The subject says it all... take off the cap and rotor, and then the Chiltons says to undo 3 more screws... where are these. The only thing I can find really are some rivits that hold the pickup coil together.

I'd really like to be able to do this at home and save alotta cash.

So help me out here! And as always, thanks for your time.


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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

Unless the 2.8's distributor is put together differently than a V8's, yu'll need to pull the distributor and knock the rollpin out that holds the gear on, then slide the shaft out to access the PU coil.

 

F'ing A... damnit, oh well... maybe if I take my mechanics daughter out on a date he'll let labor charges slip through...

Is it easier than it sounds?

Could a nervous novice pull it off no problems?

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

i brought my distributor to a mechanic and he installed the new pickup coil for $10.
it took him 10 minutes to do.

 

Xeno,

It is easier than it looks. It's important to note the position of the rotor (and base, if you don't want to or can't reset timing!) before removing the distributor. Once it's out, just remove the roll pin and slide the shaft out like 8Mike9 said, and you will have access to the coil. Don't force anything and you will do fine.

Good Luck,

Ken

 

The three screws are on top of the distributor module; they hold the module to the base. Yeah man, the rebuild is cake; and you don't need to remove the module to change the pick-up coil. (It'd be a good thing to replace though, since you're in there.) Also- you'll have a 1-inch inside diameter O-ring on the distributor shaft. Replace it!! You can find bags of O-rings at Pep Boys.. go by their lug nuts (not the chrome ones) and hardware section. You'll see metal drawers with all kinds of stuff in 'em, like brake bleeder screws, carb return springs, etc. One has O-rings. I bought a bag of 5 "one-inch-inside-diameter" o-rings for $1.50. Slice the old one off, put some oil on the new one, and roll it up into position. That'll prevent any oil leak from happening (and it might fix any oil leak you have now).

While you're in there, make the air gaps even. Buy a $5 "valve feeler tool".. looks like a spark plug gapper with many thin blades on it. With your distrib out, you'll see 6 "fingers" around a steel disc. The disc is a reluctor; it has 6 magnets. When the 6 fingers align with the 6 magnets, a magnetic pulse is generated- and that's picked up by the pick-up coil. The gap between the fingers & magnets opens up... use the valve feeler gauge to make them all the same distance- BUT NOT TOUCHING. You can bend the fingers with your fingers; they bend easily and don't need much squeezing. Use a feeler blade that's thin...

If you remove your distrib hold-down bolt and the distributor won't yank up, your cold-start-injector's wiring connector might be in the way. Make sure to mark the positions as Ken says.


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-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
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