Hey all
Looking for any ideas or tricks for replacing the distributor on my '00 2500 w/5.9 Magnum.
I know that thing is cramped back there. The guy that had it before me obviously botched a tune up and broke an ear off the distributor and broke the screw flush on the other ear. Imagine my horror the finding the cal zip tied on. Anyone have any tips or tricks? Anything special about doing these distributors compared to GM or Ford etc? Appreciate any help. Thanks

 

You'll have to get the system synced back up again after you put the new distributor in. The firing of the fuel injectors is governed by the camshaft position sensor and the crackshaft position sensor's alignment to each other, and the camshaft position sensor is located inside the distributor. If the new distributor isn't lined up perfectly, your timing will be off. A shop with the proper equipment can re-sync it for you.

I just replaced the distributor on a Chevy 4.3 the other day, that was nice because there is a bracket that forces the distributor to be installed at the correct angle, no way around that one.

 

I'm assuming that you plan to replace your existing distributor with a new or rebuilt distributor. If your truck is running OK now and not misfiring, you can replace your existing distributor by very carefully marking the location of the existing distributor housing and the rotor and installing the new distributor in the exact same place. I was able to do this on my truck and it did not require a re-sync. Worse case, if you install the new distributor and the truck doesn't start, a re-sync will certainly fix it.

 

The dizzy should look like this when you install it.

 

Yes i am replacing with a new distributor. Also plugs wires cap rotor. Ive never heard of a resync. Usually i just mark the current location and drop it in. I also have a jeep that i did a distributor on but that one was much easier to get to. The truck is misfiring now on 3 different cylinders. Im assuming thats because the current cal was zip tied on? Also the number 8 spark plug wont budge to come out. Im afraid of breaking it. All the other plugs came out easy. This truck sat for 2 years prior to me getting it.the previous owner thought the tranny was blown because it wouldng shift out of first gear. I did the research and tested everything turns out it was the governor pressure solenoid and the transducer in the valve body. Shifts like a dream now. So this resync that may need to be done is that a dealer thing or can it be done anywhere? Thanks for the info

 

You want to mark the relationship of the distributor body to the block, and where the rotor is pointing, before you remove the old distributor. Install the new one in the exact same orientation, and you will be at least close enough for it to run. Any shop with a decent scanner can fine tune fuel sync for you.

For the number 8 plug, pull the heatsheild, blow all the crap that has accumulated around the plug away, hit it with the penetrant of your choice, and then warm the engine up a bit. (doesn't have to get all the way to operating temp.) Then try and remove it.

 

The part about marking the rotor distributor and block i get...dont know how i will see it since the thing is buried back there. Cant get my giant head in there enough. The rotor is currently pointing at the passenger side of the block near #2 cylinder. Should i set this thing to TDC and drop the dist in point at #1 or just toss it back in the current location? Like i said it may only be misfiring because of the cap being zip tied and there was a good amount of corrosion on the contact point inside the cap. As far as that plug goes ive had some pb blaster soaking on it since yesterday. The truck is apart so warming it up will have to wait til the dist is back in and its wired up. What a pain in the butt all because someone hacked this thing to begin with

 

Anyplace you can re-establish the relationship of dist to engine will be fine. putting a ruler across it, and marking a point on the back of the intake would be fine too.... (if you can get in there.) Otherwise, just get it as close as you can. Don't think it matters where the rotor is currently pointing, just so long as it's pointing the same place when you install the new one. Keep in mind, it will rotate some as it comes out. Pay attention to how much. Makes installation a LOT easier.

 

Thanks for the info. I will mark best as possible and also mark the dist when it comes out to check how far it rotated. I will get to it tomorrow evening wire it up and see what ive got. Ill post again after its in. Thanks again

 

I replaced my distributor when I fixed the intake plenum gasket, so access to the distributor is a breeze with the intake removed. Might want to check your plenum to see if the gasket is shot (by looking down the throttle body and seeing if oil is present on the intake floor), as oil leaking into the intake is a cause for cylinder misfires.