Distributor Replacement How To Chevy Vortec 5.7 and TDC Compression Stroke 

This video is the new standard by which I will judge how-to videos. Great job, thank you!

This is by far the best technical explanation that is not from a GM mechanical engineer. His calm voice simply indicates " I got this" This is the type of technician that I would've paid top dollars to work in my shop. With this guy on board quality workmanship And customers satisfaction are simply guaranteed. Thank you for your video. Congratulations .you get five stars from me

Followed these directions, and successfully replaced a worn out unit without any problems. Great video. Thanks

This man is the only person that’s spitting facts on RU-vid in this subject. Take notes y’all. I got everything dialed in first try. Thanks man

Fought with timing for several hours last night, watched this video, followed his tips and had truck running in about 20 mins. Listen to this guy, he knows his stuff!

Had to replace my lifters and pushrods in my motorhome. Ended up doing it myself as I discovered no shop will touch a motorhome engine. Your vid gave me the confidence to do it myself. Just finished today and this vid was a great help. The motorhome started right up! Thank you so much. Dan Young Denver CO

I’m replacing lower intake manifold gasket and found this video - best and most useful video I’ve seen. Thank you

Ordered, plugs, wires, distributor, and have no idea what I'm doing. But week I'll be watching this. Your very technical with what is going on and what each movmrnt does. This saves me the shop fee 🙏🤘🔨🛠

Hey, thanks...you've demystified the distributor...I am a liver transplant doctor and now I can also transplant a distributor...great video!

I have been fighting with mine for months lining it up the wrong way, the way you said to do it made it ssooooooo much easier where i can actually understand. Thank you

The best video I have ever seen on how to install the distributor on my truck . I just need to put it on the correct timing but I will save this video for future reference when I install a new one later on . You are the perfect instructor for this job cause you cover all the details very specifically . Thank you very much my brother for doing it for us. God keep blessing you . 👍🍺

Thank you for the details this helped me a lot in my first time installing a new distributor. In reference to the old hold down clamp with and aftermarket distributor, I realized the clamp that came with my summit distributor did not allow me to rotate the distributor to make adjustments with the scan tool after it was all back together. I had to take everything back off and use the old clamp that let me finish the job. Just wanted to throw that in here in case some one was in my position and can avoid doing more work than necessary. Thanks for the video!

Bubba.... I would give you a hug right now if I could! It shows that you have taken the time to actually look at every aspect of this part from different angles and come up with every solution. I had to turn my oil pump shaft just a tad, but It sat down in there no problem. Put the new plugs and wires in and PRAYED! It fired right up with no code! First time I have not seen it on my scan since I got it in 2017. Keep up the good work bubba!

Thank you very much for making this video. I had the exact same replacement distributor and I never would have known it was different from the original. Lining up the dimple and painted line was a big help. I ended up having to stick a long screwdriver down the distributor hole to line up the oil pump so it was longitudinal to the engine block, and then the distributor dropped in so that I was able to plug in the cam sensor. Thanks again!

I don't know if you can see this comment a year and a half later, but you have literally saved my a**. I had to change the distributor in a 97 k1500, and for the life of me, could not figure out what I did wrong. Now I know when I go back to it in the morning, exactly what to do. This was a great video. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for making this very helpful and efficient video. Really appreciate you taking the time to explain things in great detail as well as great camera footage. Thanks a lot!

Thank you for this! After replacing the head gaskets on my Chevy I wasn't able to start it and it would sound like a 9mm went off half the time I cranked it. This gave me the knowledge to figure out the timing and get it running. Never knew the distributor needed to be adjusted. The guy didn't really mention this with in the 1A auto video I watched. Again thank you I am going to keep my truck now.

such a great video. wasn’t hard to watch and there was no useless information to skip through

I've seen a lot of videos but this man knows how to do a detailed video. Thanks you for your time it helped ALOT.PLEASE don't stop we need this kind of detailed description

This is THE BEST video I have seen on replacing a Vortec distributor. I purchased a new one, followed the video, and it dropped in on the first try.

Very Good video! Watched the first 6 minutes and had it all figured out. Very helpful!

Thank you so much for this video. I just did lifters on my 99 Tahoe and the only thing I got wrong was the distributor. You literally helped me set the truck with no marks on it back to normal with no codes. Thank you again.

