Rebuilt Distributors...Pros/Cons?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Rebuilt Distributors...Pros/Cons?
Ive noticed on my 86 that the distributor is getting OLD...and I mean the gear,the wires,the connectors,plastics parts etc getting brittle and all that.
Instead of trying to locate the parts/pieces needed,is it cost effective to get a rebuilt distributor that has all these new parts?A while back I tried to get a new circuit board for the distributor and was told by everyone they couldnt get me one.Ive seen the rebuilt distributors at Napa for around 125.00.Anyone ever use a rebuilt unit? Or is it better and cheaper to just get the parts for my current one?
The distributor still works fine but want to get everything new in there.
Whats your suggestions?
Any pros or cons to those?
Thanks!
:)
Instead of trying to locate the parts/pieces needed,is it cost effective to get a rebuilt distributor that has all these new parts?A while back I tried to get a new circuit board for the distributor and was told by everyone they couldnt get me one.Ive seen the rebuilt distributors at Napa for around 125.00.Anyone ever use a rebuilt unit? Or is it better and cheaper to just get the parts for my current one?
The distributor still works fine but want to get everything new in there.
Whats your suggestions?
Any pros or cons to those?
Thanks!
:)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,168
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix AZ
Re: Rebuilt Distributors...Pros/Cons? (Bill's86Coupe)
Good question - I looked into buying a new or reman GM and as far as I was told they do not sell a complete distributor. All the HEI distributors I have seen in automotive catalogs are the vacuum advance type, not ESC. You could buy an MSD but it looks like that isn't a simple direct swap either. I'll be watching this one so I can learn more...
:lurk:
:lurk:
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Rebuilt Distributors...Pros/Cons? (vetracer)
The one I seen at Napa was a complete HEI electronic distributor Minus the Cap/coil.It has a new module,terminal board,harness,pick up,gear etc.You have to give your old core in or pay a 50 dollar core charge or so.I didnt think the price was too bad considering all the parts to buy seperately appears to add up close.
Autozone also sells them but Im wary of their stuff as it is.
:)
[Modified by Bill's86Coupe, 5:24 PM 6/25/2003]
Autozone also sells them but Im wary of their stuff as it is.
:)
[Modified by Bill's86Coupe, 5:24 PM 6/25/2003]
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,767
Likes: 5
From: Jacksonville Fl
Re: Rebuilt Distributors...Pros/Cons? (Bill's86Coupe)
Bill...what makes the difference is the shaft straightness.
A lot of the Napa ones will look better, but they dont check for shaft straightness. A shaft with as little as .010" warp can cause breakup at high rpm's.
I say if your shaft is straight (measure runout with a dial indicator) then your better off rebuilding your own distributor.
As an alternative, using a Mallory distributor to trigger the stock HEI module (it works veryu well as a matter of fact) would be a better way to go, since you can lock it solid like the EST controlled HEI.
A lot of the Napa ones will look better, but they dont check for shaft straightness. A shaft with as little as .010" warp can cause breakup at high rpm's.
I say if your shaft is straight (measure runout with a dial indicator) then your better off rebuilding your own distributor.
As an alternative, using a Mallory distributor to trigger the stock HEI module (it works veryu well as a matter of fact) would be a better way to go, since you can lock it solid like the EST controlled HEI.
