Wires need to be replaced I think I can't do them today though because they didn't have any in stock. The majority of the wires are corroded and brown rusty colored on the inside. The guy said it would be a good idea to replace them but since they didn't have any in stock he suggested that I just apply a small dab of electrical grease and smooth it out in the boot end of the wires with a Q-tip or something...


But I do have one important question, now looking at the bottom of the rotor there are two slots, one narrow plastic slot, and one wide slot with a metal tab slided into it. I have to get the narrow plastic slot onto the narrow piece of the distributor shaft right? Do I just slide it in there as far as I can all the way in? I applied a good amount of electrical grease on there to ease the sliding, I am leaving the grease on there I just need a reply from anyone here before I do the next step.


I got the new cap, new rotor, thats about it, the spark plug wires will be changed soon though...

and do I have to make sure the rotor is seated ALL the way down, like it is touching the base of it.


Basically what is happening now is that I applied the grease and I am sliding the rotor onto the distributor shaft...what is happening is I can easily pull the rotor out again....is this supposed to happen?

I am trying my best to push it all the way down and I am really trying to force it too but its not going down any further, i did the crowbar test again and there's still a marginal gap, I lubricated the thing all over the place...from top to bottom, it seems easy enough to put it on and granted the same way goes for it coming off.


EDIT: I am really really desperate to get this thing going, please anyone help me. I need to get this done I have so much stuff to do tomorrow I cannot afford to leave the car out of service for 4 days. I need help....please!!!!!!
I need help guys, I need this car functional by tomorrow because I got alot of stuff to do tomorrow and having an inoperative car won't help me by much....

 

It isn't necessary to put that electrical grease stuff in order to put the rotor on.

The rotor IS NOT supposed to sit at the bottom of the distributor shaft, there will still be a good inch or so of the shaft visible after you put the rotor on.

Try cleaning all of the built up rust on the shaft off, and then put the rotor on and push it down with your palm as far as it can go without forcing it. You have to remember that it is made out of plastic and forcing it WILL break it.

Wipe all that grease off as good as you can, and just try putting it on the normal way. As long as the cap slides on and bolts down fine, you know the rotor is on fine.

 

I just did it because it would make my life easier in the long run, anyway I did put alot so I got a towel and qiped off alot of it, and I put the rotor back in, as far as I can.

Anyway I pushed the rotor in as far as I could...it wont budge anymore, so I said screw it. So I am putting the distributor cap back on, I get the right screw in JUST FINE, then I go back to tighten the left one, and the damn thing WILL not lock onto the threads. I am starting to get very irritated with this. I have to leave in one hour to do a bunch of crap today...

Is it ok if I leave the left screw like this, I mean the cap is pretty secure in, a little loose but not like wobbly like it'll fall offf...

 

still waiting on any answer

 

The rotor just slips on. It doesn't really snap on perse but it is just a friction fit. The grease you put on more than likely just made it slide on easier. I would wipe most of that off.

You can use a little dialectric grease on the spark plug wire terminal ends but you don't want to just slop it in there. I would go to another store and get a set of wires. Advance auto parts, Autozone, NAPA, and sometimes even walmart or Meijers will have a set of wires.

The cap should come to rest over the top of the distributor. You may have to rock it back and forth to get the threads started. Make sure you didn't just pull the screws to far out of the cap. Sometimes that will prevent them from engaging the threads on the distributor.

 

well I got the screw on and fitted the cap just fine...but read this....

ok so I got everything on and going...

Now......SES light came on while I was taking her out for a test run....what may have caused this to chime in?

I know it cant be the EGR valve cause I replaced that about 3 months ago to be exact along with the EGR solenoid.


any Ideas? The car seems to run a bit better, when I pulled in back home, I shut the car car off, the SES light came on as the car fired up too, I switched it off again, still on, then once again still on, final time it went away....

Did I do anything wrong???

 

When I was changing my cap and rotor, I noticed that somehow the vacuum line for the MAP sensor came loose and that threw a code.