This is a repost issue I had recently. My 96 4.3 blazer had been hesitating thru the whole power band. I finally got around to replacing the cap and rotor(old ones were only 3 yrs old but looked nasty) Blazer runs great now. But unfortunately in the process,one of the 2 plastic screw threads on the distrubutor itself broke off, so I only have 1 screw holding down the distrubutor. My question is can I get by with only 1 screw in since it is running ok now or maybe put some silocone on that side of the distrubutor since I'm sure it is not a tight fit?? I really don't want to replace the distrubutor itself.

 

Does anyone know if just the upper part of the distributor can be replaced without the distributor shaft???

 

Just discovered why the plastic thread part broke off. The sqrews that Well Mfg. supplies are angled and gaped differently than the stock ones!!!!! Why would they do this? A friend of mine suggested I use a bolt and nut to hold the other side of the distributor down. Any thoughts on this?????

 

You need to replace the distributor. You are only buying time by keeping one side secure. The cap will work loose, or at least mine did. The distributor is not hard to put in. Do a search, there are a few great posts on how to.

 

If you did put the nut and bolt on it, it will be alright with a bead of silicone just for safe keeping. but if you continued to run it off one screw, then yeah your distrubiter needs replaced ASAP.

 

I broke a screw off on an older truck before. I just pulled the dizzy out of the block and grabbed ahold of the bottom screw that broke and screwed it the rest of the way out thru the bottom. I also helped a friend on time that the same thing happened. We had to drill out the screw with a drill bit smaller than the screw and re-thread the hole. All of this is alot cheaper than buying a new dizzy. But either way you do it you will have to completley remove the distributor.
I wouldn't run around with one screw very long. It will let moisture in and possibly wear the cap and rotor out prematurely.
And another tip that I do know from experience is... stock up on some anti-seize grease. From spark plugs in aluminum heads to little screws that like to rust and break... It helps from making a simple job turn into a PITA.