Honda Car Forum

I was told by this mechanic that I need my distributor replaced and this is ridiculous because I have no idea what distributors do and I would like to know...

It transfers and electrical current to the spark plugs at the proper time. Basically you want the spark plug to only ignite the air/fuel mixture when the piston is at the top of the cylinder chamber. (Or almost to the top). The distributor is the mechanical version, newer cars use a sensor and electronics, to determine when to transfer electricity to the spark plug to ignite the air/fuel mixture.Distributors do break, but it's very rare. If you do need a new distributor I recommend going to the junk yard and locating one off of a similar vehicle. (Remember your engine may have been used in various models of vehicles so it's probably not too difficult to find one compatiable with your vehicle)Typically the distributor cap and rotor wear down (parts of the distributor) and not the entire distributor. If that's the case, all you should have to replace is cap and rotor. Total cost of these two parts is typically less than $50.If your mechanic is asking too much get a second opinion.

provides electrical current to the spark plugs. if there is a problem with the distributer it can make the engine run horribly or even not at all.

Your distibutor is what keeps the vehicle running that is what controls the spark to all the plugs

the distributor is a shaft the runs in conjunction with the cam. as the cam turns the distributor turns then the rotor turns. at the end of the rotar is a small piece of metal. the coil provides power threw the cap to the end of the rotor. as the rotor turns it comes in close contact with the terminals on the cap which sends an electrical current through the plug wires and then to the plugs

It distributes power to the spark plugs , the problem could be the points in the distributor, or the condenser so get a second opinion to make sure what the problem is.

The distributor allows electric current to flow to each combustion chamber in a timed sequence. It is possible for wear and tear or corrosion to require replacement, but there are a ton of ways to get a perfectly good aftermarket distributor w/o paying top dollar to your mechanic. Barry's U-Pull-It is a good place to get parts.

Distributors rarely fail or need replacement. They are geared metal shafts. The distributor cap and rotor are normally replaced every 30,000 miles or so from normal wear and tear. Like the other guy said, total cost should be less than $50, more like $25 at Autozone. You can do this yourself. You don't need a "mechanic".