Distributor woes

[biggene]

Ok guys,

I am sure this has been asked before, but I couldnt find it on the forums, so here goes.
I have an 88 LXI, replaced the clutch, pp and TO bearing, plus the drivers side axle on July 4th weekend. It ran decent for a week or so after that, then I started having idle speed issues, loss of power etc. I checked all my vacuum lines on the carb (everything is still on the car as of now), and couldnt find anything wrong. Well, now it has started overheating, so I went by a buddies shop on the way home last night, and we figured out that the vacuum canister is completely broken off of the distributor. Is there anywhere I can get just one of these, or will I have to buy a complete distributor to fix this? For now, we have it rigged up to work with bailing wire, believe it or not, and it is running somewhat better than before, but this is my primary transportation 44 miles each way to work, and I dont want it to crap out on me.

Thanks for your time and efforts to help out,

Gene

[ghettogeddy]

thats the vacume advance dighphram and yes u can replace it u just kind of have to pull the dizzy apart to get it out witch is y ive been waiting to do it i broke mine when i did my clutch as well lol

[ghettogeddy]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b397/ghettogeddy/broken.jpg

[A20A1]

You have an LXI and it's carbureted?



Anyways did you fix your overheating problem, check the water pump, coolant level oil level, thermostat.

It's more important then fixing the advance diaphragm, unless the diaphragm was the cause but I've had my advance disabled before and it showed no signs of overheating, so I doubt that would be the cause. Though if the diaphragm was hanging and rotated on the plate more then it sould or allowed the plate of the distributor to rotate freely because the arm was detatched I could see that being a problem.

So you opened up the distributor and held the rotating assembly in place with some wire?

http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53918

You don't want that peice to move any further then the advance diaphragm will allow so if your diaphragm and arm are not connected find a way to secure it.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/Wendy_girl/distributor/DSCN2622.jpg

Basicly it shouldn't look like this :)
no arm and no way to keep the part from spinning on it's own
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b351/Wendy_girl/distributor/DSCN2625.jpg

[ghettogeddy]

i think he did what i did and tied the dighphram to the dizzy so it would barly move

[A20A1]

oh so the diaphragm isn't off off, it's just hanging and he tied it back on.

[ghettogeddy]

i would have to say its hanging cause they dont just fall off do they

[biggene]

oh so the diaphragm isn't off off, it's just hanging and he tied it back on.

oops it is an LX not an LXI

Exactly. The overheating wasnt really overheating, I dont think. I just noticed the temp gauge "bouncing" up and down while the car was warming up yesterday on the way home. I think it had more to do with the vacuum advancing and retarding than with the car actually overheating.

Yeah basically, the mounting ears broke where the vacuum diaphragm mounts to the distributor itself, so I just tied it back up with bailing wire for now.

I called the dealer and I can order a diaphragm for around $85, and have it in 2 days. Would it be better to replace it with a new unit, or just find a used one and swap the entire distributor out for a different TEC unit?


Gene

[A20A1]

depends how much you can get a new dizzy for. I wouldn't pay $85 for a diaphragm though.

[FyreDaug]

Dizzy in a wrecking yard will cost you no more than 25 bucks

[biggene]

depends how much you can get a new dizzy for. I wouldn't pay $85 for a diaphragm though.


New dizzy from the dealer is around $220.



Dizzy in a wrecking yard will cost you no more than 25 bucks

Yeah, If any, and I mean any, of the wrecking yards around me even had an accord available.

Gene

[smufguy]

a brand new Dizzy from the Dealer is not 220 bux. I was quoted $860 for it. Even Majestic sells it for around 600 bux