I got my 85 camaro today and i want to do a really good tune up and replace what i can. Its a MFI V6 just for some background info

Ive never done a distibutor replace before and was wonderin if it was ez to do. I want to replace the cap/rotor and whatever else i need to replace with it, Its goin to get new plugs and cables as while. Any suggetions or tips would be greatly appreciated??

 

Don't replace the distributor. Just the cap and rotor is sufficient unless there is a need to go further. CHange the wires and plugs. Set your TPS and base timing. I am not sure if your engine has a minimum air setting; if so set it, if not don't sweat it. Good luck...

 

Thanx for the info

I have no clue when it come to rotor/cap or distubutors so im not sure where to start or how to do it right for that matter

 

Its pretty easy to do if you are careful. Get yourself a good service manual. There are two small screws on the sides of the cap. These hold it to the distributor. The rotor simply slides on the the top of the distributor shaft inside the cap. They can be stubborn to pull off, but it will. When it is off and with the new rotor in your hand you will see how it goes together. THe shaft has a groove and rotor has a tab that inserts into the groove. This indexes it so it is aligned properly. After that place your cap back on the distributor. Tighten the screws and reinstall your plug wires. I would mark which wires go to which cylinder before I take them off the cap. This should make it easier for you to put back together. Good luck...

 

I'd also like to add that when taking the cap off, label all of your spark plug wires, we wouldnt want a misfiring engine would we? Label them and make a diagram of where they go. The center wire goes to your coil, label that C (for coil, or center). When you have the cap finally off, check the distributor internals for any corrosion, this will aid in saving you further trouble. My internals corroded and it caused my ICM (also under the distributor cap) to keep breaking. The final result: I replaced the distributor. So if there is a large amount of rust and corrosion, I'd recommend replacing it. If you do replace it, you'll get a new O-ring gasket for the distributor as well, which will help down the line too when it comes to leaking oil. Good luck with everything hope I was able to help.

 

The o-ring is a 1-inch-inside-diameter piece. If you go to a "real" parts store (not a Pep Boys or Strauss or etc- you want the guys that sell parts to real mechanics; the places with dirty floors, dirty counters with overfilled ashtrays on them, and an overpriced selection of old car wax in their aisles- which nobody ever buys), they'll have a red box behind the counter with an assortment of o-rings. I got charged 50 cents for an o-ring... overpriced, obviously, but who cares?

A few years later, I found a bag of the o-rings in Pep Boys. It was in a metal drawer in their hardware aisle, next to freeze plugs and carb return springs and dowels and lug nuts. I think I paid 1.29 for them. Hey wait; we have a part # for that... let me do a search-

(Too lazy to retype it, might as well quote it.) We've covered a distributor rebuild many times on the v6 forum...

 

replacing the cap and rotor is pretty simple..putting it together is pretty easy what i do is this..i take off the bolts on the old one..remove it and put it right next to the new one. This way its easy to compare and assemble it. For some reason alotta companies that sell cap and rotors have made a few changes in the design of the bolts (different from OEM slightly) so be sure to put the new bolts in and toss the old ones. But yea if your doing this for the first time these guys are right you should have a good service manual as well.