Ford Bronco II Distributor Replacement at your home or office.

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Distributor Replacement Service

How much does a Distributor Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Ford Bronco II Distributor Replacement is $294 with $154 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1990 Ford Bronco IIV6-2.9LService typeDistributor ReplacementEstimate$463.92Shop/Dealer Price$544.75 - $779.14
Show example Ford Bronco II Distributor Replacement prices

What is a distributor and how does it work?

The distributor is an electro-mechanical component installed in a car’s ignition system to provide, time, and “distribute” the spark that occurs at each spark plug in an engine’s combustion cylinders. The distributor contains a rotating shaft with a gear at the bottom that engages a gear on the engine’s camshaft. Atop the shaft is a plastic rotor that has electrical contacts molded in. As the plastic rotor turns, it completes a high voltage circuit to each electrical contact, one per engine cylinder, that is molded into a plastic distributor cap. That high voltage then flows along the spark plug wire to the spark plug, creating the spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture in an engine cylinder.

Distributors vary in design: some may have the ignition coil built in, some have vacuum advance mechanisms attached for engine timing, and really old distributors may even have mechanical points. Vintage cars, that is cars older than 25 years, will more commonly be equipped with a distributor. Most modern car designs have replaced the distributor with fully electronic systems controlled by engine sensors for more precise, and more powerful, ignition system operation.

When to consider replacing the distributor:

  • Worn or damaged integral parts. Worn shaft bushings can result in wobbling or eccentric rotation of the rotor, resulting in misfires, loss of power, rough idle and poor mileage. If the shear pin breaks that secures the distributor shaft drive gear, complete loss of ignition spark distribution is the result. A failed ignition module that is mounted to the distributor housing may also be more cost-performance efficient to replace the entire distributor.
  • Visible oil leaks. Distributors are attached to the engine and consequently, there are seals, both internal and external, that keep oil from leaking at the point of attachment. External O-rings are serviceable but if an internal oil leak occurs, due to a worn shaft, for example, it might necessitate rebuilding or replacing the distributor.

How do mechanics replace the distributor?

Distributors are bolted to the engine block or the cylinder head. The replacement procedure is as follows:

  • Once all diagnostic tests are complete and the distributor is confirmed to be faulty, disconnect the battery negative cable.
  • Set engine at top dead center on the compression stroke for cylinder no. 1. Mark location of distributor housing and shaft relative to the engine mounting surface.
  • Remove primary and secondary ignition system wiring connected to the distributor. Unbolt and remove the distributor. Temporarily cover the hole in the head or block so no foreign matter drops into the engine.
  • Install new distributor and new cap and rotor, with the rotor pointing to the cylinder no. 1 firing-order electrode of the distributor cap. Reconnect all wiring and reconnect battery negative cable.
  • Start engine and set basic engine ignition timing per original equipment manager specification. Then check timing advance for proper function. Road test vehicle.

Is it safe to drive with a distributor problem?

Yes. A faulty distributor will cause increased fuel consumption, increased emissions and poor engine operation but does not generally create a safety hazard.

When replacing a distributor keep in mind:

  • Many ignition system failures will mimic a distributor failure, including faulty spark plugs, faulty wiring, and a worn cap and rotor. Mechanics will always test the distributor directly to ensure it is not needlessly replaced.
  • If a distributor is removed for testing and then re-installed, be sure that new o-rings are installed. Re-using old o-rings often results in oil leaks.
  • If the distributor is replaced, and the spark plugs and spark plug wires have considerable mileage on them, the best results will be obtained by replacing those components at the same time the new distributor is installed.

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Meet some of our expert Ford mechanics

Real customer reviews from Ford owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(26)

Rating Summary
23
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Jean

16 years of experience
157 reviews
Jean
16 years of experience
Ford Bronco II V6-2.9L - Coolant Temperature Switch (Sensor) - Palm Harbor, Florida
Jean is easy going and will go beyond to get your repair completed well.

David

15 years of experience
103 reviews
David
15 years of experience
Ford Bronco II V6-2.9L - Distributor Cap and Rotor Replacement - Cedar Park, Texas
I'd like to rate higher, but I'm still waiting on a different mechanic to come out and fix my issue. Once I get my truck fixed I'd be happy to rate higher.

Kerry

32 years of experience
27 reviews
Kerry
32 years of experience
Ford Bronco II V6-2.9L - Car starts and then dies - Covington, Georgia
Kerry was on time, and he described each diagnostic test that he performed. When he left , he told me the cause of the problem. The fuel pump was not keeping the correct pressure while the vehicle was running. This was caused by the vehicle sitting for a long period of time and the gas tank had developed rust and water in the gas. He showed me samples of the bad gas coming from the fuel pump. He is professional, knowledgeable, and friendly.

Nolan

31 years of experience
296 reviews
Nolan
31 years of experience
Ford Bronco II V6-2.9L - Coolant Temperature Switch (Sensor) - Tucson, Arizona
Great job

Excellent Rating

(26)

Rating Summary
23
2
0
0
1
23
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1
Number of Ford Bronco II services completed
286+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Ford MECHANICS
1800+
experts on our platform

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