Honda Car Forum

My husband's 1992 Integra wouldn't start today. It turns out it is the distributer and the mechanic has quoted us around $500 to fix it. I looked on-line and distributer caps are around $50. Is this the same as the distributer? If so, $500 seems high!! Help!

the distributor cap is only the cap , on the inside of that cap what you cant see is the igniter, coil, rotor, and the cam sensor, depending on what and how many parts he replacing with labor it might add up

There will be no problem with the distributor except you should check the contact breaker clearance periodically. Adjusting the clearance in the distributor should no cost you not more than a cent. Because it is a matter of just adjusting a screw and the problem is fixed. You have been cheated by those mechanic.And you paid $500 dollar for that!!!!

Does it still turn over but just don't start if so then it is the igniter and that runs about 1-200bucks and it's real easy to change.

Distributors generally do not fail... all they do is rotate with the camshaft and point the internal rotor to the right spark plug to fire. They are expensive to replace but I've yet to replace a whole distributor. Parts on and in the distributor can be replaced easily enough and since everything is controlled by a computer, it becomes a simple remove and replace procedure. There are no contact points to replace in your distributor... it is all electronic. The most you will have in there is an air gap between the reluctor and the pickup. The reluctor has a tooth on it for every spark plug and rotates on a shaft inside the distributor. Yours should have four such teeth. The pickup rarely fails so I doubt you will have to mess with that at all.The most likely source of your failure to start is the igniter which is also in the distributor. Check out this picture... You can even order the parts directly from them and for OEM, they aren't too expensive.http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...vinsrch=noItem #7 is the igniter ($80.98) but a failed coil (#10) $75.78, would give you the same symptoms.#3 (distributor cap) and #2 (rotor), are typically replaced during a tuneup. You can see that the cap on this site is well under $50 but the two should be replaced as a pair which brings the total to $34.08... still well under $50.So, for somebody with even a hint of mechanical ability, the cost to replace ALL these suspect parts would only be $190.84. Of course you can just about triple that for the dealer to get his cut on parts and labor but then tell you he discounted the total by $72.52 to make you happy. Trouble is, they aren't going to replace EVERYTHING in the distributor...So... yes, $500 is too much. Way too much and the main reason I do all the work myself.Good luck!