Honda Car Forum

There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
Thanks, Chris

cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
> There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
> What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
> distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
> Thanks, Chris
>
test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
this vintage.

On Mon, 22 May 2006 18:52:14 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:


>cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
>> There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
>> What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
>> distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
>> Thanks, Chris
>>
>test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
>to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
>the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
>this vintage.

Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
with points.

AZ Nomad wrote:
>
> Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
> mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
> with points.

You'd think so.
But Honda retained their mechanical systems LONG after most of their
competitors.
Any here know when Honda finally did away with
distributor/points/condensors? I'm pretty sure the last Prelude (2001)
still used this ancient setup.

<dimndsonmywndshld@yahoo.com> wrote
> AZ Nomad wrote:
>>
>> Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car
>> from before the
>> mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and
>> concensers vanished along
>> with points.

I'm sure Jim B. is referring to what's called the "noise
suppressor" at
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...y5=DISTRIBUTOR

The same part is called the "radio noise condenser" in the
first schematic at
http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/id5.html

He did an investigation of this sometime in the last year or
so IIRC and found an old "radio noise condenser" did
adversely and quite noticeably affect performance. The site
above discusses some of what he found along with my own book
study.

> You'd think so.
> But Honda retained their mechanical systems LONG after
> most of their
> competitors.
> Any here know when Honda finally did away with
> distributor/points/condensors? I'm pretty sure the last
> Prelude (2001)
> still used this ancient setup.

Majestic's online parts site for the 2001 Prelude, under
"distributor," shows an igniter (the electronic equivalent
of points).

Seems like the mid-1980s Civics were using some hybrid
combination of points and an igniter, according to Majestic.

Tegger has a discussion of points v. igniters at
http://tegger.com/hondafaq/igniter-operation/index.html

AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Mon, 22 May 2006 18:52:14 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>>cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
>>
>>>There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
>>>What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
>>>distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
>>>Thanks, Chris
>>>
>>
>>test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
>>to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
>>the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
>>this vintage.
>
>
> Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
> mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
> with points.

translation: "about this vintage" means "around this age". ok?

and "condenser" is the term still used in ignition systems. yes, it's a
capacitor - capacitors were used in kettering systems too, but they were
called "condensers" and the term has stuck.

On Wed, 24 May 2006 06:35:36 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:


>AZ Nomad wrote:
>> On Mon, 22 May 2006 18:52:14 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
>>>
>>>>There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
>>>>What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
>>>>distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
>>>>Thanks, Chris
>>>>
>>>
>>>test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
>>>to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
>>>the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
>>>this vintage.
>>
>>
>> Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
>> mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
>> with points.

>translation: "about this vintage" means "around this age". ok?

>and "condenser" is the term still used in ignition systems. yes, it's a
>capacitor - capacitors were used in kettering systems too, but they were
>called "condensers" and the term has stuck.

Condensers on distributors vanished with points. The statement that a 1990
car would have distributor with a condenser is absolute rubbish.

On Wed, 24 May 2006 06:35:36 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:


>AZ Nomad wrote:
>> On Mon, 22 May 2006 18:52:14 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
>>>
>>>>There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
>>>>What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
>>>>distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
>>>>Thanks, Chris
>>>>
>>>
>>>test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
>>>to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
>>>the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
>>>this vintage.
>>
>>
>> Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
>> mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
>> with points.

>translation: "about this vintage" means "around this age". ok?

>and "condenser" is the term still used in ignition systems. yes, it's a
>capacitor - capacitors were used in kettering systems too, but they were
>called "condensers" and the term has stuck.

Also your statement that you should replace a distributor because of
a worn out condensor was BULLSHIT. No car made in any year has had
a condensor as a nonreplaceable part of a distributor.
If a distributor had a condensor, you remove one screw, pull the wire out
and replace it.

"AZ Nomad" <aznomad@PmunOgeBOX.com> wrote
> Also your statement that you should replace a distributor
> because of
> a worn out condensor was BULLSHIT.

He said side play of the central shaft suggested the need
for a new distributor (housing, at least, IMO). He added
that this also had the advantage of getting the guy a new
condenser.

Sounds like good counsel to me.

From what I've seen on my 91 Civic and on other cars
discussed here, it's pretty usual for an older Honda to
require at least one new, replacement distributor housing in
its life. My Civic at 177k miles is on its second.

AZ Nomad wrote:
> On Wed, 24 May 2006 06:35:36 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>>AZ Nomad wrote:
>>
>>>On Mon, 22 May 2006 18:52:14 -0700, jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>cmozoo@verizon.net wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>There is a clacking noise that just started inside the distributor.
>>>>>What is it caused by? I assume I can fix it by changing the
>>>>>distributor cap and rotor. Correct? (1990 civic DX)
>>>>>Thanks, Chris
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>test the central shaft inside for side play. if there is any, you need
>>>>to replace the whole distributor. which may not be a bad thing since
>>>>the oem distributor condensers tend to fail giving weak spark at about
>>>>this vintage.
>>>
>>>
>>>Vintage? We're talking about a car from 1990, not a car from before the
>>>mid 70's. Ignitions went electronic 30 years ago and concensers vanished along
>>>with points.
>
>
>>translation: "about this vintage" means "around this age". ok?
>
>
>>and "condenser" is the term still used in ignition systems. yes, it's a
>>capacitor - capacitors were used in kettering systems too, but they were
>>called "condensers" and the term has stuck.
>
>
> Also your statement that you should replace a distributor because of
> a worn out condensor was BULLSHIT.

dude, why are you so tweaked? i said the reason to replace the housing
was because of a shaft bearing if it had excessive play. replacing just
the bearing is possible, but the reluctor timing has to be recalibrated,
and i doubt anyone here has the equipment to do that laying about in
their garage, hence replacement is best policy.

and that replacement has an additional benefit because it also means the
condenser gets replaced at the same time, and condensers start to fail
with age. sheesh. maybe you should take a moment to read what i said
before jumping off the deep end.

> No car made in any year has had
> a condensor as a nonreplaceable part of a distributor.

agreed, but if you get a new distributor, all this is taken care of.

> If a distributor had a condensor, you remove one screw, pull the wire out
> and replace it.

on the tec - td01u, the type on this vintage of civic, it's a huge pita.
you have to strip the whole thing down because the condenser comes
with half of the internal wiring for the distributor so the whole lot
needs to come out. i'll post pics on how to do it if you want.