So recently my Camaro stopped running. I didn't know what it was because when I went to turn the key none of my dash lights (service engine soon, seat belt ect.) went on. I thought it was the starter or the chip in the key. I wasn't sure, so I got my car towed to the Chevrolet dealer. They said it was my distributor, and they told me my knock sensor went bad. They said the reason my distributor failed was because my aftermarket air cleaner rubbed a small hole into the wire connecting my ignition coil to the distributor. They said I needed to replace my distributor; it was going to cost $1100 and I don't have that kind of money. My question is, if i just replace the cap and rotor will that fix the problem or do I have to replace the entire distributor? Also if I have to replace the entire distributor whats the best way to go about it?

P.S. I have a 91 RS 305, please help me so I can get her running again.

Also can someone post a link to a flat bottom air cleaner.

Thank you,

Lou

 

Bad move

If only the wire is faulty why do you need a new dist.
Just replace the wire from coil to dist.

Hey , splash out and buy a whole new plug wire set for $30
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ACC-4065/

If you need a new dist <$150 will buy you one and you can learn how to replace it yourself on here

 

Yeah I honestly don't know why I need to replace the entire distributor but thats what they told me. I think the guy said something about the ignition coil wire arcing against the air cleaner, I'm not an electrician, but I don't understand why that would cause a perfectly fine distributor from working. It could be BS what they told me, just to try and make more money. I will try to replace that wire and see what happens.

Any other input?

 

It's 20+ years old. Swap it out for a new, or reman one and be done with it. New plugs and wires too. You won't regret it.

 

Yeah, I'll probably replace the whole system once I get the money together. I'll probably end up seeing if just replacing the cap and rotor will help first though.

If that doesn't work out I do need to know the best way to replace the distributor.

 

theres only 1 way to replace a distributor. un bolt the hold down, pull it out, put new one in, verify timing is correct, tighten hold down.

however if you lost power to the interior of your car then its not the distributor. its possible that if the ign wire did arc due to your aircleaner rubing a wire bare it could have poped one or more of the fusable links.

 

I watched some videos online saying you had to line up the rotor with the number one piston and all kinds of stuff like that..... If i just use a timing light, could I correctly set the timing? Without having to line up the rotor with the number one piston and all that.

Also what are some other fusable links I should check into incase the arcing wire blew some more fuses out.

 

lining up the rotor is part of the "verify timing" and its a piece of cake. all you have to do is take out the #1 spark plug. stick a finger in the hole and have someone turn the engine over until you feel pressure, then line up the timing mark to 0*. where ever the rotor points in the cap is the #1 wire. then you can set the timing to where it needs to be with a timing light.

the fusable links are black plastic looking things on the wires that bolt to the starter. theyre ment to seperate and stop current to important things if the amp load gets to high, just like a fuse. they look like this:

 

they arent actual fuses in the sense you can just un plug and replace them. you have to buy a new section of wire with a fusable link and splice that in, or just use straight wire and do away with them.

 

Yeah it doesn't sound too bad. I go home this weekend from college for Thanksgiving so ill give it a try then hopefully it all works out.

 

When removing the old dist just carefully note the position of the rotor. Install the new one to that same position. The dist will turn some as it drops and engages the cam gear. Watch how the other one turned as it came out and drop the new one in the same way. This should place it within a few degrees of correct timing. Hit it with a timing gun and go.

Spinning it to number one with the dist out may cause some effort re-aligning the oil pump shaft. It may also be difficult to turn the motor over with all the plugs in and accessories hooked up.