How to Replace the Distributor in a Chevy Corvette

The Chevy Corvette went without a distributor in 1997, with a couple of years' interlude of having both systems. From the mid-1980s to 1995, the Corvette had 5.0L and 5.7L engines, as well as one in 1992 with a 3.1L. Here's how you can replace the distributor from those years in cars with the Opti-Spark system. Expect to spend some time because of the number of parts involved.

Things You'll Need

  • Wrench
  • Long-handled ratchet
  • Distributor
  • Look for the distributor by the spark plug wires leading to it; you'll need to remove several parts to replace it. Unhook the negative cable from the battery in the front of the engine compartment. Unplug the Intake Air Temperature connector and take out the air intake duct; the duct has an accordion section connected to a part that flares out.

  • Take off the accessory drive belt by using a long-handled ratchet on the tensioner pulley bolt--and raising the drive belt tensioner. It will be a small pulley between two larger ones.

  • Take the plug out of the bottom of your radiator so the antifreeze can drain into a disposal pan. Also unhook the coolant hoses on the water pump and let the rest of the coolant drain out. Unplug the Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) sensor connector; you'll find it to the bottom right of the grill-like face on the coolant pump.

  • Use a wrench to take off the water pump, as well as the crankshaft balancer, which sit atop the distributor. The crankshaft balancer is a round piece on the crankshaft; it looks like a metal tire with a hubcap and a series of holes around the "tire."

  • Take off the tensioner that puts pressure on the belt drive. Grab the spark plug cables by the boots and turn one-half turn each way before detaching. Put a label on them to avoid confusion when reconnecting. Disconnect the four-terminal ECM connector from the distributor.

  • Unbolt the distributor hold-down bolts and tilt the distributor toward you so that the driveshaft detaches from the camshaft's end. As you do this, note and mark the driveshaft's position to align parts properly during re-installation. Oil the O-ring on the distributor lightly before installing new parts.

  • Put in your new Corvette distributor so the driveshaft fits down properly into the camshaft's end; you may have to turn the distributor until the camshaft pin goes into the camshaft slot. Get part number 22142E for the 5.0L engine in your 1987 to 1995 Corvette from Parts Train. If you're ordering a part, know your model, year and engine size to get the correct part, as parts numbers differ among manufacturers.

  • Replace parts in the reverse order in Steps 1 through 7.