Rebuilding Distributor-tips?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 619
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From: Normal, IL
Rebuilding Distributor-tips?
Thanks KED for the detailed instructions on doing it, but can someone give me some bright ideas for removal and reinstallation? Specifically, how not to shoot my timing in the foot? Any tips appreciated.
KED: is any petroleum based axle grease good? I'd hate to to cause an engine fire if things got too warm back there... Thanks.
-Reno
Cerberus rescue underway...
------------------
'88 Firebird LB8
"Cerberus"
-Supercharged Hybrid LB8/L32 Project-
"Got a green light, got a red light, no cop, no stop, man I don't care, every one of you could be the same, every one of you could play this game, got a green light, got a green light but you're going nowhere..."
http://www.angelfire.com/il/Firebird28/index.html
KED: is any petroleum based axle grease good? I'd hate to to cause an engine fire if things got too warm back there... Thanks.
-Reno
Cerberus rescue underway...
------------------
'88 Firebird LB8
"Cerberus"
-Supercharged Hybrid LB8/L32 Project-
"Got a green light, got a red light, no cop, no stop, man I don't care, every one of you could be the same, every one of you could play this game, got a green light, got a green light but you're going nowhere..."
http://www.angelfire.com/il/Firebird28/index.html
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 1
From: ****SoCal, USA****
Hey Reno,
On the shaft, you are only laying a film, not packing bearings!
Bring the engine up to number one, pull off cap. OBSERVE POSITION OF DISTRIBUTOR & ROTOR IN RELATION TO SURROUNDINGS.
Pull it out.
When ya pop it back in, make it looks the same.
MAKE SURE you use a chevy small block distributor gasket, with a film of Black RTV on it.
Harderst part?
Installing the bolt.
I made a stud set up, for ease of distributor installation.
You, can too.
There are no shims. It comes out, pop out pin, observe what you are doing, check clearances, visually, clean, re lube, put back together.
I never did one before.
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
On the shaft, you are only laying a film, not packing bearings!
Bring the engine up to number one, pull off cap. OBSERVE POSITION OF DISTRIBUTOR & ROTOR IN RELATION TO SURROUNDINGS.
Pull it out.
When ya pop it back in, make it looks the same.
MAKE SURE you use a chevy small block distributor gasket, with a film of Black RTV on it.
Harderst part?
Installing the bolt.
I made a stud set up, for ease of distributor installation.
You, can too.
There are no shims. It comes out, pop out pin, observe what you are doing, check clearances, visually, clean, re lube, put back together.
I never did one before.
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
Supreme Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 13,414
Likes: 6
From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Actually, I prefer to replace the 1-inch inside-diameter O-ring seal on the distributor shaft, instead of using the gasket. But if you can't find an o-ring then the gasket's a great backup! (I get my o-rings from a "real" parts store, not AutoZone/Pep Boys/etc).
I used a thin layer of high-temp bearing grease on the shaft.
I think I mentioned this before... under the dist cap (not part of the dist cap), there are 6 metal "fingers" attached to the distributor base, and a magnetic reluctor located on the distributor shaft. These can have light rust on them; they're just magnetic. I used a feeler gauge (for valve adjustments) to make sure all the fingers were an even distance from all 6 of the reluctor's tiny magnets. You can feel this, too. When you're done rebuilding the dist, and are ready to install it, leave the cap/rotor off. Spin the gear with your fingers; note the "ease" that it spins with. Now, use the feeler gauge as a guide to bend all the fingers an even distance from the magnets- none should touch!! The fingers can be bent by hand, they move easily. When done, spin the gear again. It should be slightly harder to spin, and you'll feel a "pulse" every time the fingers line up with the reluctor. This results in your pick-up coil getting a stronger "sense" from the reluctor.
Make sure to use the included high-temp grease on the underside of the module. I went a step further, and bought a $5 tube of "heat sink grease" from Radio Shack. It's the same stuff that comes with a new module, but you get more. I used a ton of grease between the two, since heat kills modules!
Oh- watch the clip that you pry off the distributor base to remove the pick-up coil with. I used pliers to unstick mine, and the f'ing thing flew across the room- glad it wasn't into my eye.
On my '86, for some reason, the cold-start-injector connector was holding the distributor in. I had to remove the connector (at rear of intake manifold's base, slightly to driver's side of distributor hole) to get the distributor out.
If you have a timing gun, you don't have to worry about keeping the original rotor position in check. First, get the engine to TDC of cyl #1 (front passenger side) so the mark on the balancer lines up with 0 degrees. Then, choose a terminal on your distributor cap to be the "#1" terminal! (Any terminal works fine.) Mark that terminal with white-out. Put the cap on. Mark the base of the distributor, in line with the #1 cap terminal, with white-out. I mark the edge of the base first, that's about a 1/8 inch wide. Remove the cap. Extend the white-out line "straight", in towards the center of the distrib, so you can see it.
Put the rotor on. Next, put a light coating of oil onto the distributor o-ring, and into the hole on the intake manifold (makes life a bit easier). Slide the distrib in so when it's fully seated, the rotor points to the white-out mark you made on the distrib base. (designating cyl #1's spark plug wire). This has you timed for 0 degrees advance. Now reconnect the distrib's wires, reinstall the cold-start-injector connector (if removed), the distrib cap, and the plug wires. (Firing order goes clockwise from #1.)
Rotate the cap counter-clockwise to give the motor some advance. Disconnect the EST bypass, hook up your timing light, and start the engine. If it won't start, let off the key, rotate the cap a bit more counter-clockwise, and try again. My motor (and my friend's swapped 2.8) doesn't start at 0 deg advance... yours might be the same.
