How do you change distributor on 92 Chevy 1500?

Answer 1

Depending on your knowledge of engines as to the amount of info you'll need. Basically, facing engine, the first spark plug on your right ( drivers side ) is cylinder #1. Remove plug wire and spark plug. Have someone bump starter ( w ignition/key switch) while you hold your finger over the hole where that plug was. When that cylinder goes into the compression stroke, it will blow air out of the hole. Once it starts blowing out, bump starter in TINY increments until it pushes air hard enough it will basically push your finger off the hole. STOP! Remove distributor cap. Rotor button ( the plastic piece on top of the distributor shaft w a strip of metal that runs from flat in the center, to a raised tab, where it puts spark to cap ) The raised end or tab should be pointing almost straight to the cylinder you removed plug from. Trace the plug wire you removed, to the cap. If that wire sits over the position of the tab on rotor, you are at TDC ( top dead center ) Here is where your knowledge comes in. To guarantee your at TDC, ideally you would remove the valve cover, and check to see that both the intake and exhaust valves are closed. Real mechanics will probably dog me for telling you this way, but I've done iy like this my whole life. Then again, I'm a Country Boy, and there's nothing we can't do! Removing the valve cover will cost time, aggravation, money ( gaskets, sealer etc ) If that rotor is pointing at that cylinder, and would strike the distributor cap in that position, it's safe to say you're there. IF the rotor is PAST that cylinder, you've passed TDC. IF it's not quite to that cylinder, you can put a long handle 1/2 inch drive ratchet & socket on the bolt holding the Harmonic balancer on, turn the engine CLOCKWISE until you get rotor in place. If you have passed it, start this process over, w distributor cap OFF, so you can see the rotor as it comes up on TDC again. You could have done this the first time, but it was safer the way I wrote it if you have no experience finding TDC. Once satisfied you're at TDC ( rotor where you want it in position to cap, ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE, meaning blowing air out of cylinder ) Take soap stick, or chalk, something that you'll be able to see, and on the intake make a mark showing where the rotor tab is pointing. With a 9/16 wrench, loosen bolt under distributor on the left side, enough that the hold down tab will slide away from base of distributor. You may have to remove it completely. They differ sometimes. Now, you're ready to remove distributor. Put your fingers under the base of dist., don't hold the shaft or pull on it, grab the base, and start up. Go slow, as gear on the bottom of dist comes out, the rotor button will turn counterclockwise about 1/4 of a turn ( basically pointing at drivers side fender) go slow, and when the rotor stops turning counterclockwise, use your soap stick, chalk, etc, & again mark position of rotor. Pull dist. out completely. Now, if you haven't bumped the very bottom of dist. you can look inside the very bottom of dist shaft, and approx. 1/2 inch inside shaft will be the oil pump drive. It looks like the tip of flat blade screwdriver. Note the position its in. Get new dist. Hold it so that it's in the same general position as the old one. Meaning the left side of dist. is on the left, right on the right. Now move the oil pump drive to the position the old one was. Start shaft into hole in the intake a few inches. Stop. Point rotor at the LAST position you marked w chalk as you removed the old one. Slowly allow it to go down. As the gear contacts gear on crank, be sure rotor is in position, and continue down, allowing rotor to turn CLOCKWISE towards the first chalk mark, and cylinder #1. You may have to wiggle the rotor, turning left & right, back and forth, as you push down. Make sure the base of dist shaft is in complete contact with intake. If theres a gap, you're not all the way down. If you can't get it the last inch or so, the oil pump drive is not in position. Pull it out, get a light, shine inside block, note position of oil pump drive, position dist. drive accordingly. Return dist. into intake, in the same steps as above. When base contacts intake, ( is all the way down, contacting intake) note position of rotor. If it's pointing at your first mark, congrats. If it;s PAST the mark, pull dist up until gear is freed from crank gear turn rotor COUNTERCLOCKWISE the same distance that you went past your mark, reinstall. Do this in the opposite direction ( clockwise ) if , when dist. is all the way down, touching the base w intake, if the rotor isn't quite to your mark. I think you'll understand when you put it in. Be sure to re-install the hold down, but just make it snug, don't fully tighten yet. Replace cap, plug, wire. Get a timing light and check timing. When complete, tighten hold down completely. Good luck. It's really not as difficult as it sounds. Really.