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Distributor Question

B_to_C

B_to_C

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Can the actual distributor "go bad" or are the cap and rotor the only "wear" parts?

What would be the symptoms if the distributor itself went bad?


(I'm trying to track down a stalling when hot problem and the distributor is one of the only things on top of the engine I haven't replaced...1990 TBI motor)
 
cap, rotor, ign module, vac module, advance weights just to name a few off the top of my head are all in/on the dizzy
 
The problem you just described is either the ignition module or the pick up coil located within the distributor. I always like to replace both at the same time.

There are other things that can wear out such as the bushings but that won't give you the problem you're having.

Also being a TBI distributor there are no mechanical weights or vacuum advance on those distributors.
 
The problem you just described is either the ignition module or the pick up coil located within the distributor.
Click to expand...

Right, that is what I thought too, but I have replaced both of those.
 
So you replaced the pick coil that is INSIDE the distributor? If so then the only other variable would be the ignition coil.
 
Hmmmm, ok, no I have not replaced te pick up coil inside the distributor...just the "coil" outside the distributor.

*edit*

This is what I replaced:

99747.jpg
 
B_to_C said:
Hmmmm, ok, no I have not replaced te pick up coil inside the distributor...just the "coil" outside the distributor.
Click to expand...

Kinda what i figured. People don't always understand that there are more than one type of "coil" on GM vehicles with HEI. The downside to the pick up coil is that the distributor has to come out and all the way apart in order to change it but it is an easy job.
 
Once the distributor is out you must remove the roll pin holding the gear on and then remove the gear (sometimes they need to be pressed off but most times they will slide off). Now you need to remove the distributor shaft (it gets gummy inside so WD40 is your friend here). Once that shaft is removed you must break a clip that holds the pick up coil onto the distributor housing and then unplug and remove the pick up coil. The new pick up coil will come with a new clip so don't worry. Now just clean the distributor up and reinstall everything in the reversee order.

The part number is a Standard Ignition LX342
 
I had my Distro apart a while ago to replace the pick-up coil. When that didn't fix the problem, with all other components already ruled out I was just about stumped when I found the culpret.

The distro shaft magnets had lost almost all of thier magnetism. Because of that the Pick-up coil was not firing off of the reluctor. That fault had me going for 2 days though.
 
I actually had that happen too. We drove the K5 up to the ski slopes no problems. Went out to leave and no start. It was a long cold wait in the parking lot until we were picked-up. Of course a blizzard blew in. Next day we went back to fix it, before the blizzard we narrowed it down to spark. Check everything with no luck and decided the only thing left was the pick-up coil. Replaced the distributor, and it worked.
 
mrk5 said:
I actually had that happen too. We drove the K5 up to the ski slopes no problems. Went out to leave and no start. It was a long cold wait in the parking lot until we were picked-up. Of course a blizzard blew in. Next day we went back to fix it, before the blizzard we narrowed it down to spark. Check everything with no luck and decided the only thing left was the pick-up coil. Replaced the distributor, and it worked.
Click to expand...

Yup, but whole distributor ~= $140
4x4HIGH's method ~= $18

This was a good thread! :D
 
Now you have something to work on while I get my Detroit installed. :thinking:
 
B_to_C said:
Yup, but whole distributor ~= $140
4x4HIGH's method ~= $18

This was a good thread! :D
Click to expand...

Got news for you. When you buy a rebuilt distributor the ignition module and pick up coil are usually good used tested components. If you don't believe me ask the parts store. If they're honest about it they'll tell you, but if not they don't want you to know that the part you're buying has used (but tested good) parts in them.
 
Yep, I had pickup coil issues on my truck. The truck would act like it was starving for fuel when it got hot and would eventually shut off. Problem was the pickup coil. I have also had a cracked reluctor ring that made the truck run like crap.

Harley
 
4X4HIGH said:
Got news for you. When you buy a rebuilt distributor the ignition module and pick up coil are usually good used tested components. If you don't believe me ask the parts store. If they're honest about it they'll tell you, but if not they don't want you to know that the part you're buying has used (but tested good) parts in them.
Click to expand...

Heck, up here @ Monument a new dizzy (all new, not reman) is $99 versus the remans at $89... they don't sell very many remans.

-- A
 
Update to this thread...


Well on Sunday July 29th I replaced the pickup coil in the distributor, per 4X4HIGH's instructions.

At this point I was completely clueless about the fact that the rotation of the distributor is what affects engine timing. So I made no reference markings whatsoever and did not even know I should of had a timing light handy.

The truck started but had a rough idle and a "ticking" (or pinging) under acceleration. [timing was off]

I did not know what was happening but figured "screw it I don't have time to deal with this right now because I have to be out of my apartment by midnight on Tuesday" (lease was up).

So all during monday I drove around with the ticking noise and rough idle.

Tuesday comes, and after a shift at work, and a 3 hour class I get home ready to pack up my entire apartment and move down to Denver. The plan was to take everything in one trip...but I had more stuff than I could do in one trip so at 10:30pm I left Boulder with ahlf of my stuff strapped onto my truck.

On the highway there was a loud "BOOM" and my truck stalled....I pulled to the side and tried to look around for what had obviously just exploeded off of my truck -didn't find anything. Truck started up, I made it to denver and dropped off my first load.

On the way back to boulder to pick up the second load I was cruising along at 2500 RPM and all of a sudden :0 RPM :eek1::doah:

I could not get the truck restarted so I called for a tow. It turns out it was the same tow truck driver that I had pick me up on saturday the 28th (the impetus for this thread). We got to talking and I told him we couldn't haul my truck back to my apartment because the landlord would be by in the morning to check out the apartment and make sure we were gone. So he dropped my truck off at my work parking lot and then me at my apartment. He also loaned me the bag of tools that was in the tow truck because he felt bad for me (I had removed my trucks toolbox so I could load more stuff onto my truck...and the tools were a couple hours drive away).

I had to be at work at 6am :doah:. So between 1:30am and 5:30am my girlfriend and I moved all of my stuff out of my apartment onto the curb and finished cleaning the apartment.

I started walking to work.

At 6:10, as I was walking to work (but obviously not going to get there anytime soon) I called my boss to tell her the situation and the frist thing she said was "you better not be calling in today!"

She picked me up and drove me back to work. She did however give me a 2 hour lunch break and the keys to her jeep so I could shuttle stuff from my apartment curb to my truck.

So now the rest of my worldly possessions are strapped to my broken down truck in my work parking lot :crazy:. Vagrants starting circling like vulchers, but one of my coworkers who is into amature wrestling managed to scare them all off.

In between work and school I was able to diagnose that there was no spark coming from the distributor. At this point I decided to bite the bullet and replace the entire distributor. While I was there I also pciked up a timing light and distributor wrench :wink1:.

The next day, after working another shift at work, I replaced the distributor and mrk5 talked me through how to set the timing (via cell phone).

By thursday night all of my things were safe and my truck was running great.

CLIFF NOTES: NEWBS, before you mess with the distributor know how to set timing!
 
I just felt bad that I didn't realize just how clueless you were about the distributor. I would have been a little more pro-active in helping with the initial fix on that Sunday.

As my favorite philosophy goes, live and learn. :doah:
 
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