4.3L TBI Distributor question.

[DeCaff2007]

Quick update to this: Wires came in yesterday. They are Delphi brand and seem to have some decent quality to them. No distributor yet. Amazon is slacking.

Is it possible to replace that rusted part of the distributor myself? And by that I more so mean are the parts available?

Ever since Schurkey come out with this one liner: "I" would rather have a used-but-usable OEM distributor than brand-new Chinese crap", it's been bothering me. Yeah, I'd like to keep the OEM stuff but if "good" parts won't get here until the cows come home... well... I don't have the patience for that.

 

[Erik the Awful]

PN 3860 is listed under tune up kit. I just checked.

Doh! It is listed under an '89. Why was I looking up a '92? I think I was switching between browser tabs and had the wrong truck in my head.

 

[Schurkey]

Is it possible to replace that rusted part of the distributor myself? And by that I more so mean are the parts available?

Fairly easy job to replace the mainshaft.

Getting parts at this point may be more difficult. I bought a lot of three mainshafts for V-8 (Chevy) engines; I've never looked for V6 versions. Some time on eBay will probably yield results and part numbers that can then also be checked on Amazon, Craigslist, and your local parts stores.

Have you considered disassembly and merely cleaning-up the parts you have? Wire-brush the rust off, probably slap a fresh pickup coil in place. Lube and reassemble. You'd need to verify that the magnet isn't cracked, and that the shaft/bushings aren't scored; but if they're good...it should work fine.

Ever since Schurkey come out with this one liner: "I" would rather have a used-but-usable OEM distributor than brand-new Chinese crap", it's been bothering me. Yeah, I'd like to keep the OEM stuff but if "good" parts won't get here until the cows come home... well... I don't have the patience for that.

Y' gotta do what y' gotta do. When I visit a Treasure Yard, I scavenge as many HEI distributors as I can find. Some are good...some are parts-donors. All of 'em need to be cleaned 'n' loved-up.

But then, I'm buying all the Q-Jet carb cores I can get; all the ignition coils, and coil packs. I should be looking for modern, high-output alternators, and permanent-magnet starters. I'm at a standstill--I bought-out all the desireable stuff from my favorite Treasure Yard already, and the remaining Yards around here think that stuff is made from gold.

My family is going to have a huge pile of "junk" to haul back to the Treasure Yard when I'm gone.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Gents,

Distributor came in yesterday. Tell me you wouldn't just swap this out if you needed the truck on the road ASAP as opposed to tinkering with the OEM distributor and "maybe" get it working right. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to keep the OEM distributor and play with that at my convenience, but right now this needs to be plug and play lol.

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Oh, and I figured it was time for some teaser pics. I found a near mint radiator support in the junkyard. For $40 I wasn't going to pass that up. It was also already halfway pulled from the donor, which again, why so easy? I brought it home, gave it a pressure wash and a touch up.. and now it's all but new. This was from a 92~ish GMC Sierra 2500. It bolted right in. I wish I would have taken pics of the original. I wasn't even going to try to save it.

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One thing I did have to do was patch up the radiator support to body bracket on the drivers side. The one in the junkyard was NICE and I mean nice... but they are welded to the frame. Wasn't pulling that from the yard so I patched mine up. I wasn't going for pretty here, just functional.

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Lastly, this was my old distributor cap. No saving it. Ya wonder why it ran like crap?

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[evilunclegrimace]

One thing I did have to do was patch up the radiator support to body bracket on the drivers side. The one in the junkyard was NICE and I mean nice... but they are welded to the frame.

I have never seen a radiator core support that was welded to the frame from the factory. They sit on 2 rubber isolators that resemble the cab mount isolators. I would bet that someone made a modification for convenience sake.

 

[DeCaff2007]

I have never seen a radiator core support that was welded to the frame from the factory. They sit on 2 rubber isolators that resemble the cab mount isolators. I would bet that someone made a modification for convenience sake.

Yes, the mount to the frame on the other side of the rubber isolator, is what's welded to the frame. Both of mine are like that, as are the ones in the junkyard.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Ok good news! Distributor stabbed right in, no issues. New wires gave me little to no hassle, and the rest of the front end went together pretty easily.

The difference in power is night and day. Before, this heap couldn't even get out of it's own way. Now I can chirp first gear. I still have some more tune up items to take care, and it still takes a minute to start when cranking, but I'm a step closer to getting it inspected.

 

[texas tough]

get u a new complete distributor. 140.00 autozone lifetime warranty. thank me later. check and clean all grounds and sensor wires on thermostat housing. rebuild throttle body and use new spring in fuel pressure regulator. replace thermostat and flush heater core and radiator. check all hoses.

 

[Schurkey]

Distributor came in yesterday... ...Don't get me wrong, I'm going to keep the OEM distributor and play with that at my convenience, but right now this needs to be plug and play lol.

get u a new complete distributor. 140.00 autozone lifetime warranty.

Why does he need ANOTHER new distributor?

 

[texas tough]

LOOK AT IT... these distributors wear out from heat and rust , over time the star wheel loses its magnetism due to heat and rust. the coil insulation cracks off, the distributor gear wear and have slop in them. the ignition modules go bad from heat as swell. way too many potential problems with an old worn distributor. replacing with a new quality unit will save many, many headaches. they arent worth rebuilding anymore when u can get a very good one from autozone for 140 bucks lifetime warranty.
unless you replace the magnetic starwheel which as far as I know is unobtainable, your wasting your time.. you cannot remagnetize it. take any old magnet, take a heat gun and heat it up several times, and see what happens, it loses its magnetism,. the starwheels also get micro cracks in them that cause problems. these trucks are worth putting money into, especially something as critical as a distributor.
also the bushing on the bottom between the shaft and gear wear out. ive found them where the bushing was completely gone. alot of folks are scared to pull the whole distributor out and inspect it. its no big deal if u pay attention and do it right. siide to side slop in the distributor causes misfires, up and down slop pushes the rotor up into the cap and eats the cap. ive rode this horse before, just change it with a new one and be done.