Distributor Issue

[McClurgM]

My 87 4cyl pathfinder has been idleing a little funky, most reciently, when trying to climb over rocks on a moderate - difficult trail, the truck would bog down and stall out....i would have to slip the clutch to make it over the obstical.

 

I friend of mine that woks at a shop have it diagonsed for free. the mech said that whoever repaced the cap and rotor last broke a screw then re-drilled it to make the hole, but did it wrong and the timing is off because of it. I will need to replace the distributor, cap and rotor.

 

Would the distributor cause this type of problem?

 

The issue is that the distributor is $250 for a rebuilt one. (I bought the car for $500) Can i go to a jy and just get one out of a truck or pathy for like $50 and if so, how hard is it?

 

 

estimat of parts + labor is approx (at the mech) $542.50 for dist, cap, rotor, plugs (re-use wires.)

 

what do you guys and gals think?

 

Matthew

[Simon]

The distributor is about 10 minutes worth of work. ONe screw holds it onto the engine, and 2 electrical connections.

 

Did your friend try to time it by turning the distributor, and putting a timing light on the harmonic balancer?

[McClurgM]

The distributor is about 10 minutes worth of work. ONe screw holds it onto the engine, and 2 electrical connections.

 

Did your friend try to time it by turning the distributor, and putting a timing light on the harmonic balancer?

 

 

I spoke with the mech that was working on it. (my friend does some of the books for the shop and made it free for the diagnosis) and the mech said that the dist was "frozen even after soaking it with BP blaster" and it would not twist, so a new one is needed.

[GrimGreg]

I spoke with the mech that was working on it. (my friend does some of the books for the shop and made it free for the diagnosis) and the mech said that the dist was "frozen even after soaking it with BP blaster" and it would not twist, so a new one is needed.

 

 

It'll move, just need to talk nice to it.

 

(BTW, if you want to replace it it has to move also .)

[McClurgM]

One of the two scews that holds the cap onto the distributor broke, and was prevously drilled out. (this is his explanation of possibly what happened.) the issue is that the new hole that was drilled is not in the same place as it was before. so the rotor rubs inside the cap in addition to it being not in tune. so i need to get it alligned so that the rotor does not wear a hole in the side of the cap.....(replace the distributor....)

[Simon]

My thoughts exactly....... It's gonna move one way or another....better to try to time it before spending the money on a distributor.

[McClurgM]

correct me if i am wrong.....even if i time it correctly, i need to replace it due to the cap not being fixed to the distributor correctly and the fact that the rotor rubs inside the cap....right?

 

i dont know much about this...

 

will fixing this give me more power to climb over stuff or am i waisting my time on a $500 vehicle?

(4cyl. 5spd. 4.6 gears (according to the door tag) and 31s )

[GrimGreg]

correct me if i am wrong.....even if i time it correctly, i need to replace it due to the cap not being fixed to the distributor correctly and the fact that the rotor rubs inside the cap....right?

 

i dont know much about this...

 

will fixing this give me more power to climb over stuff or am i waisting my time on a $500 vehicle?

(4cyl. 5spd. 4.6 gears (according to the door tag) and 31s )

 

If the cap isn't sitting on correctly, any attempt to do any other fix to the timing is futile.

 

If you aren't afraid to get dirty you can probably get a J-yard distributor shaft, new cap and rotor do it yourself and be at about 1/3 the price you were quoted.

With it in proper time it should give you more umph than with it off, but don't expect miricles, it is a 4 banger not a 350 V8.

[Simon]

Or take the cap off, drill out the bolt, and tap it properly, and then put on a new cap. It's not difficult. No matter what you do, you'll need to get the thing moving, and out to do a half decent job.

[McClurgM]

Thanks for the advice. I was and still am leaning to going to the jy and replacing it myself. I just dont want the screw up my motor.

[Simon]

Can you get the cap off? If so, take a picture of where the rotor is sitting once you get the cap off. That way, when you put the new distributor in, you can install it with the rotor in the same spot. Then put the new cap on, and turn the distributor with a timing light and set the timing. It's pretty simple, really. You'll see what I mean when you get the cap off.

[McClurgM]

will post pics of how it is now as well as the install hopefully once i get to the jy

 

thanks for the info....you guys rock!