Thread: how to change a distributor

Tweet

I want to change my distributor on my 350 engine. It is an HEI on my 68 camaro. Can anyone give me a step by step. Thanks

Are you just taking one out and puting the same type back??? If yes the easy and sure way would be to remove the cap so you can see the rotor. bump the engine over till the rotor faces the fire wall. put a mark on the fire wall at that point. remove the dist. hold down bolt and clamp. Pull out the dist. install the new on in reverse order making sure to get rotor in the same place. The dist. will probably go down to within a 1/4" of all the way. that means the oil pump is not lined up BUT the timing is right.If you can gave a friend bump the starter while you hold the dist. down it will rotate and drop in place. replace the hold down clamp and bolt snug it down put cap and wires back on Start engine and set timing. It realy is that easy.

The HEI is in it already?

If your car isn't converted to HEI and you want an HEI distributor in there.. you can find a way to wire it yourself but.. you could order a wiring harness kit specificly for your car and options at American Auto Wire they have EVERYTHING Wire related for chevy's!

thanks for the information. it sounds simple to do. I dont know if i need to change it or not though. It has the hEI in already I just wanted to put a new one in. This one looks a little rusty inside under the cap, and I am getting a little miss at low throttle as I just begin to accelerate, and was wondering if it could be the distributor. I have changed the plug wires and plugs. Still no change. At about 1200rpms as I am just begining to accelerate the engine rpms will suddenly jump up about 1000 rpms for no reason. It does it right in that range between 1000 and 1500 rpms .

Sounds like a simple tune-up will solve that problem. Change your cap, and rotor. That may not be rust under the cap. It may be metal scrapings from the rotor. You're probably getting poor performance and mileage because the spark is going everywhere except down the wires to the plugs. Don't change the module just yet, if your car starts and runs, then the module is working.