For those that have done it, how hard is it to change? My dad doesnt want me to do it because he said i will mess up the timming. If i pull it straight up and slip the new one under neath and make sure the distributor doesnt turn, i should be fine right?

 

Pretty easy job. Before you pull the dizzy, index it so that the rotor points to #1 wire. When you finish, index it again to #1 and your timing should be close. Be sure to coat the o-ring with oil before you set the dizzy back in the hole. I made that mistake and had to do it all over again

 

I dont have a timming gun though. can i get by without it?

 

You can but timing won't be spot on. You might be able to rent one from a parts store or borrow one locally for the one use.

 

Mark the distributor where it meets up with the intake, mark the rotor to the distributor. When you drop the distributor back in make sure the marks line up and it'll be the same as it was before you pulled it. It's usually a 10 minute job.

 

The factory part number for the distributor O ring for our cars is 10477565. About $1.27 for a little box of five from GM parts direct. These are the updated brown O rings made of vitron which are more resistant to gas and oil. The original O ring is black, and they all have about a million cracks in them when you remove them. Biggest problem in changing the distributor O ring is often pulling the distributor out of the engine. The O ring tends to cement itself in there after years of being cooked. If this happens squirt a little solvent like CRC BraKleen down the distributor shaft between the engine and the shaft, (use the red extension tube that comes with the can) let it soak and the distributor will come right out.

 

Most autoparts stores should have the Felpro piece. I can't remember the cost since it was years ago and employee discounted anyway. I cheated on the install. My roomate is/was a mechanic so I pulled the car in his shop after driving all over town in 100+ degree July heat and paid him $10 to lean over a boiling hot engine. Mine was either so rotted it was just goop in the groove, no longer anything resembling an o-ring. You can also double up and use a SBC distributor gasket too, but you risk raising the distributor and throwing off the drive gear in relation to the camshaft.

 

Does anyone now if the Felpro O-ring (p/n 70800) is any better or as good as the AC Delco (p/n 10477565)?

Is the material the same?

Is AC Delco 10477565 Viton?

Here's a link to material possibilities:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/114/3382

 

Yes, the AC Delco 10477565 distributor O-ring is viton, and brown in color. This is an upgraded part from the original black distributor O-ring that came with the thirdgen F-cars when they were new.

 

thanks. I have the ac delco part on order. I also picked one up from mcmaster.