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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Engine/Drivetrain => Topic started by: the_legend_1981 on March 13, 2009, 05:07:23 pm

Title: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 13, 2009, 05:07:23 pm

i'm not having luck lately...now i have a grinding noise under my distributor cap...what could it be?

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: VileZambonie on March 13, 2009, 05:42:31 pm

Is the cap and rotor installed correctly? It's only two screws so pop it off and check

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 13, 2009, 05:45:20 pm

yeah i tried that about 6 times...it looks as if its hitting on the middle piece that comes down off the cap...i tried the old rotor too

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: Lt.Del on March 13, 2009, 08:27:42 pm

HEI?
Ensure all four spring clips are attached correctly so the cap won't be !@#$-eyed.  Did the little square doomajiggy fit correctly in the square indention?---i usually try to turn the cap after fitting the sqare lock into place to ensure correct placement.

If everything like that is lined up, you should remove the cap and have someone turn the key and visually (and audibly) check to see if grinding noise happens when cap is off and try to diagnose that way.  The distributor shaft could be bent, but i believe that is rare.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: Irish_Alley on March 14, 2009, 12:51:57 am

when you said it looks like its hitting the middle piece, you mean the middle plastic piece right? but like Sgt said make sure its seated right sometimes it may seam that way but it ain't. did you do a tune up then this noise accrued or just out of the blue?

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 14, 2009, 06:54:27 am

yes it hits on the plastic piece. that's why i'm thinking that the cap is on wrong.  the clips go right down into the slots correct. i've done it before and have not had a problem.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: Irish_Alley on March 14, 2009, 11:34:31 pm

may be a stupid question but is the rotor on right. take a pic of the cap if you can. and like Sgt said try to turn it over w/o the cap i know i had a bad distributor once changed the shaft out with one i had sitting and fixed the problem

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 16, 2009, 04:27:01 pm

yeah i check it a bunch of times, cant figure it out...the original rotor and cap i took off didnt rub. think i should try the original rotor?

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: VileZambonie on March 16, 2009, 05:48:24 pm

post pix

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 16, 2009, 06:11:22 pm

3rd one you can probably see the best. Its wearing a circular shape in it.
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/new014.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/new015.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/new016.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/new013.jpg)

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: VileZambonie on March 16, 2009, 06:25:37 pm

Did someone put the old rotor on backwards and break the tab? In other words, they installed the distributor wrong so just made the rotor fit backwards? You'll notice there's a locating tang on the pole piece.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 16, 2009, 06:37:30 pm

I dont think so...I tried putting it on backwards thinking something like that...wouldnt fit. I can take pictures of the rotor in there and the cap on tomorrow if that will help.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: ccz145a on March 16, 2009, 09:15:03 pm

Does the sound go away with the old rotor in place?

I'd at least compare the 2 very closely before you take the new one back to return.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 17, 2009, 02:44:14 pm

yeah 2 different rotors make the noise.

(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/rotor001.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/rotor002.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/rotor003.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/rotor004.jpg)
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s49/the_legend_1981/rotor005.jpg)

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: VileZambonie on March 17, 2009, 05:10:13 pm

Make sure that grommet is sitting in it's place for the module or the cap won't sit flush.

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: the_legend_1981 on March 17, 2009, 05:44:19 pm

yeah i put that back on...still cant figure it out...

Title: Re: distributor noise
Post by: VileZambonie on March 17, 2009, 07:25:57 pm

show us the inside of the cap and make sure all the hold downs on the cap are properly seated.