sgull

I recently purchased a Bosch 04295 distributor rotor for my '92 Accord DX 2.2L. Upon installation I discovered it is for a different fit, so won't work on my distributor. Here's a side-by-side comparison, the one on the right is the new Bosch replacement and the one on the left is my old one: http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps01e67a79.jpg
I double checked several sources and the Bosch 04295 is supposed to fit my Accord. So what's the deal I wonder? Why the difference here?

holmesnmanny

that's really weird. You appear to have the correct new one. I don't know what the old one is. I've never seen one like it before. Can you take a picture of your distributor ? What country are you in ?

sgull

The old one fits fine on the distributor shaft; the shaft has that same tooth configuration that the old rotor fits onto. I could take a picture of the distributor if that could help explain the difference. It's the same distributor and rotor that's been on it for years and been working fine. I'm in the good ol' USA.

holmesnmanny

Did a piece of the old rotor pop off when you took it off ? So the new one is too small right ?

sgull

No, I'm pretty sure a piece of the old rotor never came off. Yep new one won't fit on because the opening or hole or whatever you wanna call it is too small to fit onto the shaft, the fairly obvious difference you can see there in my picture.

holmesnmanny

Yeah, take some pics of that distributor if you can. I'm hoping someone else has seen this before 'cause I haven't and I've had 4 4th gens already and I have never seen a rotor that looks like that.

It's possible maybe someone did a distributor shaft swap of some sort lol I just don't know.

sgull

I've been informed from another source (not sure if correct) that these cars from these years ran with two different distributors, one of which was called a TEC. Apparently depending on whether it was a TEC distributor or not, the rotors would be different. And apparently if it is a TEC distributor it might say TEC on the cap, but mine doesn't. I'll try get a picture posted and meanwhile will be trying to look into this TEC distributor info a little more, see what I can come up with. It seems obvious that I have a different style of distributor than for that new rotor I got, and the TEC difference could be tthe logical explanation here. When I ordered the rotor they never asked whether I had a TEC distributor or not. Seems like if there were two different distributors ran on this model car they would have made a distinction. So I don't quite get it.

dnguyen2010

The Bosch rotor appears to look correct for the 1990-1993 Accord 4cyl A/T. If you're claiming the distributor shaft is too big for the Bosch rotor. I think you have an aftermarket distributor, because I haven't seen a wide-mouth rotor for your accord.

holmesnmanny

I have compared the two distributors from 91 to 92. The 91's are internal coil and the 92's are external coil. They have separate parts but I'm pretty confident they use the same type of rotor. You can check for yourself at rockauto.com. I have compared the 91's and 92's and for the ones that show a good picture they are the same exact rotors.

I hate to say this but I think you have two options. If you can not find a rotor that fits that distributor and I think you won't, you can take apart that distributor shaft and take it down to the junk yard and take one off another car and see if you can put your shaft on the other distributor. If it will fit and I'm not sure if it will, then you should be able to swap the other one onto yours so you can just pull the other one from the other distributor and swap it onto yours. Your other option is just to buy another distributor from the junkyard.

sgull

For what it's worth here's a few photos of the distributor with the cap and rotor off. It is an aftermarket distributor I recall from quite a few years back I had a shop install it. I don't know what brand it is, and the only identification is a sticker there with numbers on it which is probably unhelpful for purposes of further identification of manufacturer/brand.
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps6a41b00f.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps9673b28a.jpg

HonBeer

That's why you don't put German parts on a Honda.

sgull

But is Italian okay? Because my cap's from there...

dnguyen2010

get a used oem distributor on ebay or at a junk yard.

sgull

Okay I solved the mystery. The new rotor will fit fine after all. If you look on the end of the distributor shaft in my first photo there in post #10, you can see that gray thing around the end of it. Well that's the insert that goes within the old rotor; it simply stayed stuck on the shaft when I removed that rotor! So I pulled it off (it was tight on there), and of course was then able to fit the new rotor onto the shaft no problem.

holmesnmanny

Lol that's why I asked if anything came off when you removed the old rotor. Yes, that piece you're talking about did. It came off the old rotor but stayed on the shaft.

sgull

Yeah you did ask that. But for some reason I thought you were asking did anything fall off (or out). And when I pulled the old rotor off, I didn't see or hear anything fall. Also, I think that plastic cover box/shield thing that fits around the rotor contributed to me failing to notice that piece was stuck on the end of the shaft, as when it's in place the shaft (except for the end) is hidden. So, just seeing the end of the shaft sticking out with that shape on it, I just assumed it was made like that. Obviously that assumption reveals how often I've ever changed out the rotor, or any rotor for that matter, in the past. Plus I'm old and feeble minded.
By the way, what is that plastic cover box/shield part actually called, and what is it's actual purpose? Would it matter much if that was just left off?

holmesnmanny

It keeps dust out.

sgull

What dust? Anyway I broke mine. And so I guess I need a new one. Might have to order it from someplace (we don't have junkyards here), but I don't know what it's part name is. Any help in that regard would be appreciated.

poorman212

For the cover, look at this part number 30107-P08-006

sgull

Hey poorman, thanks!!

1990exr

Most all honda distributors have the same dust cover in them if you have any other honda distributors laying around or have access to them, I've used parts from my cb7 distributor on my 00 civic and vise-versa

sgull

Also good to know. Thanks, I'll check around a little first for such before spending money on a new one.

holmesnmanny

Keep in mind there is a gasket that goes around the inner part of the casing of the distributor cap. It's important to replace that from time to time so as to keep condensation from getting inside a distributor which helps to fail it.

sgull

A new gasket came with the new cap I got, so will be sure to use it. thx