Honda Car Forum

George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> spake unto the
masses in news:k7fac0l8u597macimt5j9a4flv89khf3j7@4ax.com:

>
> The only way I've heard of the distributor to go bad, usually on 90-93
> or so models is that shaft bearing seal goes bad and when you take the
> distributor cap off there's red dust everywhere from the corrosion of
> the bearing. The only other thing about a distributor which can go
> bad is the oil seal at the base which allows oil to leak inside the
> body.



What can also happen is water leaks when people remove the distributor cap
to "check" the rotor and cap.

When they put the cap back, it does not sit the same way on the gasket,
resulting in water ingress and eventually bearing failure.

With the distributor being sideways on the Civic and Integra, dew and rain
will enter the distributor housing if the seal is not perfect.

If you remove the cap for any reason, replace the gasket.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com

"Tegger®" <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> spake unto the
masses in news:Xns950250D76DCE2teggeratistop@207.14.113.17:

> George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> spake unto the
> masses in news:k7fac0l8u597macimt5j9a4flv89khf3j7@4ax.com:
>
>>
>> The only way I've heard of the distributor to go bad, usually on
>> 90-93 or so models is that shaft bearing seal goes bad and when you
>> take the distributor cap off there's red dust everywhere from the
>> corrosion of the bearing. The only other thing about a distributor
>> which can go bad is the oil seal at the base which allows oil to leak
>> inside the body.
>
>
>
> What can also happen is water leaks when people remove the distributor
> cap to "check" the rotor and cap.




Looks like I contributed to some "Internet wisdom" myself in this thread.

Out of curiosity, and so as not to spread misinformation any further, I
called my Japanese mechanic, who has run his own shop for some 24 years.

He says water leaks have absolutely nothing to do with distributor bearing
failure. It's simply ozone (see below) and bearing fatigue, and he sees it
all the time.

First symptom:
Slight "chirping" noise from distributor that does NOT resemble a loose
drive belt.

Second symptom:
Metal shavings from failing bearing short out electrical parts inside
distributor, resulting in Check Engine light coming on

Third symptom:
Bearing distintegrates. Distributor shaft snaps. Car stops.

All this happens within a day or so. Symptoms two and three happen within
minutes of each other.

The valves and camshaft will NOT be damaged. Any damage is restricted to
the distributor assembly, which is about $550 Canadian, complete with
wires, cap and rotor.

ALSO:

Out of curiosity, I asked about the "red dust" phenomenon. The "red dust"
you mention earlier has to do with ozone.

The distributor caps on those Hondas prone to this do not have very good
ventilation. As the sparks jump the gap from the rotor to the cap, ozone is
constantly generated and steel surfaces constantly exposed to the oxygen-
rich ozone. Thus, there is relatively litte "air" inside the distributor
during its operation. The atmosphere is mostly ozone.

The bearing, being steel, is susceptible to corrosion as its seal wears and
ozone enters the bearing more readily.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com

"Caroline" <caroline10027remove@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:_Y8xc.25383$Tn6.6011@newsread1.news.pas.earth link.net...
> "SoCalMike" <mikein562athotmail@hotmail.com> wrote
> > > Now I do all my own distributor work.
> >
> > you are definately the coolest chick on this newsgroup
>
> Take credit. ;-)
>
> (But am I the only chick here?)

Just what I was thinking!

My UK Rover 216GSi has a 16V Honda engine and I had a lot of
bother in that department. I even wrote up my experiences of
diagnosing it and fixing it in an article on my website in the
Miscellaneous section.

HTH
--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.

I've seen twin cam Honda engines (like those in the Integra) bend valves
when the distributor locked up, causing one cam to stop, and the timing belt
to slip.

> The valves and camshaft will NOT be damaged. Any damage is restricted to
> the distributor assembly, which is about $550 Canadian, complete with
> wires, cap and rotor.
>

"Jafir Elkurd" <jafir@nospam.no.spam.hotpop.com> spake unto the masses
in news:10ccdottnnjq778@corp.supernews.com:

> I've seen twin cam Honda engines (like those in the Integra) bend
> valves when the distributor locked up, causing one cam to stop, and
> the timing belt to slip.



My mechanic says he's never seen that. And he works on these things daily.

He says the distributor shaft is the weakest link in the chain.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com

That's nice that he hasn't seen it happen... but I have. Not heard of. Not
someone mentioned that it might happen. I saw the car. Saw the damage.

