Need help with distributor

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Jun 13, 2007 | 06:39 PM

ghenryl

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Need help with distributor

I changed the sparkplugs on my 94 3.0L Aerostar today (what a joy). The van still ran rough so I decided to look at the rotor and cap.

I replaced them until I could order new parts and thought I had the rotor seated properly but when I turned over the engine I heard a pop ...The tailpiece on the rotor snapped off and fell in the distributor.

What do I need to do to retreive the tailpiece or is the distributor cooked?

thanks

Jun 13, 2007 | 09:29 PM

ubereal2

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From: Lexington Mo

Magnet

You need to see if you can get a magnet down to grab the distributer piece that is broken. Most likely gonne need a new dizzy (distributer).

Jun 14, 2007 | 12:19 AM

Pablo-UA

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From: Kiev, Ukraine

Mark position of distributor and rotor inside distibutor, remove it and repare..... Magnet may ot help you.

Jun 14, 2007 | 08:21 AM

ghenryl

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The piece that broke off was the plastic tail on the shaft of the rotor.
I am hoping I can use my shop vac to suck it out of the distributor. Its just that I dont know where or how far the piece fell into the distributor and if it could have done any damage. Im not knowlegable about the inner workings of a distributor.

As far as marking the location of the rotor...evidently I didnt have it positioned and seated right in the first place. The only thing I can do before taking the distributor out (if thats what I have to do) is to buy a new rotor and make sure its positioned and seated correctly and then mark it.

Does that sound like a reasonable plan?

Jun 15, 2007 | 12:18 AM

ghenryl

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This question has also been posted at the Electrical Systems/Wiring forum.

Last edited by ghenryl; Jun 15, 2007 at 12:36 AM.

Jun 15, 2007 | 01:24 AM

xlt4wd90

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From: SoCal

ghenryl,

There should be a notch on the shaft that the rotor fits over. You can mark its position onto the distributor, and then mark the position of the distributor to the intake manifold.