From one tec to another excellent video brother

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!!!!! Man I beat my head against the wall for days with a no-starting ‘98 Chevy. Watched so many videos on this! Your vid saved me!! Took me 15 mins to do what you said and she now starts and runs like a dream! If there was one vid I wish I would’ve watched on my engine swap it’s this one. Thanks again!!!

Very informative .I don`t think you can go wrong with the timing after watching this video.

Thank you so much dude. This guy deserves more recognition for helping everyone who’s clicked. You are a life saver. Keep up the good work. I can’t thank you enough

By far the best video on this. Big fan of the "my buddy teaching me" style. No bs. Keep them coming.

Now this guy Know's what he's doing . Great channel and very in depth.

Worked as explained ! Thanks ! Installed new distributer as explained. And my 99 Tahoe 2 door sport started right up ! No check engine light ! Thanks again !

Great presentation James, you are a gifted teacher! Thank you very much.

This was the perfect explanation. I had installed mine wrong after doing gaskets and you showed me how to fix it. Thank you.

This video is worth 1,000,000 internet forum words! Thanks a lot!

Details are important and you’re very detailed and patient with explaining the process Thanks also I subbed

Amazing teacher! It's the best video by far. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Great video.....my dad used to just put paper towel on the spark hole and turn crank and once you here a pop from compression blowing paper towel out you know your on compression

Thank you for taking the time to help others.😎👍 Your a gentleman and a scholar

mine was running rough, got it for $800 at salvage yard, i adjusted the distributer to be parallel like you said and it worked brother, thanks!!

Thank you Sir for this in-depth tutorial.

Very well done James. This is where a lot of people get into trouble with the Vortec platforms is over thinking "timing" like with older more conventional distributors. We all have to conform to changes in familiar platforms and the Vortec Distributors are a perfect example of this. They're actually much easier to swap out than conventional distributors and to get right the first time. Cheers! Zip~

Best video about this I’ve seen on RU-vid and actually watch all the way through. Most guys talk about everything besides the situation at hand! I dropped a brand new 5.7 vortec in my 99 tahoe and I should’ve put a new distributor in also. The one I have now is cracked at the cap and the guy that assisted me didn’t tighten the hold down bolt all they way so my timing is thrown off. I’m just going to order me a new distrubitor and use this vid to install it. Thanks a lot, I appreciate you staying on subject and actually giving a straight to the point explanation. ✌️

nailed mine the first time on an engine freshening in my 23 foot Crownline boat! my original block was frozen from not being winterized. 36 years fixing cars, this is my one and only marine engine job!

Thanks for the video. I just got a nice looking 96 2wd with a 5.7. Ran good from the get go but it had a miss at cruising speed and just seemed to be a bit doggy. I replaced a couple sensors that look original which I thought could be the issue. The last guy already put new plugs, wires and cap so I didn't start there. But the sensors didn't fix it so I pulled the cap off to see what's up there. Here the front of the plastic base was broke off. The cap only had one bolt holding it on. It's not fixed yet but when the distributor gets here, your video gives me confidence to tackle. Thanks again

This video helped me a lot now I have my Chevy back on the road . Very great video. Extremely great details

Definitely best video on late model vortec distributor problems 👍🏼 A+

Thank you for this video. I got an aftermarket distributor that wasn’t quite the same but with this method i think i got it right without a scan tool. I had never done a distributor before so i was concerned that rotating the crank would take it off of TDC but she seems to be a runner and with no codes. What a difference from the piece of junk i pulled out of there.

1700 miles from home my 7.4 dumped it's coolant on the motel parking lot over night.. Had to pay a dealer $750 to replace the intake gaskets...I assume the dealer mechanic tried to swag stabbing the distributor using some marks he had made rather than finding TDC...He knew he got it off one tooth because he had the distributor rotated as far as he could get it clockwise before the cap started hitting the intake plenum just to get it to the point it would at least idle so they could send me on my way... needless to say it didn't seem to run just right and about 60 miles down the road it threw a p1345... Nursed it home... pulled the distributor....found TDC, stabbed it by the book, set the correlation ...good to go... There is a mechanic working at a Chevy dealer in west Texas that would greatly benefit from watching your video.....

