with the 8, but now it will look like hell...
This guy is making good $$ on the Napa caps [only $20 at napa] http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mallory-400...Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e7894204&vxp=mtr He even snagged my photo for his ad http://59chevypickup.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=7596653
Well, he even says in the item description that they are made by Echlin. If you read that and still pay him $100 without checking it out at your nearest NAPA store first, you deserve to be fleeced.
BTW, I also have an old brown bakelite Mallory cap - p/n 24001 Does this cap use a different rotor from the 4001 black cap?
I just buy $20 distributers and rob the cap offa them, the original mallory caps are near indistructable and probably will outlast your motor anyway.....
The contact points are different from each other and take a different rotor, Alchemy did a post about it a while back.
The classic 4004 cap is the only reason that I run the old Mallory dist. My mistake the old cap is a 4004.
The 24001 cap is brown & older (50's)? The 4001 cap is the later one & it's black. Here's a good thread on it... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238386&highlight=mallory+cap
Is the replacement gasketed like the original? I wonder if it can be used on the super-mag or if the voltage will just blow thru it?
I din't, but my little bro did: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238386&highlight=mallory
thought i had photos but only found these poor scans of the actual cap cap is only drilled for four of the eight ....if you look close at scan inside cap you can makeout the grd straps that connect every other segment of cap to grdout on the dist housing when cap is installed on dist////on thinking about this it would have worked better to just remove every other lobe on the dist cam don't you think so too???
I never throw away an old Mallory 2 piece cap. I keep some very worn out glass bead powder around to bead blast the terminals to get rid of the corrosion. I dust the cap pieces with some clear from a spray bomb just enough to restore the natural color. They come out looking like new. The caps are pretty beefy when compared to a GM window points cap. I've never had one crack so if you get rid of the corrosion and restore it cosmetically it will be fine IMHO. If you have an old unsightly cap give it a try. It broke my heart to have to sacrifice this cap so that the ignition could be phased but you do what you got to do.
The MA5 is on back order from the factory with no idea when they will make new ones so that is a big bummer hopefully they actually make some soon
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