Chevy Vortec V8 5.0, 5.7, 7.4 Distributor Replacement - Quick How To Guide 

I miss my dad. These videos remind me of him. I remember how happy he would be when he got finished fixing a vehicle...

Your videos (this, and the long one) make everything so clear! It crystallised to me the link between TDC on the first cylinder and the spark on the first cylinder’s spark pug. Today i didn’t need to guess and worry - just went ahead and replaced the old plastic distributour with a robust new one. Thanks!

My vehicle is doing everything except Getting power to the engine. I checked fuel pump and it's good. My old distributor has alot of corrosion under the cap and a totally rusted distributor! Already replaced the starter and I am hoping that replacing distributor and ignition coil, button and cap will get my Tahoe running!! This video is awesome and well explained! Great video makes me feel like I'm on the right path!!

Say bro down here in Jacksonville Florida thank you for the video man then had all kind of mechanics look at the truck but didn't know what they was doing 10 minutes and my baby is back up and running

You can turn the crank by turning the 1" alternator nut. You have the mechanical advantage!

Worked as explained ! Thanks ! No check engine light

Wow I know this is a relatively new video but very underrated. Had to leave a comment because it didn’t have any and I think you deserve a round of applause on this one. This is extremely thorough for how short it is. Very simple and straight to the point for home mechanics like me to understand. I watched tons of videos and did a lot of reading on this fix mostly because of the timing issues with the vortec motors and needing a scanner but you hit all the mechanical aspects very well. I’ve read other mechanics say to bump the starter to get it to drop in but that was a good little clip actually showing it. I bought a Bluetooth OBD2 for my phone and the Torque pro app hoping that I’ll work to show me the timing and I can fine tune it in myself. Maybe I’ll have to bore out the bolt hole on the hold down bracket if I can’t get the necessary adjustment out it. I don’t want to take it to a shop if I don’t have to because I know I’m capable of this job if I have the right tools. Thank you again for putting this information out there for people like me! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Excellent video, well explained procedurally and filming was amazing! Thanks! Very helpful!

This vid helped a lot idk much about 97 silverados but as I do more mechanic work to mine I learn a lot more stuff

MAN!!! TY FOR NO SCREAMING MUSIC>>AND THANK YOU FOR GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS>

Thank you... after 7 months of trying. I finally got my truck running thanks to your video. edit, although it runs now, unfortunately my cam sensor on the distributor is not getting 12volt power and is spitting the p0340 code. misfiring badly when accelerating but its fine when running idle. I think i have a broken wire somewhere.

Much better video than most, thanks

This video was very helpful saved me when i was off a tooth installing new distributor follow this step by step and everything worked as it should Thanks .

Thanks so much, this video made my distributor replacement a breeze. One comment on my old distributor, the teeth on the cam gear were horribly worn. The wear was uneven, with 2 or 3 teeth (all next to each other) slightly worn but the other 10 teeth varied down to razor blade sharpness. I was surprised to see this, I have 138k miles on the distributor. One more comment, I reused the stock clamp, as the clamp that came with the new distributor didn't seem to allow for the slight rotational adjustments to be made to set the CMP Retard to 0. I tried to use it but could not figure out how to twist the distributor once the bolt was in, it seemed to lock it in place. Stock clamp did allow for these adjustments.

Thank You for this video, you answered all my questions on the same type of new distributor.🤝

Helped me get my Tahoe running after lifters. Great video, thank you.

Thanks a million !!!! I'm on the road again !!!! Keep posting these RU-vid videos, greatly appreciate it !!!!!!!!! I Subscribed.

Thank you, would have been great to See Exactly why you replaced the distributor.

Thank you for the helpful information

you explain it perfect thx

I like how you have a beer ready😂😂😂

so helpful, great video.

This is awesome! Going to see if I can my friend GMC van back running correctly

Awesome very helpful. Thank you

Thank you.

Mine does work right now but I think it's because I need to rotate the engine 360 degrees like you said. The guy from 1A Auto didn't even talked about that

Exceptional!

Hi, first of all thank you for posting this video!! I followed your instructions, it dropped right in with little effort, although, my rotor was pointing toward #1, it was slightly off the arrow mark, to the left, about 3/16 to 1/4". I did it again, same thing. I decided to go for it anyway. Put it all back together, it started a little weak, so I advanced the distributor a wee bit, and Presto! It has never started so well, tap the key, and Vroom! I do however have the Check Engine light on, is this the P1345 code? There is a shop nearby, I can have them scan it to remove the code. I had them scan it for the initial rough running, they said it was the distributor, and $300.00 job. No Thanks, picked one up at Bennet, and with your help, did it myself. Thanks again!!

Thanks for video very helpful

hello names mike have a couple questions - will a loose distributor throw the P1345 code time gun shows notch on balancer to the notch on time cover 3 inches from each other but runs normal and when I turn to match the notch it shuts off? how should I go about this

Thanks for the great video and explanation. I am going to verify this tomorrow to ensure everything is as is supposed to be. My 1999 Suburban died on my driveway little by little, my guess cause it wasn't being used. At first I was charging the battery and that was enough. Then I ended changing the crankshaft sensor I it did started a couple of times then nothing. I went ahead and changed the camshaft sensor, the distributor cap and the rotor without taking the whole distributor out and nothing. So, I went ahead and changed the fuel pump and again nothing. And spark plugs and nothing. I got spark in number 1 and 2, and I got fuel pressure of 55psi. I got two things to check, the timing as you did here and if that's ok as I am thinking. Got to be a crankshaft sensor ground or something... Of course I have to learn how to test that. Fuses are good and relays are new as well... and fresh fuel. Any input on this one is appreciated.

