Things You'll Need:
- Screwdriver, or nut driver, adjustable wrench
- New distributor cap and rotor.
- Spark plug wires (as needed)
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Step 1
First go to auto zone or advance auto; get the cap and rotor for your particular make and model of your vehicle. I am assuming your spark plugs have been replaced as well.
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Step 2
InspectThe distributor cap can be near the firewall or a variety of areas, but it is easy to distinguish because it will have 4, 6, or 8 plug wires attached, plus a wire going to the ignition coil. I personally like to do one wire at a time, you can label them by putting tape on them numbering the order they fire in. You most definitely do not want to get these wires mixed up.
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Step 3
As an excellent reference Auto Zone has tons of diagrams for your particular vehicle. It is the only free site I’ve found with great information. So you have your new plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor. To remove the distributor cap, there should be a screw on each side of the cap. It can also be a clip that you push down and turn. Use either a screwdriver, or a fitted wrench or even a nut driver depending on the size, and your preference. Be careful not to lose these screws, sometimes you will need to reuse them.
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Step 4
After loosening the cap, very gently pull up on the cap to release it, and if you have enough slack in the wires, you can put it to the side. Keep the wires attached. You can take the coil wire off, it is usually shortest, and in the middle, so you can move your cap out of the way. If you look inside the old distributor you will see the contacts may have a carbon build up, this inhibits the spark from being able to travel correctly through the contacts.
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Step 5
Now the cap is off, next you will see the rotor, this can also screw on or off; mine in my 1988 Astro van just pulls up to remove it. The rotors they use now are indexed so you can only put it on in the correct position. So you have put the new rotor in place, now it’s time to put your cap back on. I strongly suggest if it has been a while since your wires have been changed, to replace them when you change your plugs. That too is one at a time. I always put a bit of lubricant inside the wire on the metal contacts; they sell at auto zone as well, so the wires are easy to replace. When your wires go on you will feel, and hear a click, this way you know the wire is completely secured to the plug.