Just wanted to say thank you you help me so much

Best distributor explanation ever for a obs Chevy truck

Great video. Of course in my case where I am putting a newly rebuilt engine back together, I have to take the valve cover off and watch the valves to see whether I'm on the compression stroke or exhaust stroke.

OMG!!!!! Did it!!!! You are a good send. Your explanation is excellent!!!! Thank you so much

this is the best video that has ever been explained on youtube , thank you very much!! now to see if i can do it

Excuse me sir... You friggin rock! I was elbows deep on this project with one fear of the dang distributor! I purchased a new one, but scrubbed my marks away cleaning everything. Came accross your video and felt like auto mechanics class in high school! Your way of teaching is excellent! Very informative explaining all angles and possibilities. After watching your video, I went right for it and it all went in perfectly first time. Just wanted to give you a huge Thank You! The time you spent sharing your knowledge is greatly appreciated and no way could I not take a moment to Thank You for that! Probably the best informative video I've ever seen on RU-vid!

Alternate method for finding TDC when you're on your own and no compression gauge or any other precision equipment... Remove plug wire and plug from #1 cylinder. You'll make several trips back and forth, but either bump the motor several times, using the ignition key or a breaker bar and the appropriate sized socket to fit the bolt in the middle of the balancer, until you first start seeing the timing mark on the balancer starting to come around to the mark on the block or timing tab. Using a screwdriver, push one of those red shop rags into the #1 spark plug hole in the head. You aren't trying to jam the whole rag into it, but in fact, most of the rag will remain outside. Just make sure you have enough in that it feels like there isn't any more room. Go back and start bumping the ignition key again in short bursts. After several tries, one of two things will happen: 1) Nothing. Take a peek at those timing marks on the balancer and the timing tab or block. If they are lined up or if the mark on the balancer has gone past the one on the tab or block, then you are at or past TDC on the #1 cylinder. The problem is that you are at TDC of the exhaust stroke. Go back and bump the motor again in short bursts until the mark starts on the balancer starts coming around again, and pay attention to what happens in scenario 2. 2) Assuming you have enough of the rag stuffed into the #1 spark plug hole, the closer you are getting to TDC on the compression, or intake stroke, the more compression starts building in the cylinder, and as the piston gets to the top of its stroke, it will blow the rag out of the hole and make a noise somewhere between a pop and a bang. Turn the motor over with a breaker bar and a socket until the two marks are perfectly lined up. Congratulations, you have found TDC on the correct cylinder in the correct phase of the piston's travel. I've done this on some pretty tired engines of my own with weak compression, and as long as there is at least something in the way of compression, it will blow the rag out. Just an alternate method for locating TDC if you find yourself in need and don't have the correct diagnostic equipment at your immediate disposal.

Thank you so much for the tutorial I'm not a good teacher and it's very hard for me to explain to my husband the importance at what you made look so easy he was able to install his distributor without any problems thank you again for your patience and great explanation

Very Good job. What I use when I am alone to find compression stroke is, I take a piece of napkin or shop towel and press in the sparkplug hole with a screwdriver. When the cylinder builds compression paper pops out, you are on compression stroke. Hope this helps someone else.

Thank you for the awesome video! I had an aftermarket distributor and didn't even know it. This video helped solve my issue.

Worked for me! Started the first try, thank you!

Definitely the Tom Brady of distributor installation. Thank you.

Just finish to follow all the steps and revive my truck, thank you very very much

I wish I'd seen this video than the others 100 I had to watch to find TDC when putting in my distributor which took a week till a buddy said put a straw in #1 and when it blows out your there. This video needs to be the first one people see great job. I subdAnd will be using only you thank you very much

This was very helpful you did a good job I can’t say it enough thank you so much

Fabulous video... Nice job narrating... I will attempt the removal & replacing my new distributor soon. I hope I'm successful.

I learned a long time ago take out sparkplug to #1 cylinder and put a wad of toilet paper or a rag into plug hole and bump ignition till paper or rag popped out. Than line up harmonic balancer line up to timing cover line and now you are at top dead center on #1. Funny years ago at a drilling rig at night I saw a few guys trying to install a distributor on a 4 cylinder Japanese pickup. I would see fire shooting up the carb and roughnecks couldn't get it to start. I went up to them offered help they accepted begrudgingly and within a bit pickup was purring.