My 97 S10 started making a droning noise and it was gutless on the freeway for a few months,then I got the P0300 random misfire code. I took the cap off to check it out. As it turned out,the distributor had some lateral,(side to side) play in it,horizontal (up & down) play too,but I think that's normal...? I bought a new distributor and popped it in. Fixed it. I wouldn't put a cheap one in or you'll be fixing it again in 6 months. Some of the cheap ones that are $30 on Amazon aren't even clocked right, right out of the box. I used a Summit Racing distributor it came with a brass terminal cap & rotor. It was 1/2 the price of a Delco. Delco was about $300.

So I Have a 1999 Chevy Tahoe and it’s doin the same thing crank but no start do you think it’s the issue

The 7.4 drops down to the 6 o'clock position not pointing at the number 1 cylinder. You'll go made trying to clock it like the small blocks.

Hombre gracias interesante la explicación... pero como es el orden de los cables de bujías a la distribución por diagramas, tome las recomendaciones pero no anote el orden de los cables de bujías al distribuidor... gracias...

Hey man what's up over here in Lubbock Texas what if the distributor don't have the white Mark how do you line it up

I set mine exactly like this at top dead ce ter But my timing advance reads -24.5 🤣 any idea why?

I had p1345 code and installed a new distributor when i noticed damage on original i was hoping that would fix code but it hasnt i set the rotor to spark plug 1 before switching and made sure was flush to engine vehicle starts and runs but still same code think i need to get hooked up to scan tool

but before it drops down when you wiggled it its not pointing towards one anymore?

enjoyed the video...... i have a 97 chevy sub. k1500 350 5.7L. I set my tdc #1 on compression stroke. after all that. it shows -20 degrees out. what am i doing wrong?

I've got another question because I'm having problems again lol. Somehow my rotor screws came loose somehome and my truck shut off as I was driving. It just happened to me again today and I'm assuming it's the rotor coming loose again. Should I put a bit of super glue on top of the screws after tightening it? And is there a way to know where to put the rotor without cranking the engine to TDC?

OK CANT IT ONLY GO IN TWO WAYS? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE OIL PUMP DRIVE DOES IT MOVE OR NO

Where was it pointing when you took it out.

Is there any chance you have info or video of troubleshooting the spider injector?

FYI, distributor removal procedure for a 7.4 L Vortec quite a bit more involved.

theres 2 marks . the 2nd mark. the reason it doesn't fall in . u need to put in 15° before TDC . in the middle of compression so when it hits TDC the spark plug fires

Awesome video, I followed it to a T, however it wouldn't start. I have a 99 7.4 GMC. I took it all apart over and over ummm yeah it only started right up at 180 off (pointing at the #5) how can this be?

Wouldnt bumping the motor affect it being in TDC when the distributor falls in?

Pueden poner el tiempo en una van exprss 5.7

Man I'm still having trouble. So once I drop the distributor in I can get it to sit flush and point at cylinder one. And I have the motor at top dead center. Any help

I’ve done everything to try to set my distributor in and nothing is working. I’ve watched this video probably 15 times and done it step by step every time and it’s not working. It’ll never point to cylinder 1

If I took out the distributor out before I put the engine TDC how can I know when I have my timing marks lined up that I'm on cylinder 1 and not cylinder 6

When you say adjust it its like a Carburetor

Mine keeps moving to the 8th n not the 1st spark plug, everything is in line along with the drive pulley on the top dead cylinder line, I can get it to point to 1st but the base won't be parallel. 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️I dont know what todo

Lots of distributors don't have line up mark on them :( If not what then ? :)

What does the plug under the distributor for.

I have a question, My friend put in short threaded spark plugs in his 1997 pickup with a 350 eng. instead of the usual longer threads. He told me it ran rough. ( no doubt ). Can doing this cause any problems with ruining the engine ? What would happen?

No adjustment with advanced timing light?

Mines turn s on then off ,put new distributor cap rotor ,coil wires 5.0 vortec

I installed a new distributor but there was no line on it. I believe I am 1 tooth off.

What you mean rotate the engine over

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I can’t start my truck

Are yo uturning the truck over at 4:35 whats that noise and whats making it spin

did everything like on video, but the car will not start, and i hear the claps

Oh,, I guess it was in time from the start.. umm mine is dead in the water.. sputter.. pop . Pop. Sputter

Uh and ugh and uh (off camera) uh , this one right here , there uh.

Not that simple on a 7.4 big block vortec

Its 180 out.. lol..

This is incorrect. The timing is not based on number 1 TDC. You have use a scan tool to look at the crankshaft pid degrees to see where it needs to go.

Ok.. thumbs down for misleading title. The truck you have here is a half ton with TBI... so this guide only helps with old 305 and 350 TBI engines. A 96 and up 454 engine has an intake that prevents you from getting anywhere near the cap and rotor which are not even remotely close to the style of distributor in this video. Rename the video "how to change the distributor on a TBI small block Chevy. 88 to 95." Or something like that.. because nothing related to the 454 is shown here.

What the hell is a rotor button , is dude making shit up ? Ive never heard anyone call it that lol , its just a rotor as far as i was taught , im shur if you said line the rotor up with this line we know to point the thing at the line you are talking about . Is the distributor cap called the shirt ? Or is it pants ? Maybe zipper or squid fuck i dont know what to call it now , my damb teacher forgot to teach me the right words i guess , there's a waist of 4 years auto class . Stupid rotor button ! Now i got to go back to school .......

97 chevy sub 5.7L Followed video. It points at #1 but when I hooked up scanner it is reading -20 degrees out. What could be wrong