Just curious to know if the leak cover inside the distributor is really that necessary or if driving a few days without could hurt the distributor?? Unfortuneately for me this crap is on back order and I desperately need to use my car. Thanks

Nick

 

You'll be fine without it. I'd put it in if I had it, but I ran without one for months on my old Integra Plus it's so easy to forget to put back in!

 

what does it look like? where exactly does it go? I was told I needed one, but I dont remember taking it off when I went external coil... is it something I should definately replace?

 

If it's what I think he's talking about (the only thing I'd think could be called a 'leak cover') then it's a cup-shaped piece of plastic that matches the distributor cap. If you take off the rotor, this piece slides over the shaft and covers up the electronics in the distributor. You pretty much have to take it off to replace the rotor, which is how I forgot to put it back in a few times.

My guess is that it just protects the electronics from getting wet. I don't know if it's really that important; probably another thing that isn't really "necessary" unless you keep the car for 300,000 miles and drive through lakes and stuff

Don't know why you didn't see it.. maybe it was never there? I wouldn't worry about it either way; as long as your distributor cap makes a good seal I don't see how a bunch of water could get in there.

 

I was told that it helps prevent sparks jumping from the rotor to the other wires/electornic stuff in there when you have an aftemarket ignition/coil