torreypjones

1992 Honda Accord LX 191k miles - A couple weeks ago a grinding sounds started under the distributor cap... Popped off the distributor cap, found the Rotor had started to break apart (It was brittle enough that it possible could have been the original rotor). I swapped out the rotor, but not the distributor cap (the parts store didnt have one in stock, and it was a sunday so options were limited). The Grinding sounds stopped for a week or two - but now are back. Just today I swapped out the distributor cap and the rotor (again) - matching manufactures to avoid any mismatches. The grinding sounds are still there. The only thing I can think of left, is the bearings in distributor itself are going bad. local parts stores want $200-$300 for new/refurb'd distributor... Is there anything else that it could possible be? I dont want to swap out the distributor and find the distributor isnt the problem.

JimBlake

Got a timing light? Know how to set your spark timing? If not, use an exacto knife or something to make some fine markings so you can put the distributor back in exactly the same position. Mark your plug wires so you know the firing order...

Take the distributor off the car. Open it up, look for debris from the busted rotor down in the lower part. (Closer to the head when it's installed.) There's 3 sensors down there, each one's a magnetic pickup with a star wheel on the distributor shaft. Bits & peices of busted rotor can be making noise down there, so try to clean that out.

Somewhere along the way, try spinning the distributor shaft by hand to duplicate the noise. Pay attention whether the shaft turns smoothly, etc...

When you put it back on, notice the blade that fits into a slot in the camshaft. It's off-center, so it's only supposed to fit one way. Problem is, you can put it in backwards if you hammer it in hard enough. Don't do that, it should just go in nicely.

Since you've been running it like this for a little while, there's always a chance that some damage has already been done...

torreypjones

I've had the cap off numerous times, and verified no debrit at all in the distributor housing (vaccummed, and blown out with air compressor)... I pulled the whole distributor off last night, and I took care to make sure it went back in the same way it came out (the shaft was in the same alignment going in as it was coming out) - it went back in easily - no forcing of any kind required.

I was able to find a distributor and "igniter module" for 149.99 in town here...

Any damage that has been done up to this point should be able to be resolved by replacing the distributor (Illust # 004 at http://www.hondaautomotivepart...82%29 )?

JimBlake

I've always been uneasy replacing an expensive part when I haven't actually proven it to be bad. Did you spin the distributor shaft when it was out? Did it spin smoothly?

I'd be a lot more confident if you had verified the grinding noise by spinning the distributor shaft when it's removed from the engine.

Still, what can you do? Poor-man's stethoscope... Use either a scrap piece of hose or a screwdriver up to your ear. Listen & try to pinpoint the location of the grinding noise.

I wish I had some better ideas...

GOT AIR ONE

replace the dist. the bearing is about to lock up

torreypjones

OK - you guys have confirmed my suspicion - when I had the distrib. off, one of the teeth would "grind" against one of the contacts inside... Wasnt sure if it was normal or not.. I assume that it's not normal... I'm off to the parts store today at lunch to get a new/refurbed distributor (car's sitting at home not moving today)...

Thanks for your guys' help...

-Torrey

JimBlake

They aren't 'contacts'. Those sensors are magnetic, & it's normal to feel some magnetic pull when each point of a star wheel goes past it's sensor. But they shouldn't touch the sensor & it doesn't feel like 'grinding'.