if you have a pushrod cover, you either have an inline 4 or inline 6. however there were 6 different engine displacements in the family. as
@achris asked. what are you working on?
pulling the distributor, you will mess up timing. however you then re-set the timing. adjusting timing is not a big deal. if you dont have a timing light get one. if your boat has points, also get a dwell meter.
- pull cap and wires
- take silver sharpie, mark the distributor and block
- take sliver sharpie, mark where rotor is on the dizzy body,
- remove distributor hold down clamp
- pull distributor out. as you pull out, the rotor will turn about 35-40 degrees, and when its free, mark the location of the rotor on the dizzy body
- set asside
- pull the center bolts on the pushrod cover
- carefully remove the cover. do not pry like a gorilla and bend the cover
- remove the gasket
- clean the gasket surfaces
- get a felpro rubber gasket (do not get a cork gasket)
- use some permatex #3 (aviation) sealer or other similar sealant to hold the gasket in place
- install cover
- install cover bolts, sealing the bolts with permatex #3
- torque bolts to spec (found in the service manual)
- pick up distributor from where you set it down
- set rotor to the 2nd mark you made on the distributor
- install distributor by aligning block and distributor, as you insert the distributor it will turn slightly back to the first mark
- if the dizzy has not completely seated and the rotor has not come around to the second mark on the dizzy body, do not panic. this is normal. that means the drive tang on the bottom of the distributor has not fully engaged with the oilpump shaft. simply bump the starter and the dizzy will drop in.
- install distributor hold-down clamp
- reinstall distributor cap and wires
- now grab your timing light and set the timing.
if your inline engine has points, now is the time to service the points.
if your distributor has any slop in the shaft, now is the time to spend $13 on two new distributor bushings from NAPA