distributor $500?

[Maydnaella]

What the heck is a distributor? The mechanic says i need a new one and the price is $500. Am I about to get ripped off? He said my transmission is ok though.

[dj99]

The distributor is the black thing with wires coming out of it going to your spark plugs. It's job is to time the electrical pulses to your plugs so that they fire at just the right time to turn your engine's crank.

Anyways, IF it is really bad, NAPA sells a remanufactured one for $354, without the pricey igniter module that would be reused from the old distributor. So $500 would be kind of reasonable.

So it depends on whether or not the whole distributor is bad and not just a part inside of it. Did the mechanic say the bearings are shot? What exactly are the symptoms?

[A20A1]

$350 for a new one... but maybe lxi's cost more?

[Maydnaella]

well my car's check engine light has been on. i thought it was the transmission because when I would try to accelerate (like getting on the fwy) my car would take forever to get up to speed. It seemed like it would get stuck in gear, or shift to a higher gear and then shift back down. basically the car was really bogged down at anything less that 50mph. Once i got above 50 it would do ok.

[dj99]

Well, I don't know how your distributor could make your check engine light go on. But what you are describing could be as simple as setting the ignition timing properly (no parts involved), or maybe your vacuum advance is shot (a part of your distributor that is around $65).

I think maybe you should go to a Honda dealer (if there is a good one is around there), and have them take a look.

I hate getting ripped off!

But first, try this from the manual:

When the check engine warning light is on, turn the key on (not started), move the front driver seat to the front position and observe the blinking light on the rear of the ECU (under the little plastic flap). Count the blinks. If there are no blinks with the check engine light on, the ECU could be bad, otherwise report back here with the count!

[BoredRec]

Ok, If the check engine light is on, it could very well be the distributor. The TDC sensor, No. 1 cylider sensor, and I believe crank angle sensor are all in the distributor. If one of these sensors goes out it could very well affect your acceleration, because the ECU won't read the sensor right, therefore not giving the car the proper A/F mixture. Anyways, $500 is way cheaper than Honda, but that's not always a good thing. You wouldn't believe how many of my customers have come in with slow accleration due to improper timing...reason being the little reluctor guy in the distributor is out of whack FROM THE REMANUFACTURER! So you take your chances with going aftermarket...of course a new distributor from Honda will set you back over $800 (I've priced it out) and that does come with a new igniter and all the guts inside. Regardless of your choice you will have to switch over the vacuum advance unit. Or if you want to take the chance get one out of a junkyard.

[Jareds 89 LX-i]

You can get a brand new distributor from Majestic Honda for $461.92 (includes ignitor and vacuum advance unit) :eek:

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=1988&catcgry3=4DR+LXI&catcgry4=KL4AT&catcgry5=DISTRIBUTOR+%28PGM-FI%29+%28TEC%29

Personally I would try one from the junkyard first, or at least find out for sure that it's the distributor that's causing your probs. That's alot of $$$ to spend if it doesn't fix the problem. New is still the best though, because more than likely a used one will have broken advance springs.

[dj99]

Good advice! But it still kind of sounds like the vacuum advance if it runs badly up to 50mph (primary advance bad, secondary good?).

I also think it's best if she can read her own ECU code to see what is causing the check engine light to come on. Just to make sure it is something in the distributor before it gets replaced.

[carotman]

I can get one for 50 bucks here

DO NOT buy one for 500 bucks!!!! THIS IS RIP OFF

Get one from the junkyard instead

[smufguy]

i agree with carotman. I got two distributors for a LXI one for a dude in hawaii and one for myself for the conversion. THey were both priced at $25 each. The dude in Hawaii had a good deal cause there was this kQ sticker on it which i am assuming the dude changed recently.

[damackz]

hmmm there about 80 here from the junkyard.............daymn $500!!!!! :huh:

[Maydnaella]

ok so $500 is good or bad? lol I don't know where there's a junkyard around here. Maybe I can find one in the phone book. I keep meaning to look at the ECU and keep forgetting. I'll go do that now i guess.

[YK86]

If you can get the code, we can help you in more detail. If there's someone near by that came to the meet, maybe they can help you fix the actual part too. And $500 is BAD. If you need to replace it, the junkyard or one of us here can get you one for $75-$100 shipped. I have two sitting in my garage.

[Immeraufdemhund]

Hey guys don't get the distributor confused with the distributor cap! Cap's are cheap, the whole unit is a different story.

[dj99]

Nobody here is confused but you! :lol

[YK86]

LOL! Junkyard distr. are about $50 and a junkyard cap only would be like $2 + a weird look from the counter guy wondering why you are too cheap to buy a new one.

[1989se-i]

My whole car costed $500... :(

[88ACCORDLXFaSho]

LOL!!:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol
Yeah, Honda told me $700 to get mine replaced because it was "leaking" and there was no o-ring to be replaced. What a bunch of bullshit.

[carotman]

yeah, the O-ring doesn't even cost 1 buck

[jigga225]

$500 for a distributor??
man thats a head busta!!

[AccordEpicenter]

Yeah the distributor costs over $700 from a honda dealer. Somtimes they do go bad, but ive never heard of them giving a code. When they go bad its usually due to 2 things, 1 being the one time lubed bearings in the thing fail (kinda common) and they can also lockout the advance mechanism too. Ive had both happen to me on more than one accord. Ive yet to see a hitachi distributor fail... its the tecs that have given me probs.

[OldSchoolSwap]

Dude, this is an old ass thread!!!

[1988starter]

Yea it is old btw I got mine from autozone 189 with a lifetime warenty

[3G Jester]

88starter--how is it working out for you? brand new 189 aint bad

[1988starter]

No problems yet but it has the lifetime warenty.