theholycow
11-27-2009, 07:04 PM
Today I endeavored to do some neglected maintenance/repairs to my 1980 Buick. The plan is to replace:
- distributor cap
- distributor rotor
- spark plug wires
- spark plugs
- half a tailpipe
Known obstacles:
- Raining and kinda cool temperature
- Muddy back yard
- Battery in car is pretty dead
- My ratchet & socket set is in my broken truck, 30 miles away
So, I pick up the parts. They don't have the tailpipe in stock but they'll order it and have it early afternoon. I get home and begin work. I find that the distributor is partially buried under the A/C compressor and figure I'll work around it. As I work I realize that I probably ought to replace the ignition coil too (but it's easy to replace later). Then I realize that I am not confident that the cap is aligned correctly.
Then I find that I can't fasten the 4th clip because the A/C compressor is in the way; I was barely able to unclip the old one. I find a 15mm wrench in my odds-and-ends wrench/socket toolbox and am able to loosen the A/C with a struggle. Then I have to struggle with a hammer to rotate it far enough to get the belt off, struggle with levers and hammers to move it back in the other direction further than it originally was, and so on. I eventually get the 4th distributor cap clip in place.
Now it's time to replace the wires. The markings I painted on the wires using white-out have rubbed off many in the struggle. Luckily Chilton provides me the firing order (Haynes does not; I have both). I run the first wire from the plug to the distributor. I plug it in and the terminal snaps off the distributor cap. :pissedfist:
- distributor cap
- distributor rotor
- spark plug wires
- spark plugs
- half a tailpipe
Known obstacles:
- Raining and kinda cool temperature
- Muddy back yard
- Battery in car is pretty dead
- My ratchet & socket set is in my broken truck, 30 miles away
So, I pick up the parts. They don't have the tailpipe in stock but they'll order it and have it early afternoon. I get home and begin work. I find that the distributor is partially buried under the A/C compressor and figure I'll work around it. As I work I realize that I probably ought to replace the ignition coil too (but it's easy to replace later). Then I realize that I am not confident that the cap is aligned correctly.
Then I find that I can't fasten the 4th clip because the A/C compressor is in the way; I was barely able to unclip the old one. I find a 15mm wrench in my odds-and-ends wrench/socket toolbox and am able to loosen the A/C with a struggle. Then I have to struggle with a hammer to rotate it far enough to get the belt off, struggle with levers and hammers to move it back in the other direction further than it originally was, and so on. I eventually get the 4th distributor cap clip in place.
Now it's time to replace the wires. The markings I painted on the wires using white-out have rubbed off many in the struggle. Luckily Chilton provides me the firing order (Haynes does not; I have both). I run the first wire from the plug to the distributor. I plug it in and the terminal snaps off the distributor cap. :pissedfist: