Vortec 454 Cap and Rotor Replacement

[EmersonHart13]

Does anyone have a how to for the cap and rotor on the Vortec 454? It is buried behind the motor and and I would love to know what I need to do to get to it.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

[454ss]

no step by step, sorry. can tell ya its a pita. ive got a 2'' body lift so that gives me a little more room to work.

 

[EmersonHart13]

I can tell it is a PITA by the fact I can barely see it. All that room in there, but none around the distributor.

From what I have read, you unbolt the bracket on the back of the plenum and then just try to move everything out of the way on top and wrestle it in? I will probably have to be sitting up on the motor to get a decent vantage point too. This is going to be mighty entertaining.

 

[EmersonHart13]

I think I am going to take this opportunity to clean the TB, IAC, EGR, and MAF. I am also planning to replace the PCV along with the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. I will do the O2s sometime soon as well. That should give it a pretty good tune up and cover all the big major things.

It's a pain? I'd say it's far more of a pain to remove the intake when there's absolutely no reason to do that just to change the cap and rotor! 1998454 - Are you kidding?

Two bolts and two harness connectors get the coil/ignition module off the back of the plenum and out of your way, then the cap and rotor are totally accessible.

Yes, you have to lay down across the top of the engine to do this, but it's really not that bad.

EDIT - this always bears mentioning when discussing replacing a Vortec distributor cap - RE-USE YOUR OLD SCREWS. Replacement caps often come with threadlocker on the screws or may not be the "exact" correct thread; it's very easy to break the plastic tabs on the distributor body where the cap screws on. It doesn't need any help from funky screws.

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[EmersonHart13]

Ugh... I think this is going to require removing the upper plenum. I changed the wires today and even hooking those up was terrible. Even though people say it is possible to change the cap and rotor with the plenum on, I do not think I am able to do it. I guess I will have to make that a Saturday project. On a bright note changing the plugs and wires have smoothed out the idle. Now it just has a small shimmy at idle after getting warmed up and that could very well be related to the cap and rotor.