[Ignition]: Pickup Coil
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
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From: Boston, MA
[Ignition]: Pickup Coil
How hard to do? My car is at Phoenix's house, and is in need of a new pickup coil (or so we think). I've already got the new one, and know that the distributor has to be yanked out to do this.
My chilton's manual actually has a pretty good step by step procedure with pictures for both distributor removal, but also pickup coil replacement.
Anyone have a list of exactly WHAT size tools/sockets/etc, I would need to do this? I know all I need to get all the way down to the distributor is one size socket and a phillips screwdriver. But what about the actualy distributor removal?
Need info soon, thanks.
My chilton's manual actually has a pretty good step by step procedure with pictures for both distributor removal, but also pickup coil replacement.
Anyone have a list of exactly WHAT size tools/sockets/etc, I would need to do this? I know all I need to get all the way down to the distributor is one size socket and a phillips screwdriver. But what about the actualy distributor removal?
Need info soon, thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: Fort Worth Texas
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Re: [Ignition]: Pickup Coil (scorp508)
distributor removal is a snap.... try to get the balancer on tdc of number one timing mark before removal.... it'll make things a bit easier when you go to put it back together.
To get the distributor out, you just need a 9/16" socket or wrench. I use on of those bent wrenches you get at the parts store. The end is bent at a 90 degree angle, much easier to remove the hold-down bolt.
Take the plenum cover off over the distributor, remove the cap so you can see the position of the rotor. If it's at TDC of the firing stroke, it should be pointing at the rear corner of the plenum on the drivers side.
Remove the 9/16" bolt and hold down piece, and while rotating the distributor, pull it up. You'll notice the rotor move when you pull the disty up, when you go to put it back in, you'll need to make sure the rotor is off to that side when you go put it in so that when it twists as it goes in, it'll line up near the mark it was when you pulled it.
As far as getting the pickup coil out...
I dunno.
But baseball!!! Baseball has been very very good to me.... (wait, old SNL there....)
Anyway, good luck!
To get the distributor out, you just need a 9/16" socket or wrench. I use on of those bent wrenches you get at the parts store. The end is bent at a 90 degree angle, much easier to remove the hold-down bolt.
Take the plenum cover off over the distributor, remove the cap so you can see the position of the rotor. If it's at TDC of the firing stroke, it should be pointing at the rear corner of the plenum on the drivers side.
Remove the 9/16" bolt and hold down piece, and while rotating the distributor, pull it up. You'll notice the rotor move when you pull the disty up, when you go to put it back in, you'll need to make sure the rotor is off to that side when you go put it in so that when it twists as it goes in, it'll line up near the mark it was when you pulled it.
As far as getting the pickup coil out...
I dunno.
But baseball!!! Baseball has been very very good to me.... (wait, old SNL there....)
Anyway, good luck!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 2,875
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From: Olive Branch (Memphis suburb) MS
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: [Ignition]: Pickup Coil (scorp508)
Scorp, after you get the distributor out, mark the gear and shaft so you can reassemble them in the same position. Tap out the roll pin from the distributor shaft and gear. Pull the shaft out through the top of the distributor. Remove magnetic shield held on by three screws. Remove the C-washer retaining ring at the center of the distributor and remove the pick-up coil. Put it back together in reverse order. And as "Mr. Lighting Rod" advised, make sure you get the whole distirbutor back in so the rotor is linedup on #1. Set your timing, and you're ready to go. :chevy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: [Ignition]: Pickup Coil (scorp508)
In case you forget how it came apart, the dimple on the drive gear lines up with the firing end of the rotor. Also, the gear is positioned next to the housing, the gear shaft points down. As to the pickup coil, it is held to the shaft by a c-clip and is either staked or bolted to the distributor housing. If it is staked with a roll pin, remove it and attach the new one with a sheet metal screw. Make sure the pickup coil teeth do not touch the teeth of the timer core on the distributor shaft. There are three bolts on the pickup coil which, after you install it, can be loosened and then retightened to make sure there is no contact. While you're at it you may want to replace the terminal block from the module to the cap (3 wire) and the one from the module to the ECM (4 wire).
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Boston, MA
Re: [Ignition]: Pickup Coil (SunCr)
Well guess what, it wasn't the pickup coil...... when I pulled the distributorr to change, I saw that the distributor gear was chewed up, and 4 teeth completely missing. :eek: Got a new gear, and all is good!!! The tach actually works now also, no fluxuation.
