Swapping distributor

Rocketman · May 11, 2006

I thought pulling and replacing a 4.0 HO (93) distributor was plug and play. Am I looking at the FSM right in having to align the crankshaft, pull a plug, give a DNA sample, all the obligatory PITA things??? I have the usual leak and some oil inside the distributor as well and just picked a new one. (No, my CCV system isn't clogged anywhere) It blows up the whole side of the engine and all over the heater valve, plug wires and such. Changing the oil adapter o-rings while I'm at it as well.

Martin, Eagle, Gods of all that is XJ... any tips??

red91 · May 11, 2006

probably have to do it the hard way, one tooth off and your gonna have to do it the factory way anyhow.

langer1 · May 11, 2006

Mark the rotor position on the old one before you remove it. Then don't move the engine and install the new one so it lines up the same and bolt it down.
It's not rocket science.

Rocketman · May 11, 2006

langer1 said:
Mark the rotor position on the old one before you remove it. Then don't move the engine and install the new one so it lines up the same and bolt it down.
It's not rocket science.

I thought that was the easy way. I know you have to take into account the little "twist" on the way in and out from the spiral gear.

ChiXJeff · May 11, 2006

Langer1 has it right.

It's really NOT that difficult, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T TURN THE ENGINE OVER during the swap.

Take the cap off the old distributor, and mark where the rotor is pointing. Mark the same spot on the new distributor before you pull out the old one. Yes, there's a twist on the gears on the way down. About the only thing you might have to do is stick a long shaft flat blade screwdriver down to turn the oil pump one way or the other.

I've done 2 of these now, and it's really not that difficult.

Rocketman · May 11, 2006

ChiXJeff said:
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T TURN THE ENGINE OVER during the swap.

THAT was never in the plan... who would do that? WAIT... this is NAXJA

, I understand now! :roll:

Wayne Sihler · May 11, 2006

Your new dist should have a line-up pin in it.DO NOT remove it until the dist is in the correct position.Get the #1 cyl on top on the compression stroke-Note where the rotor points on old dist.Remove old unit -watch where rotor points when dist gear clears cam gear-here is where the new unit rotor should point when installing- install and let rotor turn in to the position it was on old unit.Bolt down, plug in -Remove pin, Run.
I bet the oil leak is from the oil pressure sending unit--
Wayne

Rocketman · May 11, 2006

Wayne Sihler said:
I bet the oil leak is from the oil pressure sending unit--
Wayne

Forgot about that lil pup. O rings for that too I suppose?

5-90 · May 11, 2006

Nope - it's pipe thread. 1/8"NPT, as I recall.

Go light with the sealer. Better yet, use RTV Copper on the threads. It's a self-grounding sensor, and needs direct contact with the block in order to work. I've been using RTV Copper on self-grounding sensors for years - nearly everything else is an insulator to some degree, and ends up giving false signals.

Never-seez (nickel or copper based) should also work - I'd expect that you'd not go more than 1/3 to 1/2-turn past finger tight when using that stuff. Haven't tried it yet.

5-90

Rocketman · May 11, 2006

Thanks all... I'll try the RTV Copper on a new sending unit. Happen to have a bunch of that. getting at the oil filter adapter T60 seems to be the bigger PITA. have a socket type, maybe I'll try a T60 L-key, with some steel tube on the outside as a helper/breaker.

Wayne Sihler · May 12, 2006

Rocketman said:
Thanks all... I'll try the RTV Copper on a new sending unit. Happen to have a bunch of that. getting at the oil filter adapter T60 seems to be the bigger PITA. have a socket type, maybe I'll try a T60 L-key, with some steel tube on the outside as a helper/breaker.

Had to remove the motor mount and block up motor to get mine loose.It was REAL tight.Took a T60 and machined it down to fit without any extra length.
Wayne

Swapping distributor

Rocketman

NAXJA Forum User

red91

NAXJA Forum User

langer1

NAXJA Forum User

Rocketman

NAXJA Forum User

ChiXJeff

Curmudgeon

Rocketman

NAXJA Forum User

Wayne Sihler

NAXJA Member

Rocketman

NAXJA Forum User

5-90

NAXJA Forum User

Rocketman

NAXJA Forum User

Wayne Sihler

NAXJA Member

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