Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

Tips on removing/replacing 304 v8 Distributor

304runner

( .Y. )
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
10
Points
38
Age
40
Location
Central Coast NSW
Members Ride
VR 5.0 Ute & a 4runner with a VS SS trasplant
So I have the daunting task of replacing a dizzy in my v8 tomorrow, thanks to a dodgy hall effect sensor.

Does anyone have any tips to give me?

Its going to be a prick of a job, and anyone who has changes leads on one of these motors knows exactly what im talking about :)

Cheers
 

drewVHSS

Donating Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
713
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Gosford Central Coast
Website
stores.ebay.com.au
Members Ride
'83 VH SS, '79 Green VB SL '92 S2 VQ Caprice
you can wrestle it out without taking the manifold off. Had to do it on my m8 simmo's vq last weekend a few times to replace the hall effect sensor.
Take the cap off first and you should have enough clearance in a vn-vs.
NFI on clearance in ur 4 runner, which car you doing this on?
BTW were u goin thru the road works between wamby and erina tuesday arvo with an Ice truck a few cars' in front? If so, I tried sayin g'day but u didn't seem to notice.
 

304runner

( .Y. )
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
10
Points
38
Age
40
Location
Central Coast NSW
Members Ride
VR 5.0 Ute & a 4runner with a VS SS trasplant
you can wrestle it out without taking the manifold off. Had to do it on my m8 simmo's vq last weekend a few times to replace the hall effect sensor.
Take the cap off first and you should have enough clearance in a vn-vs.
NFI on clearance in ur 4 runner, which car you doing this on?
BTW were u goin thru the road works between wamby and erina tuesday arvo with an Ice truck a few cars' in front? If so, I tried sayin g'day but u didn't seem to notice.

I did notice a VN fair up the backside of me at the top of the roadworks, were you in that?...I have shocking eye sight and sometimes drive straight past my own house ;)

The Dizzy Im replacing is in the ute of mine. I wish it was in the 4runner, much more room in that.. I think I will remove the engine mounts and lower it at the front then even jack up the gearbox to tilt it forward some more.. Fingers crossed I can do it in a few hours...
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2011
Messages
378
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
roxby downs
Members Ride
VH SL/E..VF2 redline W375.. 200 series landcruiser
if it was me i would just take the manifold off and be done with it. takes less then an hour to get it off and that way you can check all your lifters, push rods lifter ect. its a lot better then struggling and getting the sh*ts with it. ive tried doing it in a VS SS before and in the end we took the manifold off after hours of swearing. good luck
 

Decicrate

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
777
Reaction score
24
Points
18
Location
BrisVagus
Members Ride
VS L67
Just in case you need some guidance putting it back in.

dist1.JPG
 

304runner

( .Y. )
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
10
Points
38
Age
40
Location
Central Coast NSW
Members Ride
VR 5.0 Ute & a 4runner with a VS SS trasplant
ok cheers guys.. Time to get into it.. I'll keep you posted....
 

304runner

( .Y. )
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
1,246
Reaction score
10
Points
38
Age
40
Location
Central Coast NSW
Members Ride
VR 5.0 Ute & a 4runner with a VS SS trasplant
Well that was one of the easiest things I have ever done. I think I scared myself out of doing it for so long due to a bad experience with being 180 out some time ago, in fact that was the reason I joined the forum many moons ago.

I took the advice of removing the inlet manifold and simply took pictures of the old dizzy "in situ" and made some marking with a paint pen on the reference points on the stalk of the new dizzy and the cork gasket on the back of the block (the gasket that stops the oil from running out around the dizzy)with the same reference points on the old dizzy...

I took note as to where the rotor button was pointing and where the fins were to he magnet pick up and just slotted it straight in..

So from start to finish it took less then an hour which was allot less then the weekend I had allocated due to past experiences.

And for an extra $22 for inlet manifold gaskets, its money well spent. In fact it took less time then it did when I replaced the leads with the inlet manifold on.

Cheers guys..
 

drewVHSS

Donating Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
713
Reaction score
6
Points
18
Location
Gosford Central Coast
Website
stores.ebay.com.au
Members Ride
'83 VH SS, '79 Green VB SL '92 S2 VQ Caprice
I did notice a VN fair up the backside of me at the top of the roadworks, were you in that?...I have shocking eye sight and sometimes drive straight past my own house ;)

The Dizzy Im replacing is in the ute of mine. I wish it was in the 4runner, much more room in that.. I think I will remove the engine mounts and lower it at the front then even jack up the gearbox to tilt it forward some more.. Fingers crossed I can do it in a few hours...

No champ, i was driving the Lidcombe Ice truck. I was about 3 cars ahead and then you pulled to turn into barralong rd when i lined up to go thru erina.
 

Mttank

New Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2017
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Age
44
Location
Qld
Members Ride
98 vt clubsport
Hi guys new to the site but used all the info on here to change The leads & plugs on my vt (the stuff on the dizzy was great cause it was a mission) but now there on I've noticed there really tight on the left bank to the point of touching the rocker any one had this prob ?
 

EYY

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
5,752
Reaction score
2,032
Points
113
Location
Vic
Members Ride
VS Statesman
That's what happens when you have no.1 at the wrong spot. You'll have to remove the dizzy and change where the rotor is pointing when no.1 is firing.

I've done this job countless times without removing anything except the dizzy. I use an old pillow and lay down on the inlet manifold. There's not much room but certainly quicker and easier than removing the inlet manifold.
 
Top