>
> My mechanic says he's never seen that. And he works on these things daily.
>
> He says the distributor shaft is the weakest link in the chain.
>

"Jafir Elkurd" <jafir@nospam.no.spam.hotpop.com> spake unto the masses
in news:10ccm71e7dhk3f3@corp.supernews.com:

>>
>> My mechanic says he's never seen that. And he works on these things
>> daily.
>>
>> He says the distributor shaft is the weakest link in the chain.
>>
>
> That's nice that he hasn't seen it happen... but I have. Not heard
> of. Not someone mentioned that it might happen. I saw the car. Saw
> the damage.
>


Of course, as I wrote, he did NOT say it *could not* happen.

When I asked him, he said: "I've never seen that. The distributor shaft
usually breaks first".

I would guess that the probability would be low, otherwise with his volume,
he'd have seen it occasionally. I wonder if in your example there may have
been other contributory factors.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com

On 8 Jun 2004 22:57:00 GMT, Tegger® <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:
>"Jafir Elkurd" <jafir@nospam.no.spam.hotpop.com> spake unto the masses
>in news:10ccdottnnjq778@corp.supernews.com:

>> I've seen twin cam Honda engines (like those in the Integra) bend
>> valves when the distributor locked up, causing one cam to stop, and
>> the timing belt to slip.



>My mechanic says he's never seen that. And he works on these things daily.
>He says the distributor shaft is the weakest link in the chain.
He must not work on many hondas and is a fool if he thinks the timing belt's
teeth are tougher than the distributor shaft!

I've had it happen personally on a '93 acura integra (took out 14 of 16 valves)
and the mechanic I brought the car to says that year was infamous for bad
distributor bearings.

Well I called the garage this morning and they said that it was a faulty
base, that's what they replaced. So in the course of the conversation I had
mentioned problems with aftermarket parts and said that the local dealer had
one in stock, and after some silence they agreed that since the 1st one they
got was bad they would go that route. Just to verify that it was when they
called to say it was done and I went to pick it up, I had asked to see the
invoice from Honda for the part, not thinking they would show it, they did.
I will say that after being pissed yesterday I was totally impressed how
they resolved the problem.

Steve
"MrBlues" <mrblues@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:nl4xc.18251$Sw.4890@attbi_s51...
> A distributor go bad on a 95 civic? car ran fine then went to start it and
> wouldn't start, turned over and all but no fire. had it towed to a garage
> and they said its the distributor, the civic has like 88 k on it. just
> wondering if this is common or a preview of more things to come
>
> Steve
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.699 / Virus Database: 456 - Release Date: 6/4/2004
>
>


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.701 / Virus Database: 458 - Release Date: 6/7/2004

TCS <The-Central-Scrutinizer@p.o.b.o.x.com> spake unto the masses in
news:slrncccvfe.37j.The-Central-Scrutinizer@linux.client.comcast.net:

> On 8 Jun 2004 22:57:00 GMT, Tegger®
> <teggeratistopdotcom@changetheobvious.invalid> wrote:
>>"Jafir Elkurd" <jafir@nospam.no.spam.hotpop.com> spake unto the masses
>>in news:10ccdottnnjq778@corp.supernews.com:
>
>>> I've seen twin cam Honda engines (like those in the Integra) bend
>>> valves when the distributor locked up, causing one cam to stop, and
>>> the timing belt to slip.
>
>
>
>>My mechanic says he's never seen that. And he works on these things
>>daily. He says the distributor shaft is the weakest link in the chain.
>
>
> He must not work on many hondas



Every day, every week, every month of every year. Japanese cars are ALL he
works on. And he's busy all the time. He and his guys do excellent work.



> and is a fool if he thinks the timing
> belt's teeth are tougher than the distributor shaft!



You forget inertia. The camshaft and its pulley have quite a bit more
inertia than the distributor shaft.

When the bearing locks up, the distributor shaft normally snaps before the
camshaft has slowed down.



>
> I've had it happen personally on a '93 acura integra (took out 14 of
> 16 valves) and the mechanic I brought the car to says that year was
> infamous for bad distributor bearings.



My guy tells me the bad ones are '92 and up. Mine is a '91. Missed it all
by one year. :^)

He can even supply a new shaft with a new bearing pressed on for $150 Cdn.
He says it's easy to change. This thing is not available for my year since
the '90-'91 was not prone to premature bearing failure.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda FAQ
http://www3.telus.net/public/johnings/faq.html

How to find anything on the Internet or in Usenet Groups:
www.google.com
www.groups.google.com