bhensarl

Tool/supplies needed:
-2x caps
-2x rotors (I bought them in a set from Vertexauto.com, a rennlist sponsor. Best deal I found: $149.00 for 2 caps and 2 rotors.)
-Assorted Phillips and flat head screwdrivers
-Something to get the spark plug wires off the distributor (could be as easy as your fingers, or as "brute force" as a pair of vice grips, maybe something in between would be best)
-Possibly some liquid wrench

Time:
2 hours (very conservative, probably won't take you that long)

bhensarl

Step 1. Remove the electrical sensor from the upper portion of the plastic tube from the heater blower to the duct in the left hand, rear corner of the engine compartment.
Step 2. Loosen the 3 gear clamps holding the tube in place (Two at the top where it meets the heater blower and one at the bottom at the duct.)
Step 3. Pull the tube out and remove the 2 electrical connectors on the reverse side, and the two pieces of tubing. Set the tube aside and place the wires and tubing aside where they won't be in the way.
Yours should look like mine.

bhensarl

Okay, now we've got good access to the distributors.
Step 4: Mark the spark plug wires so you know where to put them when you get the new caps in. Don't count on the little sticker on the fan housing to tell you where they go, it's deceptively simple and doesn't help. Don't mark the wires by which cylinder they go to (like I did), mark them so you'll know where they go on the cap. I would suggest using the screw toward the rear of the car that holds each cap in place as a guide and numbering counter-clockwise around the cap, but it's up to you. Also, mark which distributor it came from. Whatever you do, don't screw it up, like I did, or you'll have some fun trouble shooting to do.

bhensarl

Step 5: Pull those suckers! Now if your caps have never been changed (and mine hadn't) you're going to have a lot of fun trying to get the plugs off. Mine had been sitting there happy as can be for 15 years when I finally came along and decided to uproot them. I ended up using the vice grips on the very bottoms of the plugs, and twisting them until they came loose, then finishing the job with my fingers. There aren't any electrical parts at the bottom, so it's safe to give them a bit of pressure.
Step 6: Once you've pulled all the spark plug wires, you can pull the caps out. There are two screws that secure each cap, one at the front of the car and one at the rear. They're secured to the caps, so they won't fall out once you get them loose. The front screw holding the secondary distributor in place on mine was a real pain to get out. I had to use some liquid wrench on it to get it to move, but once I got it started it was no big deal. Once they're free pull them out.
You can see that mine were ready to be changed. It's hard to see in the picture but the contacts were pretty much gone due to oxidation and old age. If yours haven't been changed, just know they probably look a lot like mine.

bhensarl

Step 7: Now you can see the rotor sitting atop the shaft. Just pull it straight out and set it aside. I removed the plugs, cap, and rotor on the first distributor before moving to the second. The actual order is up to you.

bhensarl

Step 8: Remove both sets of plugs, both caps, and both rotors.
Make yours look like mine.

bhensarl

Step 8b: Remove the dust shields underneath the rotors (Okay, now yours should look like the picture above). This is a great time to check your distributor belt by looking the in the secondary distributor. How's it look?
Step 9: Reinstall the dust shields. Install the new rotors on the shafts. It's pretty easy to do since there's a cutout on the shaft so you can't put them in wrong. Just make sure you push them down all the way, otherwise the cap won't fit back over right.
Step 10: Reinstall the caps. Four screws (two each) and you're done.
Step 11: Reinstall the plug wires. Okay, now if you marked your wires correctly to begin with, this is easy. Just be sure to push them all the way down so that they make good contact with the cap. Oh, and if you're really hardcore, before you reinstall the wires it's a good time to take some Vinylex (or your product of choice) and clean up those dirty old plug wires. You've got some good access with all those things out of the way, and you'll get extra point at your next concours.

The rest of the installation is the exact opposite of the removal. The only other tip I have is when you are attempting to reinstall the tube from the heater blower to the duct, push the rubber connector sleeve all the way in toward the heater blower, then after you've married up the tube to the blower, push it back toward the tube. Come to think of it, it might be easier to put it on the tube and slide it toward the blower. Good luck and have fun!

Brian

JasonAndreas

Don't the caps have the cylinder numbers marked on them or is that the difference between factory OE and Bosch OEM?

Nice writeup!!!

Marc Shaw

Very nice write up - now see if you can get the moderator of the DIY section to put it in.

Marc

bhensarl

Nope.
Hmmm, didn't know to do that either.
I'm sure that is a great tool. I may buy one in the future if I find that I'm taking my spark plug wires off my distributors often enough to justify it.
I'm glad you posted this handy info. I wouldn't have known to add the dielectric grease to the caps. Looks like a trip to the auto parts store is in order. Thanks for the suggestions/corrections, but don't be afraid to throw a smiley in your posts once in a while. That way everyone knows we're all having a good time.

Right you are. I didn't even notice until I just went back and looked. Although I do think it would be possible to put them in backward, so that's something to look out for. But it would be pretty obvious when you started running the wires.
Thanks guys. The great part about writing up a DIY is if you did anything wrong you find out about it, hopefully before it becomes a problem.
Brian

bhensarl

Once again, good points and suggestions. I'd never seen a plug wire puller for $3.00, the ones I'd seen at auto parts stores, etc. were all around $30. $3 is reasonable. $30 is not worth it.
Brian

Marc Shaw

Brian - once again an admirable job. Having prepared a few DIY threads myself, I know how much time and effort it takes to prepare a thread like this, I am very grateful that some people like you are willing to put the time and effort into doing this much work for the benefit of other people.

Marc

Chris M.

Ditto. Thanks Brian. BTW I'm headed your way in a couple of weeks. Family get-together in Destin. No hurricanes please!

c

Smokin

Brian... Thanks for the how-to it looks like a fairly straightforward procedure but it's still great to have pictures! I have a set that have been in the workshop but have been waiting for the time to do it. (Too many projects going!) I also need to replace my fuel filter.

I have seen dielectric grease for sale on Pelican and other spots but most of the other DIY articles don't mention applying it. It still might be a good idea.

kris

Great write up Brian. Will it be put on the DIY forum and if so where can I find this ?