5.0 EFI distributor

Just wanted to know what type of maintenance is needed on the 90's era 5.0L EFI distributor? Such as when you do a tune-up, what needs to be replaced on it.

on a normal tune-up I would just replace the cap and roter and plugs and wires as needed . and set timing to 12'

what I don't get is why you would even have to replace the cap and rotor, since it is not a points type system where the rotor actually touches the points on the cap and wears it down over time. I figured that with the exception of the spark plug wires it would be virtually maintenance free.

The cap material (plastic) breaks down over time. That allows tracks to form, maybe shorting from one post to another...causing a misfire. If you are running a high energy ignition, lots of volts, it only gets easier for the spark to go to the wrong place. As resistce goes up, the spark will find the easiest grond...which is not always the one you want it to choose.

Also, if you take a good look at the rotor tip, it starts to get corrosion from deposits from the inner post. I have used a file or emery cloth, in an emergency to clean them up in the past, but its best to replace them.

Finally, a lot of the caps use some kind of what looks like compressed powdered metal (aluminum?) for the posts. I have seen them corroded to the point that the turn white, changing back to an "oxide"?...anyway, it creates more resistance, again leading to a misfire. There are a few MFG's that still make caps with Brass posts, but they are sometimes hard to find.