brass vs aluminum contacts in ignition

[grumpyvette]

Is use of brass contacts in a distributor cap any better than aluminum on the contacts in the distributor and/or rotor?

The reason that I ask is that everybody seems to hold ALUMINUM COMPONENTS in contempt. Maybe it is because it is the only material used on cheap import components. But, AL comes on stock Chevy stuff.

short answer aluminum, or zink is used in the cheaper products ,
aluminum, conducts voltage with less resistance than brass and wears and corrodes,much faster and turns to white flakes far faster than brass.
most ignitions function at 35K -50K volts , and low amps so the minimal difference in the materials resistance value, and the ignition wire you select is, going to have a much larger effect on your engines performance, than the contact material in the distributor cap, ESPECIALLY if the distributor cap and rotor parts are changed when worn, when you visually inspect the cap and rotor the distributor contact or rotor material being used for corrosion, the clearances between the rotor and contacts in the cap and the electrical resistance in the spark plugs and ignition wires all have an effect on how fast the contacts in the distributor cap, coil contact button,rotor spring contact, degrade as the arc from the rotor eat the electrically conductive surface's.
it may be a surprise to many guys that its generally the clearances and spark gap distance inside the rotor and cap assembly,and the thickness and strength of the plastic components, not the materials used for the contacts that cause most issues,

you might want to watch this video on swapping to low resistance ignition wire

http://www.tibtech.com/conductivity.php

brass is far more durable but its more expensive, and the plastic, alkaloid, or Bakelite cap quality is just as important to the function as the contacts, and its been my experience the quality of ignition wire used is even more important

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ouble-shooting-rebuilding-hei-ignitions.2798/

http://www.carid.com/1984-chevy-corvett ... 68495.html

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/spark-plug-info.202/#post-25061

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/ignition-wire-crimp-tool.2749/#post-11799

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ting-rebuilding-hei-ignitions.2798/#post-7247

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...n-isolating-ignition-problems.2828/#post-7301

http://www.taylorvertex.com/hei-distributors/

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...s-getting-the-header-clearance.840/#post-4078

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1320&p=41102&hilit=vertex#p41102

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=232

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=855

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=2798

 

[87vette81big]

Only Vertex Magnetos use 100 % pure Copper Electrodes.
Pure Alkyd plastic construction special caps & rotors.
Even the old brown cap vertex Mags I have, late 1958- 1970 survived, no corrosion or wear.
Aviation Grade.
Not Chuna.