L31MaxExpress
I'm Awesome
Replacing a worn out/abused part with a new part usually makes a difference regardless of the new part.
With 850k on my four 1st gen Vortecs, none of them currently need a distributor--they all work fine. I have even swapped out the distributor on my 96 K1500 (259k) with a new billet aluminum distributor to see if there was an "improvement". Didn't change a thing because the original distributor is still in good condition. Even the teeth still look good.
Most factory distributors that fail suffer from poor maintenance--oil not changed or engine running warmer than it should and over time the composite housing cracks or wears prematurely. Lack of maintenance/abuse ain't the fault of the distributor or its design.........
My gear failed at less than 90K and my engine always gets maintained and always ran as cool as the cooling system GM built it with allowed. With the stock radiator and 5 bladed steel fan it was a warm runner in the summer time from day one. The distributor body was practically two pieces from a crack in the housing when I replaced it. FWIW, the 350 that came out of my van looked like new inside other than a few worn bearings. It was a crappy design. I had a HEI in my old 83 G20 van go nearly 300K practically untouched.