[V8] Hall sender / theories?

[Lyddall's]

I got  a new distributor and installed it last night to replace the one 
with the broken hall sender.  ($80 from Force5 and a replacement door 
mirror unit for $25).  I still have the same problem of really rough idle 
and hesitation/engine vibration when you push the gas.  The fault code is 
2113 (hall sender), but I've tested the sender and it is blinking when it 
should and seems to have the correct voltages as described in the shop manual.

Is it possible that when I put the old distributor on and broke the cover 
that keeps the hall sender wires in place that the distributor jammed 
enough that it moved the cam sprocket and now the timing is now off a few 
degrees?

I don't really want to do a t-belt job on this car (160k) - not to mention 
I don't have the locking plates or any of the other tools needed.

Any suggestions?

David