Chevy Cavaliers made in certain years come with QUAD4 engines. The instructions in this article are specifically for changing the distributor in a 1996 Cavalier with a QUAD4 engine. The distributor is located below the cover on top of the engine, and looks like no other distributor you have seen in other engines.The distributor in a QUAD4 engine is typically easy to replace, once you have properly identified it as a problem. If the QUAD4 runs rough or won’t start at all, the chances are you have a distributor problem, as the coils seldom go bad.
Make sure the engine is cold before beginning this procedure. Remove the bolts from the cover. The cover is located on top of the engine, and will be held on by four or six such bolts. As you face the engine, look to your right. At the end of the cover, there will be a plug-in connector. Unplug this connector.
Carefully lift the cover straight up. You may have to rock it back and forth as you apply gentle upward pressure. Lay the cover upside down so the plastic distributor is facing up.
Remove the bolts holding the distributor to the cover. Gently move the distributor to the side, unplugging any wiring harnesses that you see. The coils should be in the distributor. Remove the coils from the old distributor.
Place the coils into the new distributor and plug the wiring harness back in.
Reattach the distributor to the cover. Change out any grommets that came with the new distributor.
Replace the spark plugs if they have not be recently replaced. The “feet” of the distributor serve as the spark-plug wires for this particular engine.
Carefully set the new distributor assembly into the spark-plug holes. Gently but firmly push it down until it clicks into place.
Reattach the wiring harness plug-in on the right. Replace the bolts. Tighten the bolts until you feel resistance. Using a diagonal pattern, tighten each bolt one full turn; then, repeating the diagonal pattern, half a turn. Do not put a lot of torque on these bolts—they may strip.
After making sure everything is plugged in and all tools are off the car, start the engine. The Cavalier should start and run smoothly--if your diagnosis that the distributor was the problem was correct.
