Is this the new normal for parts.....ie Vortec dist. cap

[Tom]

I'd say its weather related. Here in Phoenix I changed the oem cap at around 120k miles and 10yrs old because tune up. Current one is about 70k and another 10yrs on it without issues.

[Mr_Rich]

Since smog testing is required every two years here in Calif. I always made it a point to replace my ignition parts before the testing. I always liked to use Accel dist. caps with the brass contacts until they started making them in China. They didn't fit right any more. I try to use exclusively USA made parts like dist. caps on my engine. True; hard to find. When you live closer to the coast like myself then there is more dampness which creates more of that oxidation on the contacts than drier climates, in my thinking anyway. I think it's hard to get quality parts now, period.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Tom

I'd say its weather related. Here in Phoenix I changed the oem cap at around 120k miles and 10yrs old because tune up. Current one is about 70k and another 10yrs on it without issues.

Smithfield, Virginia is right across the end of the James River from Newport News here the James River bay empties into the end of the Chesapeake bay and the Atlantic ocean.
That area is a bit more than hellaciously humid in the summer. Newport News is closely akin to Hotlanta Georgia in the summer.
I bet there's plenty of fresh ocean air there... Along with that fresh smell and humidity is a fair amount of sea salt. That ain't good for stuff made of metal. It's especially bad for really reactive metals like the aluminum posts used in cheaper distributor caps. Brass won't fare a lot better but it'll last a little longer than Aluminum.