DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
07-16-2007, 11:06 AM
Post: #1
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
Ok, a couple weeks ago I had the bearing sieze in my Toyota Corolla (ae86) 4age/4agec distributor. A more common problem is the inner shaft seal in the distributor going bad and oil leaking from the distributor. This write-up will fix both issues.

I then remembered cruising one of the tech forums (dorikaze - IIRC) that said there was distributor rebuild kits available for the 4age distributors. They had previously been marketed towards the AW11 MR-2 crowd, and not the AE86 Corolla guys. Fortunately I was able to search and find the company that carries the rebuild kit - KBOX in Canada http://www.kbox.ca . So I go ahead and order a kit up to repair my fried distributor.

(In the mean time I swapped in an AW11 distributor to keep the car rolling. Which can be seen in one of my other posts, it's a direct swap.)

Anyways, here's what to do.

1. Remove distributor (and cap and rotor). If you need pics for this, you shouldn't be attempting it Wink

2. Drill out the 'roll pin' from the distributor gear to remove gear from the distributor shaft.

This is kind of a tricky PITA, type of deal. Since the OEM pin used is mushroomed into place, you need to carefully remove the mushroomed part of the roll pin with a drill bit that is actually larger than the part of the pin inside the shaft/gear itself. Without eating into the distrubutor gear.

Once that portion is removed you need to drill out the remainder of the OEM roll pin with a small drill bit. NOTE: do NOT go larger than 1/8" drill bit, that is almost TOO large to drill out the center. I'd recommend a 3/32" bit. Then you take a small punch and knock the remainder of the pin out of the gear/shaft. From there it should be relatively easy to slide or pry the distributor gear off the shaft.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

3. Loosen the screws for the distributor shaft/bearing retainers. If your having trouble getting them with a regular screw driver (and you really don't want to strip the heads of these) I'd recommend giving it a light whack with an impact screwdriver. That's what I did.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

Once loose it's a cinch.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

4. Now that the retainers are gone you should be able to slide the distributor shaft/stator assy out of the housing with ease.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

5. Now that it's out, you need to remove the shaft seal from the center of the housing. It should look like this once removed.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

6. At this point your going to need a special tool or two. Either access to a small press, or a pulley and small bearing puller/splitter set.

Set the bearing up for removal, and pull/press/push the bearing off the shaft.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

7. Grab your rebuild kit.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

Here's a close up of the contents.

EDIT: the smallest o-ring is for one of the electrical connectors on the distributor.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

8. Install the new distributor shaft seal. I used a 14mm socket and lightly tapped it into place with a hammer, I set the housing upright on a 2x4 to prevent damage to the housing itself.

The top of the seal should sit level with the bottom of the bevel of the housing opening.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

Tip: get a drop or two of ATF and wet the seal down, it really helps when it comes time to install the distributor shaft.

9. Install the new bearing. I found that if you grab a seatbelt bolt from the front seats, it has a 1/2" thick or so spacer that works perfect as an arbor to press directly against the center of the new bearing. Just set that on top of a fender washer and push the bearing up into place.

If your uncertain of how far to press it. You can simply remove the shaft and check to see how much further you need to press it by checking where the stator on the distributor shaft sits in relation to the pickup/hall effect sensor/electronics inside the distributor housing. It should sit centered over the sensor strip.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

10. Now that the bearing is on the shaft, reinstall it along with the bearing/shaft retainers. I tightened mine back up with a light application of the impact screwdriver.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

11. Install distributor gear.

Position the distributor shaft/stator as seen here. The top stator should point just to the right of the sensor. This is the proper position to line up the distributor gear and housing marks correctly.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

Now that it's lined up, time into install the roll punch. I started it with the hammer, then drove it into place with the punch. It will stick out both sides of the distributor gear, just make it an even amount.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

12. Install the new housing to cylinder head sealing o-ring. Cut the old one off, most likely its super hard/brittle from heat. There really isn't much of a point to trying to remove it with a pick.

