kitt

So after a struggle getting the bolts to move on my distributor, I was able to get take it off. I noticed the O-ring inside the distributor was fine and there was oil that spilled out when I removed the distributor. I changed the o-ring anyways. Is the oil spillage sign of something else wrong or normal behavior? Also, now the distributor (or somewhere on the left side of the car) makes a very faint, high pitched sound.

Car: 1998 Honda Accord LX

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

oil leak is normal. high pitch sound could be the bearing in the distributor going out. the bolts sound like its possible the bearing too is shot due to a harsh climate. where do you live?

kitt

Florida, gets pretty hot here (+90F~)

Can this be fixed? Does the part need to be replaced (now)?

Any reason why it happened after I removed the distributor? Maybe I just didn't notice it before...

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

you could have shifted the bearing removing the dizzy. like it was fine till you disturbed it. they get old after a while like any bearing. you can probably get away without replacing it but..beware that when it goes out you better not be far from city limits. your car will barely run (if it even does) and you will have misfires, sputtering, and codes for misfires...codes for the ecm....codes for the coil...etc. any part in the dizzy will give you CEL codes from the bearing shifting the dizzy shaft around in the wrong manner. you will have to replace the dizzy to my knowledge. but i'm sure that for about the same cost you might get a small shop to replace your bearing. i just wouldnt go through the trouble. if you want look for a shop that might replace your bearing. IDK if there are even any shops that do. but maybe you will find out. the humid weather may be at fault here but i really am not sure. in cali i have seen them go out in as little as 110,000 miles. and that was the honda OEM distributor. others last forever it seems

kitt

I marked the rotation of the distributor and returned it back.

This part may have moved a little bit when putting it back in...
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...g_howto005.jpg

How much wiggle room does this thing have, can it be tuned easily?

Also I noticed that thing was loose, unlike the picture where its flush again the rest of the parts.

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

yeah it sounds like its about to go out and give you major problems. possibly leaving you stuck somewhere on the shoulder. it should spin fairly easily but not wiggle. go to the auto parts and ask to see a distributor (peferably the one you need) but any similar honda one will do. spin that part and see what a good one feels like. its kinda hard to explain how it should feel better than "should spin fairly easily but not wiggle".

kitt

Ok will do.

kitt

Here's a picture I took of the engine with the distributor off.




I'll try to take a video of the "coupling" piece tomorrow:



(Coupling = bearing?)

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

okay PM me if you need my assistance. i have never seen a diagram drawn in crayon though LOL where did you get that?

kitt

http://techauto.tripod.com/distributorexploded.htm :p

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

LOL i was just kidding

kitt

ME:

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE:

kitt

How much will this cost? and what parts of the distributor have to be replaced?

Here is the Honda OEM distributor parts:

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

i dont know the cost since i did mine like a year ago. with all the pats i go through i dont remember the cost exactly. call autozone and find out. mine was about 130 bucks maybe. just a guess. lifetime warranty though LOL make sure its complete with the ICM if you have the ICM inside your dizzy

kitt

$130? On Majestic Honda if I get the whole distributor it will be $290 (some assembly required? )

Are there generic distributors ? or are they special to the car ?

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

so you mean you cant just call autozone and ask for a distributor that is complete? damn. i bought mine, opened the box and put it on. and then timed it. took like 10 minutes and wasnt 700 bucks

kitt

lol! Its 10PM on the east coast but I'll call tomorrow

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

oh yeah. look online or is that closed too? LOL j/k

kitt

So I did some calling around:

Autozone doesn't carry my distributor nor do they carry it online.

The dealership will charge $350-500 to install a new one, labor by itself would be about 2hrs for $200.

Carquest has for it $110, but I have to bring in my old one or it will be $102 extra

I found some on eBay varying from $50 to $150:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/7802-...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DISTR...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-...Q5fAccessories

eBay is the cheapest but why is it so much cheaper ? :p

Also you mentioned timing, what tools do I need for doing that?

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

what kinda car you have again? year make and model please. let me see if i can get you one cheaper. we have ever had a distributor we could not get. we couldnt get an EGR valve once but that was for an 86 el camino that i restored....damn i wish i would have been able to keep that car. like 5 grand in that engine alone....

kitt

Car: 1998 Honda Accord LX

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

okay the labor is 0.5 hours to put it on and adjust it the timing. 200 bucks that you were quoted in the labor is a rip off. if it included the part then its a deal. let me call real fast to see what one would cost. be back in a few

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

holy bajeesis!!autozone cant get it......but hold on i got a few suppliers more in the warehouse end...BRB again

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

oh yeah. is this for the 4 or 6 cylinder?

RICKSAUTOMOTIVE

i found the same price you did at car quest on the 4 cylinder right now though