Replace JUST vacuum advance?

[Soundy]

Alright, tracked down the latest source of trouble: sputtering and bucking at cruise, and REALLY white plug electrodes - usual diagnosis: running too lean. Finally, pinching off one vacuum line at a time, I found it: the main timing advance diaphragm (hose #2). Pinching the line gets rid of the sputtering at idle. Removing and plugging the line has the same effect, so it's not just the way it's affecting the advance (or not) - there's an obvious air leak there, probably leaking through the inside of the distributor, which is why it's not readily audible (right beside the camshaft doesn't help, either).

So I can get a replacement distributor from my favorite wrecker for $75... but I'm wondering if it's possible to JUST replace the advance diaphragm(s), possibly with new ones, for cheaper? These two diaphragms are, of course, all in one monolithic assembly off the side of the dist. so I can't replace just one, by maybe I can replace them as a unit? Any ideas, anyone?

[FyreDaug]

Hell Ive got a spare distrubtor lying around ill send to you for much much less than 75, and I know it works

EDIT: Oh and I dont believe you can get a whole new vacuum advance piece.... atleast not that Ive found. If your interested in dizzy, send me a pm

EDIT2: Oh snap your in BC, itll be even cheaper than what I thought. It has a full working vacuum advance, complete with decent cap and rotor, and neccesary wires to coil

[Soundy]

PM on its way, thanks...

[A20A1]

Odd.
I was thinking for a second that cutting off vacuum to the diaphragm is adjusting your timing so that it doesn't idle badly... so it could be a timing issue. But if there is no raise in idle speed when you connect #2 then the diaphrag, isn't working so I guess it is leaking.

You are forced to replace them as a unit... also Hitatchi and Tec distributors use different vacuum advance housing and the 86-87 and 88-89 hitatchi appear to be different from eachother as well. So you have 3 different diaphragms all for Carbed motors. They hook to the inside of the distributor differently... and bolts I think are in different positions on the outside of the housing. I had all four distributors at one time, the last one being the EFI Tec dizzy.

[Soundy]

I thought about pinching off the line affecting the timing too, but the telling part was when I pulled it off, then plugged it, and it returned to a (relatively) smooth idle.

The thing that really pisses me off is that with all the other weirdness going on with the car the last two weeks, this one either didn't rear its head, or wasn't noticeable, until just yesterday... and my insurance is up Friday and I have to pass the emissions test before I can reinsure it. Which means I gotta get this dealt with ASAP.

[shepherd79]

you can replace the vacuum advance. I did that on my car last november.
If you have carbed distributor, you can find them at autoparts stores. I know advance have them.
But if you have EFI one, unfortunalty you will have to order it from Honda or look harder to find the right part number.