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]

Don't forget to lightly oil the o-ring when your reinstalling the distributor housing to make life easier.

Done.

Andrew
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07-16-2007, 12:03 PM
Post: #2
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
Great! Thumbs up!
Is it okay to put this one in the How to section as well? Tongue

1983 - AE86 Sprinter Trueno - import project
2013 - Honda Civic sport - daily driver
2004 - AEU86 dot ORG - daily domain

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[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]
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07-16-2007, 05:15 PM
Post: #3
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
banpei Wrote:Great! Thumbs up!
Is it okay to put this one in the How to section as well? Tongue

Of course.

If I wasn't willing to share I wouldn't have posted it Huh :wink:


IF you don't have access to buying this kit from kbox (which costs about 25 USD + shipping) you can build this kit yourself.

The bearing part # 6200RS - should crossreference at an autoparts store or bearing supplier (I think it's also used as a pilot bearing for clutches). And the seal you should be able to look up by dimensions. It's a 'double lip' (iirc) spring seal 10mm I.D. , 20 MM O.D. , 5mm thick. The o-rings you'll just need to take down to the parts store and match them there.

Andrew
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07-16-2007, 05:22 PM
Post: #4
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
Done!
http://www.aeu86.org/index/engine-diy%3A...post=74211
Respect!

1983 - AE86 Sprinter Trueno - import project
2013 - Honda Civic sport - daily driver
2004 - AEU86 dot ORG - daily domain

Support our forum, buy from the AEU86 shop:
[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]
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07-17-2007, 12:18 AM
Post: #5
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
banpei Wrote:Done!
http://www.aeu86.org/index/engine-diy%3A...post=74211
Respect!

You need to give it a quick update, I just was corrected elsewhere that the small distributor o-ring is for one of the electrical connectors for the distributor.

My post above has been edited if you want to re-copy and paste it.

Andrew
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07-17-2007, 10:17 AM
Post: #6
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
Done. Smile

1983 - AE86 Sprinter Trueno - import project
2013 - Honda Civic sport - daily driver
2004 - AEU86 dot ORG - daily domain

Support our forum, buy from the AEU86 shop:
[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]
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01-06-2010, 11:40 PM
Post: #7
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
assassin10000 Wrote:IF you don't have access to buying this kit from kbox (which costs about 25 USD + shipping) you can build this kit yourself.

The bearing part # 6200RS - should crossreference at an autoparts store or bearing supplier (I think it's also used as a pilot bearing for clutches). And the seal you should be able to look up by dimensions. It's a 'double lip' (iirc) spring seal 10mm I.D. , 20 MM O.D. , 5mm thick. The o-rings you'll just need to take down to the parts store and match them there.

Andrew

Hey Banpei, please add these details too in the How to section in case this post gets lost, why import for 25$ + the same amount shippint + taxes, if you can have it for about 10€ locally.

Thanks,
Patrick
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01-07-2010, 04:24 PM
Post: #8
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
PetzK Wrote:Hey Banpei, please add these details too in the How to section in case this post gets lost, why import for 25$ + the same amount shippint + taxes, if you can have it for about 10€ locally.

Thanks,
Patrick
Thanks for the suggestion! Thumbs up!
Added it to the how-to! Smile

1983 - AE86 Sprinter Trueno - import project
2013 - Honda Civic sport - daily driver
2004 - AEU86 dot ORG - daily domain

Support our forum, buy from the AEU86 shop:
[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]
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02-13-2010, 03:00 AM
Post: #9
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
assassin10000
i am having problems getting my ae86 to start i pulled out the distributor,i put it back in and the car won't start i dont know if im installing it wrong can you help ?
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02-13-2010, 03:15 AM
Post: #10
DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.
This is great. Thanks.

Kp62 - 135hp
Ae86 - 135hp
C32 Laurel - 440hp
C32 Laurel - 125hp

[Image: AEU86 AE86 - DIY: 4age Distributor Rebuild.]
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