Captain,
Isn't that distributor image a little off? Doesn't the flat portion rest more at around 11 o'clock then dead ahead? I have pics of both my '97 & '98 when I took the engines out with the flat portion more left of center (as seen from the rear of the engine).

 

Might be off a tad, depending on where it needs to be turned to get camshaft retard in spec. Straight across is a good starting point, it gives you equal distance to turn it.

 

i had a problem with my 98 blazer not starting. it turned out to be the rotor had small "burn through" on it allowing the spark to arc on the top of the distributor shaft and causing it not to start. spark at the plugs was good but i guess with it arcing it was acting like it had jumped time. i changed the rotor and it fired right up and runs fine now. would like to know what your problem is when you find it.

 

so i tried to clean up the cap and rotor and throw it back on to see if it would function, no go. as i was about to attempt all the suggestions you all have been so kind to....suggest...one of the cap screws stripped itself out all by itself with no fault from me. anyone know how to get that out? i have some pretty barbaric ideas that include a hammer, a dremmel and brute force, but there has to be a more civilized way.

captain, as far as i remember, it was maybe 3-5 degrees off from the #6, but as you said, that could be the exhaust stroke. i didnt get an opportunity to recheck before the screw rounded itself out all by itself. i still cant eliminate the probability that it jumped time, but the more i research and the more i read/hear from people that know exponentially more about that engine, seems very unlikely.

brade, the rotor wasnt burnt through, but i know what your talking about. the ball at the top of the cap was flattened out from 12 years of running and the posts had what was described to me as "cauliflower" on it. so im hoping its just the cap and rotor, which are still on the way btw.

 

Stripped screw.... if the ear of the distributor housing is, or gets broken, it will require a new distributor. Not a good idea to run the engine with only one screw holding the cap on. Skip White has them online and on Ebay for around $50. All aluminum housing, much better design. If you can get the screw out, you can install a machine screw and put a nut on the underside.

When the timing marks on the dampener are lined up, and the rotor is only 5 degrees away from the "6", (and the distributor has not been out) guaranteed the chain did not jump. If/when the chain jumps, the rotor would be ~25 degrees off.

I still have my money on the cap & rotor Make sure you put a dab of silicone dielectric grease on each terminal, inside and out, of the cap. The terminals are aluminum and the grease helps reduce corrosion on the terminals. When the engine is running, the spark crystalizes the grease, and it ends up looking like "cauliflower" (it's supposed to be there).

 

So....small hammer?

 

Is the screw head rounded off or does the screw just turn in the housing?

 

The head, sorry should have clarified.

 

Might spray some PB Blaster on and let it soak for a bit. Then try a good small, (6") vice grip, not one that's "well used" You could also use a Dremel tool and grind away some of the cap to expose more of the screw to get a good bite on it.

 

Its a torx bit,