Distributor disassembly problems
- Thread starter davmacdon
- Start date
I had a problem with my 93 distributer and could never get it apart either so I just went to the auto parts store and bought a new distributer as it came with everything already in place for about 75.00 (about the same price as the part and with no headaches - your sanity is worth something) and all I had to do was install a new external contol module, cap, rotor, etc... if you do it make sure you match the drive gear with cast iron if yours is cast iron or steel if it is steel etc... so it will not mess up the gears (they both will fit but I'm told mismatch will wear out the teeth in short order) after I did this I set the timing to 14 degrees advance with the dangle plug out and cleaned up the prongs and the car never gave another moments trouble and got better gas mileage and more power.
MadMatt5oh
Member
Im not sure if the 94 dist is the same as foxes. I just rebuilt mine. It was effortless.
1st take the lower cap and rotor off , then the TFI - you will need a 5.5 long socket or a "ford TFI module key"
2nd Tap out the dowel pins with the correct sized center punch ( is a tad smaller diameter than the pin)
3rd put the end shaft on a block of wood and tap the top of the dist with a rubber mallet - be pateint it will come.
4 slide the gear and keeper off and remember how they go on. Replace the pickup coil/stator
5 clean the shaft and inside of the dist and lubricate it with vaseline or KY lol
6 slide the keeper on and line up the hole
7 line up the holes for the gear- you must have this dead on from the start or youre screwed and have to start over
8 take a large socket and tap that gear back on making sure it makes its course straight onto the holes
9 Once the holes are lined up for the gear tap those dowel pins back in
10 finish the job and have a beer
11 send me 5$ USD
1st take the lower cap and rotor off , then the TFI - you will need a 5.5 long socket or a "ford TFI module key"
2nd Tap out the dowel pins with the correct sized center punch ( is a tad smaller diameter than the pin)
3rd put the end shaft on a block of wood and tap the top of the dist with a rubber mallet - be pateint it will come.
4 slide the gear and keeper off and remember how they go on. Replace the pickup coil/stator
5 clean the shaft and inside of the dist and lubricate it with vaseline or KY lol
6 slide the keeper on and line up the hole
7 line up the holes for the gear- you must have this dead on from the start or youre screwed and have to start over
8 take a large socket and tap that gear back on making sure it makes its course straight onto the holes
9 Once the holes are lined up for the gear tap those dowel pins back in
10 finish the job and have a beer
11 send me 5$ USD
MadMatt5oh
Member
I would have but couldnt find any. I choose to lightly place a dimple on them with a tiny center punch. It'll be a real bitch getting them out next time - yeah right- next time LOL!
MadMatt5oh
Member
Other than complete replacement I saw no need to replace anything else. Everything checked out fine by me. Shaft movement in the dist, gear wasnt worn (good oil pressure) the shaft mustve been well lubed as well. Its basically rebuilt. I dont think a new factory dist would be a micron better. An MSD dist is a better unit though. Im just short on funds so for 35$ I did this. I'll get the MSD dist when I get the 6A box
Somehow the pickup had loosened/shrunk and was moving a little around the shaft(it was bolted down but was had play). It was rubbibg the inside edge of the vane/shutter causing a misfire and strange codes on the computer(spout errors and ground errors). Everything seems tight on the dist. but I am worried about possable metal filings from the vane that might have got down into the dist.
MadMatt5oh
Member
Damn, Im not so sure we are looking at the same type of distributor! Either way, it sounds like the pickup is screwed. You use different terms - so it makes it sounds like its a different thing alltogether! I dont understand how the pickup could be loose. The one part goes around the shaft and has a thin metal strip that holds it in position. Then the wires that lead into that go to the magnet which is bolted down with 2 screws. That pickup is also secured by the TFI being in place.
Either buy a new dist or scrap the thing if you arent up to the task
Either buy a new dist or scrap the thing if you arent up to the task
Matt, thanks for the info!
davmacdon has a SN95, and i believe they have different dizzies (hood clearance). i could be wrong....i would scrap that whole dizzy - if you have clearance issues like that, i would not want that spinnin in a motor. no sense in rebuilding anything on it, IMHO - you cant polish a turd.
my two cents worth.
davmacdon has a SN95, and i believe they have different dizzies (hood clearance). i could be wrong....i would scrap that whole dizzy - if you have clearance issues like that, i would not want that spinnin in a motor. no sense in rebuilding anything on it, IMHO - you cant polish a turd.
my two cents worth.
Car fires up and runs geat. I went with a new dist. because i could not get the (vane/shutter) thing that passes through the pickup to rebuild the old one. It was hard to get the right dist., there was one that had the control module on the dist. and the one I need has the control module on the apron by the strut tower.
thanks for the help.
thanks for the help.
The distributor cost about $90 and was a breeze to install. Make sure you mark the distributor position when you take the old one out. I was off 1 tooth when I put it back in and had to go to TDC. But again it was easy. Car runs like new again.
Do you have any shaft play? Check the vane/shutter thing on the top of the distributor, Mine was making contact with the pickup and causing all kinds of problems.
Do you have any shaft play? Check the vane/shutter thing on the top of the distributor, Mine was making contact with the pickup and causing all kinds of problems.
Take the coil wire out of the distributor. Pull #1 plug, put your finger in the spark plug hole. Have someone crank the engine until it starts to blow air past your finger. Stop cranking, turn the engine by hand (breaker bar on the harmonic balancer bolt, or put the car in gear and push) until the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer lines up with the pointer on the passenger side of the engine. Loose the distributor hold down bolt, remove the clamp, cap and wires, disconnect the wiring harness. Pull the distributor straight up.
The following re-install depends on the engine being lined up as in the previous instructions.
To re-install, turn the distributor rotor to point to #1 cylinder position on the cap. The#1 position is about 11 o'clock if 6 o' clock is the front of the engine. Line the rotor up with it pointing at the #1 spark plug position on the cap and drop it in: you may have to twist the shaft some to get it to engage the oil pump shaft. Then remove the SPOUT connector plug, and use a timing light to set the timing. The SPOUT is the dangling connector on the distributor harness on stangs made prior to 94 and with a computer controlled engine. 10* is stock for most 5.0s' 12*-14* is good for more pep if you are not into NO2 or power adders.
The following re-install depends on the engine being lined up as in the previous instructions.
To re-install, turn the distributor rotor to point to #1 cylinder position on the cap. The#1 position is about 11 o'clock if 6 o' clock is the front of the engine. Line the rotor up with it pointing at the #1 spark plug position on the cap and drop it in: you may have to twist the shaft some to get it to engage the oil pump shaft. Then remove the SPOUT connector plug, and use a timing light to set the timing. The SPOUT is the dangling connector on the distributor harness on stangs made prior to 94 and with a computer controlled engine. 10* is stock for most 5.0s' 12*-14* is good for more pep if you are not into NO2 or power adders.
the coil is on the driver side fender. it has a "spark plug wire" coming off the top and going to the dizzy (distributor) cap. that lone wire from the coil to the dizzy supplies all of your spark.
good luck. the repair manual should have some supplemental info for you, as well.
good luck. the repair manual should have some supplemental info for you, as well.
Oh ok. I knew you were supposed to take that off. I thought you were talking about some wire in the middle of the distributor. Im debating weither to put a distributor in or just take it to bradcustomauto. The only do vettes and stangs. Cause i know ill be pist if this distributor doesnt fix the problem.
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