Replacing a distributor on my 80
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
Replacing a distributor on my 80
I purchased a Mallory Distributor and plan on replacing my stock distributor. This Mallory is direct fit for my 80. I have replaced distributors but is was a long time ago. Can you tell me how to go about it ??? .
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 7
From: Arkansas City Kansas
Remove cap and note position of rotor. Remove hold down clamp pull old distributor. Install new distributor with rotor in same position as old. May have to bump starter to get the distributor to fall into the oil pump. Install hold down clamp and snug it down.. Transfer wires to the new cap in the same position and order as the old one. Start car and set timing.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 464
Likes: 1
From: Austell Georgia
Mark wires and remove. Remove cap. Mark position of rotor. remove dist hold downn and start to remove dizzy.....mark new position of rotor as it will turn when removing. Install: Hold dizzy above hole and turn rotor to 2nd mark made when removing. Look down and see if the oil pump drive will line up with the tang on dizzy when you drop it in...a long screwdriver will help you turm the oil pump drive to get it close. Drop the dizzy in. If you're on, the rotor will spin to your marked position 1 and the tang will drop in the pump drive. Tighten down loosely, reconnect and retime
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 26,563
Likes: 29
From: Northridge California
St. Jude Donor '14
Mark wires and remove. Remove cap. Mark position of rotor. remove dist hold downn and start to remove dizzy.....mark new position of rotor as it will turn when removing. Install: Hold dizzy above hole and turn rotor to 2nd mark made when removing. Look down and see if the oil pump drive will line up with the tang on dizzy when you drop it in...a long screwdriver will help you turm the oil pump drive to get it close. Drop the dizzy in. If you're on, the rotor will spin to your marked position 1 and the tang will drop in the pump drive. Tighten down loosely, reconnect and retime
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
Remove cap and note position of rotor. Remove hold down clamp pull old distributor. Install new distributor with rotor in same position as old. May have to bump starter to get the distributor to fall into the oil pump. Install hold down clamp and snug it down.. Transfer wires to the new cap in the same position and order as the old one. Start car and set timing.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Revere Massachusetts
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 121
From: Kernersville NC
I just replaced my Malory with an MSD. The position of the gear on the distributor was about 1/2 tooth different that the Mallory but the rotor lined up in the same general position. One tooth in either direction was obviously wrong. I made a swag adjustment to compensate then I snugged the hold down bolt and it fired up with no problem. The timing was a bit low but the timing light fixed that. After engine was warmed up I fine tuned it. Said all that to say that Camivette is spot on but rotor alignment might not be exactly the same as previous distributor.
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 7
From: Arkansas City Kansas
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 20
From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Why replace the stock dissy?
Joe,
Why would you want to replace what is probably the best factory distributor ever built? If it's just to show off to people and say "I've got a Mallory" well, OK. But the factory HEI is in the opinion of many knowledgeable people a very good reliable dissy that rarely gives problems. If yours is worn or the module has failed, it would almost certainly cost you less to rebuild it with new parts than to replace the whole dissy with an aftermarket one.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
Why would you want to replace what is probably the best factory distributor ever built? If it's just to show off to people and say "I've got a Mallory" well, OK. But the factory HEI is in the opinion of many knowledgeable people a very good reliable dissy that rarely gives problems. If yours is worn or the module has failed, it would almost certainly cost you less to rebuild it with new parts than to replace the whole dissy with an aftermarket one.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Joe,
Why would you want to replace what is probably the best factory distributor ever built? If it's just to show off to people and say "I've got a Mallory" well, OK. But the factory HEI is in the opinion of many knowledgeable people a very good reliable dissy that rarely gives problems. If yours is worn or the module has failed, it would almost certainly cost you less to rebuild it with new parts than to replace the whole dissy with an aftermarket one.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
Why would you want to replace what is probably the best factory distributor ever built? If it's just to show off to people and say "I've got a Mallory" well, OK. But the factory HEI is in the opinion of many knowledgeable people a very good reliable dissy that rarely gives problems. If yours is worn or the module has failed, it would almost certainly cost you less to rebuild it with new parts than to replace the whole dissy with an aftermarket one.
Just my $0.02 worth.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn
Totally correct, no question about it.....
