How to Replace a Distributor Cap in Toyota?

The rotor spins inside the distributor cap. At the end of the rotor is a curved metal piece. At each spark plug, inside the distributor cap are metal posts that are cut out. When rotor spins inside cap a spark jumps from the rotor end to the post, to the plug wire ,to the spark plug.The space between the rotor and post in the cap where the spark jumps, is the air gap.

I guess you could have the ignition analyzed on an oscilloscope. Maybe a tech could see something then.
I always heard the only gap was the spark plug gap-the rotor has no gap-are you sure you got the correct rotor? And does it touch the top distributor cap coil wire tower?

Let us know. It is a mystery worthy of a solution.

It sounds like the spark plug wires are not plugged into the correct place on the distrubutor. take the distributor cap off and crank the engine over. Make a note of which direction the rotor spins. (Clockwise, or Counterclockwise) then find the firing order for that engine. Sometimes the firing order is on the intake manifold. (if you tell me which engine it has, the 4 cylinder 2.0, or the 6 cylinder 2.5; I could post you the firing order). Now on the distributor cap there is one wire post that has the #1 on it, that would be where you put the spark plug wire from cylinder 1. Following the rotation of the distributor rotor, you would put the spark plug wire for the next cylinder in the firing order after the #1 wire, and so on.

This diagram is for 1998-1995 Chevy 6 cylinder 4.3L engines.
Your got the firing order exactly correct, at 1-6-5-4-3-2, but here's the thing to double-check:
The distributor rotation is clockwise (note badly rendered arrow in picture).





Since you probably got everything right, then you're left with really unusual/rare causes of
failure of the ignition system:
(a) rotor button misaligned/failing to make contact?
(b) rotor button not pressed onto distributor shaft far enough therefore failing to provide correct
proximity to distributor cap contacts when coil fires
(c) coil wire or contact loose/disconnected - press coil wire firmly down into distributor cap.
(d) distributor shaft of other damage caused during installation of rotor.
(e) spark plug wires defective from factory
(f) spark plugs defective from factory
(g) battery low - may need a charge to start
(h) ICM (ignition control module) failure - hook up your HEI (high energy ignition) tester, and
watch the quality of the spark on each cylinder.
(i) fuel problem? If spark is being properly delivered, its gotta be a fuel problem...
(j) distributor cap not screwed down flush to top of distributor? maybe just on one side?

Inspect the inside of the distributor cap - if there are lots of little metal bits all over the inside
of the distributor cap, then you know you have a misalignment of some type in there, and the
rotor and cap are destroying each other. normal operation will throw a quota of spark-ed off
metal bits inside the distributor cap, but since your cap is brand new, your attempts to start
the engine should have rotated the distributor so few times, you should see no metal debris.

Inspect the distributor cap contacts to see if any spark marks are more of less in the middle
of the cap's proper "contact zone". If not, you've diagnosed an internal misalignment, which
you know how to correct.

With limited information , I would have to say start with checking, all fuses under the dash first.then check to see if its getting fuel , and if theres spark. The easiest way i found to do this is to take the top of the air cleaner off via the wing nut or bolt in the center, set aside ,use a flashlight to look into the tbi unit which looks like a carborator,stand on side of vehicle keep hands and face back as to not get hurt, and have someone turn the engine over, as its cranking there should be fuel squirting into the venturi to go into the engine if not possible bad fuel pump. to check for spark the safest way is to use a spark tester found at your local auto parts dealer or tool store harbor freight for $3.00, you unplug any of your spark plug wires plug it into wire and onto the spark plug, and again have someone crank the engine over, if no spark check all elecrical connections, if good check distributor cap and rotor which is behind the aircleaner, remove the aircleaner housing noting where the hoses went that you unhook set aside, theres two bolts on the sides of the cap i think there either 6 or 7 mm gently pull cap up being careful not to unhook the plug wires, turn sideways so you can look inside youll see silver nubs 6 for 6 cylinder 8 for 8 cylinder should be clean if not replace, also youll notice a plastic disk that spins inside the cap still attached to the distributor should have a small spring like peice of metal in center also should be clean and a little metal tab sticking out one end this should be clean as well , if these are all good then possible bad distributor control module its under the rotor two small bolts hold it in place and it plugs into your wiring harness. to reasseble just start here and read upward. pictures 1st distributor cap and rotor, 2nd is distributor control module, third the air cleaner assembly 4th is the tbi unit