I knew the new distributors are different, but the knowledge eluded me. After a big whoopsie I installed not at tdc. Your video refreshed me and actually improved my knowledge even though I had done this a million times, thank you so much. I will be pulling the valve cover now and checking my timing on the new one, I'm sure I'm a tooth off. Your a life saver sir

Very comprehensive and straight forward

Great video ,well explained made my job simple ,thank you.

Something I learned recently was that if you can’t get the oil pump drive in, drop it into a position where it will go and then slowly pulled the distributor out to point where it’s just about to come off the gear and turn it and drop it into the next gear, it’ll turn the oil pump along with it and there’s no need to use a screwdriver or anything like it

very good info thanks just did spider injection and intake gaskets gonna time it next 98k2500 5.7l also have the aftermarket aluminum distributor

Thanks brother i will try to fix mine following you instructions . You explained everything .i supped to ur channel

outstanding !!! best ever on you tube!

This has got to be one of the best step-by-step thorough tutorials I’ve ever seen, period. I will be following you. I will be saving this video. I’ve got two OBS trucks in my driveway and eventually I’m going to be tuning them up and or possibly needing to do an intake manifold gasket replacement. Thank you so much. I follow your descriptions very easily

I added this to my favorite play list. Thanks so much man...

Thanks for the instructions, I have to replace my distributor and was worried about timing

Thank you I am so grateful for video and all the details And explanation that you put into it I'm a painter by trade and you really help me out thank you.

Really appreciate for your time, very clear explanation

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. I live 20 miles from the nearest mechanic and I need to do my intake gasket. The only thing that's been holding me back is the freakin distributor. My manual warns that a shop (or scanner) is needed to calibrate the distributor, but with your info I'm going to take a 'stab' at it myself. I'll update after I'm done and either curse you or shower you with praise. :)

Awesome video. Yours really help me. Perfect detailing information. I was able to get mine in and line up Perfect. Thanks bro

Thanks for making this video!🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

Thank You So Much I Must Of Pulled This Distributor At Least 20 Times And You Got Me In Thank you

Excellent video bud. Really saved me. Thank you

Thanks for the video it really helped

Thank you so much boss!!!. You have help me verify that I am on point with what I am doing. As my replacement engine (used) showed up WITHOUT the distributor, grrrr. But, I did the best I could to follow the Haynes manual, which is fair upon understanding, but you need to read the WHOLE MANUAL so all the minor details can be understand. But everything runs now, but I can not get that *P1345 to stop pulling up, once it's been cleared. But, I have a better understanding NOW, having watched you exceptionally well detailed and explained video of just HOW sensitive the alignment is of the distributor must be. My new distributor hold down clamp is the tang type that fits around the flat side to not allow for old school rotation, other then what slop is with the the oval hole to the screw diameter, which I will assume is less then 1 degree of ability to rotate. I tried the factory clamp which allows rotation of the distributor body, but no change in the code popping up.. I am really speculating that maybe the "flats" are not machined/clocked correctly. But, I am glad that I am not the only one who desires this info you have so eloquently put together as a thorough guide. Thank you Sir.

Thanks .... great video ! Got my van running like a top after I messed up the removal

Thanks for the the video Would be great to See Exactly what the bad distributor looked like.

Great job Man!!! You just got my LIKE

Very well explained .Best video out there

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.

best explanation I think I've ever seen on here

This is my second time doing my distributor and second time watching this video. Thank you for the help you made this job fairly straight forward.

Top notch info compared to all these other mechanic vids. Subbed

Thank you very much for such a detailed video, I have a 96 C1500 5.0 and had to replace a defective distributor. This video allowed me to accomplish the job on the first attempt with no issues. Also great tip on clicking motor to help the distributor drop in place. Thanks again great job!

Best vid EVER. Thank you!!

Thanks for the details

Great video man, thanks.

Great video very well detailed and explained.

someone probably already mentioned 11:40 shows the distributor cap split along the edge of the bottom left on the camera or #8 cylinder port where the top plastic mold was joined with the bottom

Great video perfect explanation!..👍🏽

Thank you very much for this video! I thought I had ruined my engine but it turned out to be my distributor! Thank again! You’re tutorial save the day!

Great video. Thank you!

Thank you for the helpful information