94 5.0 distributor replacement
01-27-2016, 11:44 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
94 5.0 distributor replacement
Hey guys need some help.
The PIP sensor has gone bad on my truck and so im replacing the whole distributor since it is the original. Im not finding any good insight on how to replace one. If any of you have a link to a good video, other forums, or can straight up tell me how to swap them on a 1994 that would be a huge help.
I think i know roughly how to do it until it comes down to making sure of the timing and all that fun stuff.
The PIP sensor has gone bad on my truck and so im replacing the whole distributor since it is the original. Im not finding any good insight on how to replace one. If any of you have a link to a good video, other forums, or can straight up tell me how to swap them on a 1994 that would be a huge help.
I think i know roughly how to do it until it comes down to making sure of the timing and all that fun stuff.
01-28-2016, 02:55 PM
#2
DO NOT turn the motor while the distributor is loose.
Here's a tip that really helps. Get some masking tape a sharpie marker and a yardstick.
Turn the motor till the rotor is pointing towards #1 plug wire and the timing mark is at 10 degrees before TDC.
Now using a piece of tape on your rad hose, put the yardstick from the tape to your intake, right across the center of your dist. cap. Make a mark on your intake and the tape at both ends of the stick. Mark both sides of the cap where the stick crosses it.
Put the stick aside, pull your cap off and look where your rotor is pointing (#1), use the sharpie to mark both sides of the end of the rotor on the plastic lower half of the dist cap.
Wouldn't hurt at this point to make a mark on the intake beside some spot on the distributor housing that will be easy to find on the new one, just as extra insurance.
You should now be able to line the new distributor up exactly the way the old one was.
Now unplug it, take out the holdown piece at the bottom and take out the dist.
Notice that as you pull it out, the rotor will turn counter clockwise (wouldn't hurt to mark that position too). That means when you put the new one in you will have to start with the rotor positioned somewhat left of where you want it to end up. You may have to do that 2 or 3 times (why you might mark the 2nd position) until it exactly lines up with the marks you made. Make sure the distributor is in the right spot at the same time as the rotor is pointing at the right spot. Tighten her down and plug it in.
If you can follow all that (and the reasons) it should fire right up.
You can fine tune the timing with a timing light - 10 to 12 degrees BTDC with the SPOUT plug unplugged. Then you plug the SPOUT back in and the computer takes over the timing.
Also make sure the new dist has the right gear on the bottom of it. You SHOULD have an HO w/ a roller cam but look at the gear on the bottom of your old dist and compare to the new. Roller cams get a machined gear, flat tappet get a cast gear (cast gear has rough patches where it's not machined, the roller cam gear is machined everywhere).
Hope that helps. Good luck !
Here's a tip that really helps. Get some masking tape a sharpie marker and a yardstick.
Turn the motor till the rotor is pointing towards #1 plug wire and the timing mark is at 10 degrees before TDC.
Now using a piece of tape on your rad hose, put the yardstick from the tape to your intake, right across the center of your dist. cap. Make a mark on your intake and the tape at both ends of the stick. Mark both sides of the cap where the stick crosses it.
Put the stick aside, pull your cap off and look where your rotor is pointing (#1), use the sharpie to mark both sides of the end of the rotor on the plastic lower half of the dist cap.
Wouldn't hurt at this point to make a mark on the intake beside some spot on the distributor housing that will be easy to find on the new one, just as extra insurance.
You should now be able to line the new distributor up exactly the way the old one was.
Now unplug it, take out the holdown piece at the bottom and take out the dist.
Notice that as you pull it out, the rotor will turn counter clockwise (wouldn't hurt to mark that position too). That means when you put the new one in you will have to start with the rotor positioned somewhat left of where you want it to end up. You may have to do that 2 or 3 times (why you might mark the 2nd position) until it exactly lines up with the marks you made. Make sure the distributor is in the right spot at the same time as the rotor is pointing at the right spot. Tighten her down and plug it in.
If you can follow all that (and the reasons) it should fire right up.
You can fine tune the timing with a timing light - 10 to 12 degrees BTDC with the SPOUT plug unplugged. Then you plug the SPOUT back in and the computer takes over the timing.
Also make sure the new dist has the right gear on the bottom of it. You SHOULD have an HO w/ a roller cam but look at the gear on the bottom of your old dist and compare to the new. Roller cams get a machined gear, flat tappet get a cast gear (cast gear has rough patches where it's not machined, the roller cam gear is machined everywhere).
Hope that helps. Good luck !
