Black D309 Dist. caps

[Tommy_Mathison]

Why are there black and brown D309 caps? I assume only brown is assembly line corect?

Tommy M.

[Pacecarjeff]

Black is correct - brown caps were for ultra heavy duty applications, and were not factory installed, except in very rare instances. NCRS is still trying to figure that out. ???

[Keith Tedford]

GM Oshawa used to have the parts distribution facility in the north end of the car/truck assembly complex. When they ran short of parts, it was not uncommon for them to clean out the parts warehouse of a given part just to keep the line going. That could explain the oddballs thrown in here and there. I have a couple of black D309 caps number 1942654 and they are still in their orange, black and white boxes. There is no Delco-Remy lettering on the top of the caps. I think that these would have been typical over-the-counter pieces perhaps. I also have a black Delco cap with "Delco Remy Patent Pending R moulded into the top. It is brand new and came on an old King ignition tester that I bought a couple of years ago. I was told that it is correct for our '69s.

[Verne_Frantz]

Keith, The engine plants installed the distributor in the engine before it was racked and shipped to the vehicle assembly plants. Perhaps if a cap was damaged, then it would have to be replaced at the assembly plant, so it's possible there were a couple varieties floating around.

Verne

[Salvatore]

I thought the brown caps were for the high horsepower BB corvettes? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Keith Tedford]

I was just referring to parts in general. You are right about the engines coming in with the distributors already installed. The parts complex next door was pretty handy. GM workers could actually go in and buy parts over the counter just like at a dealership. It was a regular stop for us car guys in the late '60s and early '70s. We also got to see lists of obsolete stuff that was being sold off to dealers at discounted prices.

[Pacecarjeff]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought the brown caps were for the high horsepower BB corvettes? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Typically the brown caps were found on the L88, and L89 Corvettes in 1967. NCRS still is not 100% sure and still trying to prove that this is really true. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Tommy_Mathison]

Wern't the copper contact D309R caps used for all high HP solid lifter applications? Most were brown but I just pulled the string on a D309R Delco Orange and White can and it was black with copper contacts. Im confused...

Tommy M

[wundercluck]

I thought the brown caps were just used with T. I. Ignition?

[Lynn]

[ QUOTE ]
I thought the brown caps were just used with T. I. Ignition?

[/ QUOTE ]

That is what I thought.

[Tommy_Mathison]

Now I am super confused!

Tommy M

[Mr70]

Either Cap color/design was possible in those Delco cans.
Both cap designs are D309R.That's why most Vendors won't pull the string seal when selling...Let the buyer do that.
I've never been to clear on the caps color exact applications.

[Salvatore]

I believe the replacemnt caps were aluminum. We used to buy aluminum and copper from Chevy in the old days. I still think the brown caps came on the vettes only. Maybe because of the Transisitor ignition system. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[3macs1]

I'm with pace car jeff on this one " brown caps were for ultra heavy duty applications, but I don't agree they were not factory installed. I remember them on some vettes and lets make it real confusing chev 366/427 dump trucks.

[Tommy_Mathison]

So which cap came on the 69 z/28?

Tommy M

[John Brown]

[ QUOTE ]
So which cap came on the 69 z/28? Tommy M

[/ QUOTE ]

D308R, black cap with aluminum terminals. "R" on the cap.

[HEMIBEE]

isnt the D309 the factory installed cap and the D309R a replacement? i have 3 new D309R caps and they all are copper terminal, also i agree the heavy duty applications used the brown cap, I have a 69 l89 camaro that (as far as i know) came with the brown cap, but i wasnt there when it was built,



Rich

[Pacecarjeff]

The "R" is for Resistor.
GM started using resistor plugs and caps in 1969.
309R is correct for 1969 and later applications.

[John Brown]

D309 was superceded by D309R in 1969. Had something to do with FCC requirements for static/radio emissions. Both numbers were brown (at least earlier production was) with copper terminals. D309/D309R caps were used with T.I. ignition and on heavy duty trucks. IHC, White, REO etc. Most of the black D309R caps I have seen came in red, white, and blue Delco zip top boxes with the blue painted steel tops. Most of the old orange and white boxes with the black painted tops still contained brown caps.

[3macs1]

Interesting. So they were on the trucks in the US also. I remember them well in canada since we used to rob them off the chevy trucks with the HD point sets to go racing. Had no money for accel or HP wires in those days.