Stripped one of the distributor cap screw threads.
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
Likes: 2
From: Long Island, New York
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 (The best engine ever made)
Did this on my tune up about 6 months ago, and I think it's causing my idle to "pulse". The one screw is holding it in but the other screw is in as tight as it goes before it starts spinning. I replaced the distributor itself because it was on its way out, I replaced it about a year ago. Any ideas? The cap is slightly "slanted" with one side further down than the other.
I get on and off vibrations in the steering wheel about every 3 seconds.
It runs great except for that.
New plugs, wires, cap, rotor.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
I get on and off vibrations in the steering wheel about every 3 seconds.
It runs great except for that.
New plugs, wires, cap, rotor.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 8,357
Likes: 103
From: Canton, MI
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
The cap hold down screws appear to be M5-.80 threads. I matched up the threads on the cap screw and a M5-.80 screw and they were a perfect match, and the M5-.80 screw threaded into my spare distributor perfectly.
I tried matching up the cap screw with an SAE 10-32 screw and the threads are off.
Here's a link to Helicoil. You can look up the drill and tap size you need for the M5-.80 screw.
http://www.helicoil.in/pdf/HeliCoil%20Catalogue.pdf
There is very little edge distance available on the distributor screw holes so make sure that if you want to Helicoil the buggered up hole that the Helicoil drill diameter will fit within the given material on the distributor.
Helicoiling the hole is definately a bench function. I wouldn't attempt it with the distributor mounted on the engine.
Good luck
I tried matching up the cap screw with an SAE 10-32 screw and the threads are off.
Here's a link to Helicoil. You can look up the drill and tap size you need for the M5-.80 screw.
http://www.helicoil.in/pdf/HeliCoil%20Catalogue.pdf
There is very little edge distance available on the distributor screw holes so make sure that if you want to Helicoil the buggered up hole that the Helicoil drill diameter will fit within the given material on the distributor.
Helicoiling the hole is definately a bench function. I wouldn't attempt it with the distributor mounted on the engine.
Good luck
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
Likes: 2
From: Long Island, New York
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 (The best engine ever made)
Is there anything else that could cause this "pulse and shudder" in idle other than the ignition system? The tach doesn't twitch at all when it does this either.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Thread Starter
Seasoned Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
Likes: 2
From: Long Island, New York
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 (The best engine ever made)
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CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
There are options for a "funky" repair. Maybe a thin strip of beer can, (3/32's?) in the hole with a small "L" on the top end. That effectably makes the hole smaller. Or when my 84 did that IIRC I drilled the hole in the cap a little bigger and found a screw that would grab. Might have been a sheet metal screw. There is also "form a thread" Basically it's an epoxy, comes with anti-seize you put on the the threads so after if sets you can unscrew it. Worked for the points cover on my old Honda.
Seasoned Member

Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 452
Likes: 3
From: Duluth, MN
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Try some diagnostics on your own to determine the cause. Just because my ride does ____________ and I did __________ to fix it, should actually mean nothing to you, unless of course you just like wasting money.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,579
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,579
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0



