What can be causing this???

[Methodical]

I was driving the car the other weekend (just had time to look at yesterday) and it felt like it was missing. So I remove the distributor cap and this is what I saw, plus the distributor cap contacts had a greenish colored buildup on them which you can see inside the distributor. The distributor is a rebuilt stock one from Napa. The distributor cap is made by Accel. I'm thinking of taking the distributor back but want to make sure it's not something else that's causing this issue. I will clean the contacts and see what happens.

What could be causing this buildup?

Thanks
Al

 

[StinkinLincoln]

wells thats from water. the rust really got to the bolt and started to spread is what it looks like. the green is corrosion, like on a battery, but again probably from water. does the car sit up for extended periods of time?

 

[greenlantern]

I agree looks like moisture.

 

[desertcox05]

that rotor looks old too. when was the last time the cap and rotor was replaced. my car ran like crap with the stock cap and rotor, then put on a msd cap and rotor on and it felt like a different car

 

[tstang21]

+1 cap/rotor. also make sure your spark plug boots are not touching the headers. that will cause the boot to melt and creates misfires like crazy.

 

[Methodical]

that rotor looks old too. when was the last time the cap and rotor was replaced. my car ran like crap with the stock cap and rotor, then put on a msd cap and rotor on and it felt like a different car

The cap and rotor is pretty new. I may have 100 miles on it, if that but had it for 2-3 months though.

 

[Methodical]

wells thats from water. the rust really got to the bolt and started to spread is what it looks like. the green is corrosion, like on a battery, but again probably from water. does the car sit up for extended periods of time?

If its water then its a mystery where it comes from because it doesn't get water under the hood.

Any yes the car does sit probably longer than its driven because its not my daily driver and if I have other things going on in my life it doesn't see much activity.

Thanks for the replies fellas