Hi all,
Recently swapped out my distributor on my 4 cyl Accord. I've just noticed, now looking at the old part, that a piece from the collar washer had broken off at some point and is potentially inside my engine.



I have to leave town for a few days and don't fancy opening up my engine until I get back, so I wanted to ask anyone who knows the insides a little better to tell me if this is possible.

I didn't have a look inside the hole where the distributor attaches to the shaft, but is there clearance for a piece of metal this size to get wedged in there? Or is it pretty well sealed up?

The car has run and been driven a bunch since the swap happened, and it's clear the break occurred well before that, so my thinking that if damage could be done, it would have happened already.

There is a chance it fell out during the swap, but where would this metal piece be, if it has indeed broken off inside?

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

It appears where the distributor mounts is pretty well sealed off from the top of the engine.
I'd say pull the distributor and look in the hole. If it's not in there, it would have to be deep in the engine somewhere, and its probably not worth the effort to get it out. Hopefully it found it's way into the oil pan.