Is this the new normal for parts.....ie Vortec dist. cap

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by speedygonzales

I hear ya and I agree, That's why mine is 20 years old and still going strong.

I dislike 3 things about the engine. Obviously the distributor.

The other 2 are the lousy intake/injector system and last, the plastic timing cover.

Here are the easy ways to deal with all three:

aluminum vortec dist.

replacement fuel injectors

and possibly new to many people

cast aluminum timing cover

That distributor has what looks like the same cap as the original.
Can you get an old fashioned cap without all that wire embedded in dubious plastic for these?

[speedygonzales]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

We did get roped into a '97 Silverado this week, only because the customer thought it was the fuel pump we replaced last year. After nearly 6 hours of troubleshooting we found a wire harness issue, was frying the coil after an hour or more of driving.

I'm right there bud. After 20 years of my own mower shop and now working at O'Reilly's I know the customer always blames something from the shop/store. It's never a new problem or something they could have done.

Although what you could have done with the 97 was put voltage directly on the pump wires and prove it was working and then say "have a nice day".

Originally Posted by hatzie

That distributor has what looks like the same cap as the original.
Can you get an old fashioned cap without all that wire embedded in dubious plastic for these?

Unfortunately the signal relied on by the Vortec PCM needs one that only comes from a Vortec distributor and that means there is only one cap design.

The Vortec cap has a flat on one side. Unlike any other cap