The Haynes covers all of this... good luck! There's also this old message of mine, where I wax eloquent on the reason why the #1 plug terminal can be anywhere on a distributor cap: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000866.html
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited April 12, 2001).]
I used a thin layer of high-temp bearing grease on the shaft.
I think I mentioned this before... under the dist cap (not part of the dist cap), there are 6 metal "fingers" attached to the distributor base, and a magnetic reluctor located on the distributor shaft. These can have light rust on them; they're just magnetic. I used a feeler gauge (for valve adjustments) to make sure all the fingers were an even distance from all 6 of the reluctor's tiny magnets. You can feel this, too. When you're done rebuilding the dist, and are ready to install it, leave the cap/rotor off. Spin the gear with your fingers; note the "ease" that it spins with. Now, use the feeler gauge as a guide to bend all the fingers an even distance from the magnets- none should touch!! The fingers can be bent by hand, they move easily. When done, spin the gear again. It should be slightly harder to spin, and you'll feel a "pulse" every time the fingers line up with the reluctor. This results in your pick-up coil getting a stronger "sense" from the reluctor.
Make sure to use the included high-temp grease on the underside of the module. I went a step further, and bought a $5 tube of "heat sink grease" from Radio Shack. It's the same stuff that comes with a new module, but you get more. I used a ton of grease between the two, since heat kills modules!
Oh- watch the clip that you pry off the distributor base to remove the pick-up coil with. I used pliers to unstick mine, and the f'ing thing flew across the room- glad it wasn't into my eye.
On my '86, for some reason, the cold-start-injector connector was holding the distributor in. I had to remove the connector (at rear of intake manifold's base, slightly to driver's side of distributor hole) to get the distributor out.
If you have a timing gun, you don't have to worry about keeping the original rotor position in check. First, get the engine to TDC of cyl #1 (front passenger side) so the mark on the balancer lines up with 0 degrees. Then, choose a terminal on your distributor cap to be the "#1" terminal! (Any terminal works fine.) Mark that terminal with white-out. Put the cap on. Mark the base of the distributor, in line with the #1 cap terminal, with white-out. I mark the edge of the base first, that's about a 1/8 inch wide. Remove the cap. Extend the white-out line "straight", in towards the center of the distrib, so you can see it.
Put the rotor on. Next, put a light coating of oil onto the distributor o-ring, and into the hole on the intake manifold (makes life a bit easier). Slide the distrib in so when it's fully seated, the rotor points to the white-out mark you made on the distrib base. (designating cyl #1's spark plug wire). This has you timed for 0 degrees advance. Now reconnect the distrib's wires, reinstall the cold-start-injector connector (if removed), the distrib cap, and the plug wires. (Firing order goes clockwise from #1.)Rotate the cap counter-clockwise to give the motor some advance. Disconnect the EST bypass, hook up your timing light, and start the engine. If it won't start, let off the key, rotate the cap a bit more counter-clockwise, and try again. My motor (and my friend's swapped 2.8) doesn't start at 0 deg advance... yours might be the same.
The Haynes covers all of this... good luck! There's also this old message of mine, where I wax eloquent on the reason why the #1 plug terminal can be anywhere on a distributor cap: https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/...ML/000866.html
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited April 12, 2001).]
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 1
From: ****SoCal, USA****
Hi Tom,
Thanks for filling in the blanks.
The points you brought out are kinda there, when you see the distributor in your hands.
I hadn't a clue what those items were called when I was rebuilding dist. I only knew, clean, align, by sight, check clearnces, keep at it, until it was correct.
For ease of work, you CAN leave the plug wires attached to the cap, in the car.
It's one less detail to attend to.
Keep at it, Reno.
Just remember, when I rebuilt mine, I STILL did not have spark. Pissed? I was at the oh why not stage. Then I got my other coil. Started right up sounding great. So the time, I did invest in rebuilding dist, did pay off!
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
Thanks for filling in the blanks.
The points you brought out are kinda there, when you see the distributor in your hands.
I hadn't a clue what those items were called when I was rebuilding dist. I only knew, clean, align, by sight, check clearnces, keep at it, until it was correct.
For ease of work, you CAN leave the plug wires attached to the cap, in the car.
It's one less detail to attend to.
Keep at it, Reno.
Just remember, when I rebuilt mine, I STILL did not have spark. Pissed? I was at the oh why not stage. Then I got my other coil. Started right up sounding great. So the time, I did invest in rebuilding dist, did pay off!
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
Supreme Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 13,414
Likes: 6
From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Hehehe, yeah, I know most of my stuff would be obvious later, but I figured I'd paint more on the "easy procedure" idea for Rick! Plus, it gives me something different to do at wor... uh, at my jo... uh... for lunch!
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 1
From: ****SoCal, USA****
Wish I had your help back then, when my car died at an intersection. I just ripped it out and looked at it. I had no true guide for every detail, as it was pretty obvious, once it was in your hands.
But, as long as Reno gets rolling onto his graduation dreams, cool!
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
But, as long as Reno gets rolling onto his graduation dreams, cool!
------------------
Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 619
Likes: 0
From: Normal, IL
Got the pickup coil and cap today (anyone heard of Conrad caps? I'm not sure if I trust it, but they didn't have Accel or Delco, and it is MSD Red, so...).
Everyone keep your wires crossed for me tomorrow, hopefully I'll have it home again on Sunday!
-Reno
Everyone keep your wires crossed for me tomorrow, hopefully I'll have it home again on Sunday!
-Reno
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Supreme Member
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From: First one out of liberty city, burn it to the ground
it was the dist like i said?
------------------
1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in
Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers (ready to install), Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, 4th Gen Seats (not front yet)
" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".
------------------
1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in
Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers (ready to install), Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, 4th Gen Seats (not front yet)
" I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to NOT run at all ".
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