Best Prices for Distributor Replacement

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How much does Distributor Replacement cost?

It depends on the type of car you drive and the auto repair shop you go to. Our mechanics are mobile, which means they don't have the overhead that repair shops have. They provide you convenience by coming to your home or office.

Distributor Replacement pricing for various cars

CarsEstimateParts CostLabor CostSavingsAverage Dealer Price
1988 Volkswagen Cabriolet$405$259.41$145.99-10%$366.91
1981 GMC C1500$817$612.88$204.38-7%$763.38
1997 Mercury Villager$525$378.73$145.99-7%$486.23
1992 Cadillac Seville$391$201.48$189.78-14%$341.23
1988 Dodge Dakota$306$159.57$145.99-14%$267.07
1986 Chevrolet C10$719$208.09$510.96-23%$584.34

Distributor Replacement Service

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.

Recent Distributor Replacement reviews

Excellent Rating

(175)

Rating Summary
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Kanstantsin

20 years of experience
192 reviews
Kanstantsin
20 years of experience
Nissan Xterra V6-3.3L - Distributor - Denver, Colorado
Great guy excellent job second time I've used them he did my distributor cap unit and air flow sensor diagnostics check first time was with the starter very highly recommended on both I will continue to use your service excellent job thank you

Christopher

16 years of experience
246 reviews
Christopher
16 years of experience
Chevrolet S10 V6-4.3L - Distributor - Charlotte, North Carolina
Chris is a true professional. He did everything and anything to get the job done. There were issues along the way but he handed them in a very professional manner and got the job done. I'm very pleased with Chris and his performance. I will certainly use him and Your Mechanic again.

Elias

15 years of experience
225 reviews
Elias
15 years of experience
Chevrolet Astro V6-4.3L - Distributor - Brooklyn, New York
Elias went above and beyond expectations to make sure my distributor was seated correctly. He stayed for 4 hours and was excellent company throughout. Wish I could give him 10 stars!

Robert

21 years of experience
1307 reviews
Robert
21 years of experience
Chevrolet Tahoe V8-5.7L - Distributor - Denver, Colorado
Robert was great. When the initial distributor replacement didn’t work he ordered a replacement and came back for free. Very knowledgeable and was always willing to respond quickly to questions even in between visits.

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