I attempted to change my distributor gasket this weekend and when I reassembled everything some idiot (me) didn't use the distributor hold-down and cranked the bolt pretty tight. I now have a cracked distributor housing:




Does anyone think I could put the bracket on and forget about it, or do I need to replace the distributor?

To thicken the plot, I bought a $47 Cardone distributor from Rockauto, thinking that no matter how cheap it was I could at least swap out the guts. As soon as I got the Cardone I decided it needed to go right back in the box and back to Rockauto - it's total crap compared to the OEM, even the housing.

If I do end up replacing it, how does everyone feel about the Crown distributors since OEM is not available unless you have $450? The pictures of the Crown look better than what I got, but I was fooled once already...

 

I think that (56041034) is a Crown distributor in your picture.

It really doesn't bother me if you replace it or not, buuuuut then I'm not the one that's walking when it fails.

 

I'd replace it ASAP. I would not drive it like that, WHEN, not if, it pops out.............

 

The reason the base fork broke is because you didn't have the hold down clamp in place see pic showing the clamp).


The OEM part number for the clamp is 33004242 but forget getting one unless you can find an aftermarket clamp.


Your best bet is a junk yard. The clamp is the same for 4.0 and 2.5 engines and are the same for many years.


Edit: Apparently these folks have the clamp:


http://www.moparpartsoverstock.com/p.../33004242.html


You may want to get a '98/'99 distributor from the junk yard as well and disassemble and clean up the shaft and grease it. Good as long as the shaft bushings are tight and the oil pump drive end isn't too far worn out and the drive gear isn't too worn as well.


Currently I'm using a '98 distributor in my '99 that I cleaned/lubed.


Clamp:

 

Crown uses the same part number as OEM. Sagem is the OEM manufacturer.

I do have the clamp so I'm good to go there. I found it wedged further down the engine.


This sounds like my best option. Everything seemed fine with the old distributor - the shaft had no horizontal play when I checked it before the gasket fiasco. What type of grease should I use?

 

Is that distributor with the cracked fork the one you plan on reusing?


I used Lithium (white) grease.


I have a ton of pics for disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly if you need them.

 

I do plan on reusing the internals from the cracked one. I only drove it around the block after I reassembled it but before I noticed the crack.

I have no recollection of the hold-down being there in the first place, but since I found it in the engine compartment and it was at the end of a long day that I reassembled everything I am assuming that it had the bracket on when I started. The P/O had fairly extensive maintenance records that don't mention anything about the distributor.

Pictures would be super helpful! I can PM you my e-mail address if there is not a better way to get them.

 

I will post the pics here.


I have Windows 10 with a dicked up email system that is very difficult to work with.

 

Before beginning, study the drive gear spline/roll pin alignment shown in the pic below. The gear must be reassembled the same way.



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Components:



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Disassembly:


Be careful not to lose the upper thrust washer.



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Cleaning:


Swab out the internal bushings using Brake Cleaner.



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Clean/prep the shaft as shown.





Lightly lube the shaft and the upper thrust washer with White/Lithium grease then assemble the shaft in to the body.


Using a felt marker place an alignment mark on the shaft for the gear roll pin hole.



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Install the distributor gear washer to the shaft then slide the gear in to place, aligning the roll pin hole with the felt marker line.



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The gear may have to be tapped in to position. Make sure the roll pin hole is aligned with the helical spline as shown in the first two pics.

Install the roll pin.

Done.


Note that replacement gears are not available. Some vendors try to sell gears for this distributor, by OEM part number, but they are not correct. Slight wear on the gear splines is acceptable.

 

Thank you so much for the instructions! Is there a seal or O-Ring in the distributor housing? If there is I think the seal on the donor distributor I got may be damaged:





EDIT: I don't think it actually matters. I re-assembeled the donor housing with my original shaft and there was a fair amount of side-to-side play in the shaft. Probably going to reject this one. Unfortunately it was off the only 98 or 99 at the junkyard so I think I might stop this project and try the Crown.

 

Was the Crown any good? I just ordered the "Spectra Premium" brand. Any thoughts on that one?

 

I had the same issue, thanks for the post, the responses helped me with my fix.