Honda Car Forum

Not sure if you all remember my issue. I had massive power loss after
a mechanic replaced my distributor.

After a long time messing around with the timing, the timing light, and
timing markings the car is running nice and strong again.

So timing your car properly is important. The loss of power was
drastic!!

Thanks to all that helped me out with this.
..

I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself moving the
distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real shock, the
hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several minutes.

Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time!
Careful where you touch and what you touch it with, apparently there is
a lot of current running through the distrbutor!

I know most of you probably know that information, but the hell if I
knew it beofre I lit myself up.

"Brandon Scarbrough" <brandon_scarbrough@hotmail.com> wrote
> I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself
> moving the
> distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real
> shock, the
> hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several
> minutes.
>
> Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first
> time!
> Careful where you touch and what you touch it with,
> apparently there is
> a lot of current running through the distrbutor!
>
> I know most of you probably know that information, but the
> hell if I
> knew it beofre I lit myself up.

I had not really thought about getting a serious shock via
touching the distributor in the wrong way, but it makes
sense that it could.

Sorry for the mishap.

Good observation for the archives.

Brandon Scarbrough wrote:
> I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself moving the
> distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real shock, the
> hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several minutes.
>
> Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time!
> Careful where you touch and what you touch it with, apparently there is
> a lot of current running through the distrbutor!
>
> I know most of you probably know that information, but the hell if I
> knew it beofre I lit myself up.
>
if you're getting electrical leakage, you have a problem that needs
fixing! suggest replacing the distributor cap and/or leads. leakage
will become a significant problem when you get into winter rain.

jim beam wrote:
> Brandon Scarbrough wrote:
>
>> I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself moving the
>> distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real shock, the
>> hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several minutes.
>>
>> Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time!
>> Careful where you touch and what you touch it with, apparently there is
>> a lot of current running through the distrbutor!
>>
>> I know most of you probably know that information, but the hell if I
>> knew it beofre I lit myself up.
>>
> if you're getting electrical leakage, you have a problem that needs
> fixing! suggest replacing the distributor cap and/or leads. leakage
> will become a significant problem when you get into winter rain.

I'll second that - you shouldn't get a shock grabbing the distributor or spark
leads if everything is operating properly. Before replacing, try running the
car in a dark garage (I mean, COMPLETELY dark) and look for spark travelling
either along a spark lead, or from one of the cap towers down to the distributor
body - that'll give you an indication of what's leaking. If you see nothing,
try spraying the cap VERY lightly with some water in a spray bottle... it should
run without dropouts or spark leakage with light moisture.

BTW, there's not a lot of CURRENT in the spark system... there ARE several
thousand volts.

Brandon Scarbrough wrote:
>
> Not sure if you all remember my issue. I had massive power loss after
> a mechanic replaced my distributor.
>
> After a long time messing around with the timing, the timing light, and
> timing markings the car is running nice and strong again.
>
> So timing your car properly is important. The loss of power was
> drastic!!
>
> Thanks to all that helped me out with this.
> .


---------------------------------

Your distributor should now be sitting approximately where it was before
the fiasco (usually near center). If it's way over to one side, your
timing belt is 'out of time' and you've adjusted the _distributor_
timing to correct for it. The _cam_ timing may still be WRONG. It can
lead to poor performance and engine damage in the long run.

'Curly'

You are getting shocked from the wires not the distributor. And you should
not be trying to change the distributor with the engine running. One slip
and WHAM.. As everyone else said you need to replace the wires etc...

"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:w%cQg.287$5R2.79@pd7urf3no...
> jim beam wrote:
>> Brandon Scarbrough wrote:
>>
>>> I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself moving the
>>> distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real shock, the
>>> hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several minutes.
>>>
>>> Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time!
>>> Careful where you touch and what you touch it with, apparently there is
>>> a lot of current running through the distrbutor!
>>>
>>> I know most of you probably know that information, but the hell if I
>>> knew it beofre I lit myself up.
>>>
>> if you're getting electrical leakage, you have a problem that needs
>> fixing! suggest replacing the distributor cap and/or leads. leakage
>> will become a significant problem when you get into winter rain.
>
> I'll second that - you shouldn't get a shock grabbing the distributor or
> spark leads if everything is operating properly. Before replacing, try
> running the car in a dark garage (I mean, COMPLETELY dark) and look for
> spark travelling either along a spark lead, or from one of the cap towers
> down to the distributor body - that'll give you an indication of what's
> leaking. If you see nothing, try spraying the cap VERY lightly with some
> water in a spray bottle... it should run without dropouts or spark leakage
> with light moisture.
>
> BTW, there's not a lot of CURRENT in the spark system... there ARE several
> thousand volts.
>

Brandon Scarbrough wrote:
> I forgot to mention I shocked the heck out of myself moving the
> distrbutor around with my bare hands. I mean the a real shock, the
> hairs on the back of my neck were tingiling for several minutes.
>
> Just a word of warning to anyone trying this for the first time!
> Careful where you touch and what you touch it with, apparently there is
> a lot of current running through the distrbutor!
>
> I know most of you probably know that information, but the hell if I
> knew it beofre I lit myself up.
'

Brandon, glad you got it running well again.

Dave