Help, Calling Distributor Experts !

[97Burban57]

97 Surburban 5.7 vortec

Please see attached pic, I made a black mark on the firewall and a black line on the distributor before pulling it.
Now with the re-install the distributor will only drop in about 42 degrees counterclockwise of the original mark?
I didn't turn the motor over after pulling the distributor. Shouldn't it just drop back in perfectly lined up?

 

[Greasemagnet]

Pull the distributor out and use a long flat blade screwdriver to turn the oil pump shaft to mate with the bottom of the distributor. Ot may take a few tries.

 

[Greasemagnet]

Another way is to get cylinder one to TDC, install the rotor on the shaft then point the electrode towards the number one cylinder, then rotate the engine clockwise. The cam will turn the distributor until it lines up with the oil pump shaft, then the distributor will drop and will be ready to bolt down.

 

[Silverado1994]

Pull the distributor out and use a long flat blade screwdriver to turn the oil pump shaft to mate with the bottom of the distributor. Ot may take a few tries.

Yup....that'll do it. The oil pump shaft just turned a little when you removed the distributor. Easy nuff to straighten out though.

 

[97Burban57]

Okay guys thanks!! So I dont need to put the #1 cylinder to TDC because I made marks before pulling the distributor out! I just need to get the oil pump shaft lined up !

 

[Schurkey]

Another way is to get cylinder one to TDC, install the rotor on the shaft then point the electrode towards the number one cylinder, then rotate the engine clockwise. The cam will turn the distributor until it lines up with the oil pump shaft, then the distributor will drop and will be ready to bolt down.

That was good advice for pretty-much every distributor engine except some Intercoursables (Cylinder 8 used for timing, not #1) and '96-up Vortecs.

The Vortec distributor has markings cast into it to show distributor rotor alignment at TDC-Compression #1. This is a better process than pointing the rotor to the #1 plug wire terminal, in part because the Vortec cap moves the plug wire terminals in relation to the rotor-end of the terminal.

And, yes, oil pumps seem to move all on their own, realigning the shaft can be done by turning
the oil pump shaft to match the distributor, or turning the distributor shaft to match the oil pump.

I dont need to put the #1 cylinder to TDC because I made marks before pulling the distributor out! I just need to get the oil pump shaft lined up !

It'll be worth your time to verify the crank sensor/cam sensor signal synch using a scan tool.

 

[Silverado1994]

It'll be worth your time to verify the crank sensor/cam sensor signal synch using a scan tool.

That's a good point. The closer to zero the better but anything below 14 degrees will keep the check engine light off.

 

[97Burban57]

Little update, the screwdriver trick worked on the oil pump drive shaft. I used my boroscope as a visual aide then got the screwdriver on the slotted part and after about an hour got the distributor to line up with my marks perfectly! Time to start it up tomorrow for the real test. Thanks for the help!