Replacing your caps and rotors
#1
Jarhead
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Replacing your caps and rotors
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)
-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)
#2
Jarhead
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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.
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.
#3
Jarhead
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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.
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.
#4
Jarhead
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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.
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.
#5
Jarhead
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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.
#7
Jarhead
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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
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
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#8
Technical Guru
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Originally Posted by bhensarl
Step 4: Mark the spark plug wires so you know where to put them when you get the new caps in.
Nice writeup!!!
#10
Jarhead
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Originally Posted by Indycam
You didn't grease the cap plugs ?
http://store1.yimg.com/I/autoaccessconnect_1842_8858617
http://store1.yimg.com/I/autoaccessconnect_1842_8858617
Originally Posted by Indycam
You didn't grease the cap srcews ?
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...-seize_big.jpg
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...-seize_big.jpg
Originally Posted by Indycam
Vice grips are not the tool for removeing stuck wires .
The tool for that is u shaped and fit below the ruber and lifts the boot from below .
http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/2568.gif
The tool for that is u shaped and fit below the ruber and lifts the boot from below .
http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/2568.gif
Originally Posted by Indycam
It is very important to dab the enclosed dielectric compound grease on each connecting point before installation. Failure to do this can cause
(Terminal Pull-off), which is when the wire separates at the plug end
of the boot upon removal of the wires.
*** FAILURE TO APPLY DIELECTRIC GREASE VOIDS ALL WARRANTY ***
(Terminal Pull-off), which is when the wire separates at the plug end
of the boot upon removal of the wires.
*** FAILURE TO APPLY DIELECTRIC GREASE VOIDS ALL WARRANTY ***
Originally Posted by Jason Andreas
Don't the caps have the cylinder numbers marked on them or is that the difference between factory OE and Bosch OEM?
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
#11
Jarhead
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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
Brian
#12
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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
Marc
#13
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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.
c
#14
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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.
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.