1996 Pontiac Firebird Distributor Assembly

BETTYSUE92

MEMBER
1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD
V8
2WD
MANUAL
103,000 MILES

My son has a 1996 Firebird Formula with an LT1 350 with a manual 6 speed. The car just stopped running & we got it to a repair shop. The Distributor Assembly was replaced. We were told that moisture got into some vacum lines & ruined the distributor & that if it gets wet again, the samething could happen again. Meaning that it probably shouldn't be driven in the rain. The tech said that for a couple of years that GM made this distributor assembly that has this moisture problem. This is the cars third distributor assembly. Is there something that can be done to keep the moisture out of it? Is there any after market product that doesn't have this problem?
Not being able to drive it in the rain is not good. It was very expensive to replace. Help, I don't want to have to sell his car.

4 Replies

INTERNETMECHANIC

MECHANIC
700 POSTS

Talk to a national brand autostore, they should have something. I don't have a brand name product in front of me. I have seen people use wd40 as a moisture displacement, removed the dist. Cap, sprayed everything. I don't know how flammable wd40 might be, there might be something better out there? Thanks for the donation.

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Sunday, July 11th, 2010 AT 1:20 PM

BETTYSUE92

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"Talk to a national brand autostore, they should have something." That's it? I know that I'm a girl but I expected better even if the answer took another day or 2. Not the answer I thought I'd get. Even a "I don't know but I'll do some more checking" would have been a better answer.

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Sunday, July 11th, 2010 AT 10:52 PM

INTERNETMECHANIC

MECHANIC
700 POSTS

Just trying to help, have a good day.

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Monday, July 12th, 2010 AT 9:03 AM

2CARPRO JACK

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11,533 POSTS

If an A/C Delco distributor assembly (cap and rotor as well) were used it should be fine to drive in the rain. The factory parts are o'ringed to keep water out as well as having remote vents (rubber hose) to keep it from building up pressure from the static electricity. Has the water pump been replaced? I have seen the pump leak causing coolant to get into the distributor causing failure. This isnt the best design out there, but it can be driven in the rain

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Monday, July 12th, 2010 AT 12:08 PM