Wrong Vacuum Advance, will it work?

[Captain Bravo]

I know the vacuum advance is bad on my 88 LX-i. I bought one from Rock Auto, and it looks just like the old one, except that the mounting holes are very slightly farther apart, and the ports point down at the thermostat housing. The ports on the old one point up and toward the drivers side of the car at a 45 degree angle.

I can drill the holes out to make it mount up, and running new vacuum lines is no problem, but does anyone know if the two work the same? They both have two vacuum ports, and are the same size. I really don't want to have to pay to return it and pay shipping for a new one. It was expensive enough the first time.

[2oodoor]

sounds like it's from the same generation honda product so likely it works the same. Only thingi is, is the rod the same lengh so it pulls the plate the same amount, to advance the same amount.
There were two diff distributors, so make sure the geometry is close enough before you modifiy the part to be non returnablle.

[Captain Bravo]

sounds like it's from the same generation honda product so likely it works the same. Only thingi is, is the rod the same lengh so it pulls the plate the same amount, to advance the same amount.
There were two diff distributors, so make sure the geometry is close enough before you modifiy the part to be non returnablle.

Will do. Thanks roodoo2.

[ecogabriel]

I believe EFI distributors were only TEC. I do not remember seeing any other thing in LX-i in the junkyard.

It seems the part they sent you is not the right one -maybe in the wrong package. For one, you will need to change the vacuum hoses if you want to install it since the connectors aim to the thermostat housing and not towards the drivers side as the OE part.

[Captain Bravo]

I believe EFI distributors were only TEC. I do not remember seeing any other thing in LX-i in the junkyard.

It seems the part they sent you is not the right one -maybe in the wrong package. For one, you will need to change the vacuum hoses if you want to install it since the connectors aim to the thermostat housing and not towards the drivers side as the OE part.

I'll ask a dumb question here. What does "TEC" mean? I have elbows and such to run new vacuum lines, so that isn't a problem. I just want to make sure it works the same.

[ecogabriel]

I'll ask a dumb question here. What does "TEC" mean? I have elbows and such to run new vacuum lines, so that isn't a problem. I just want to make sure it works the same.

TEC is the brand of the distributor. Hitachi is the other brand I am aware of but I have not seen it in EFI cars.

[Captain Bravo]

TEC is the brand of the distributor. Hitachi is the other brand I am aware of but I have not seen it in EFI cars.

That makes sense. The one I bought is an AC Delco from Rock Auto. Part number ACDELCO E1361. It was a discontinued item and was on sale for 31 or thereabouts. The rest of them run over 50. If I can make it work, I want to but if not, I don't want to throw 31 dollars away.

[Captain Bravo]

Just out of curiosity, how can I tell the difference between a TEC and Hitachi distributor?

[2oodoor]

I did a search for "distributor" and came up with a LOT of threads, some which may lead to furthur confusion so if you happen to explore those make sure you read several of them to get the gist.. lol
Here is one you may find usefull though
https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53918

[Captain Bravo]

I did a search for "distributor" and came up with a LOT of threads, some which may lead to furthur confusion so if you happen to explore those make sure you read several of them to get the gist.. lol
Here is one you may find usefull though
https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53918

Confusion is right, but I think I have a TEC. Does this look like a TEC to you guys?

[Bluntman]

Looks like a TEC to me. http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,carc...stributor.html

[Captain Bravo]

Oh boy, I never thought of looking up a new distributor. Thanks.

I think this is the one I need. Kind of pricey, oh well.

AIRTEX / WELLS Part # 4V1226 {#30104PJ0A12, JV1504}
Automatic trans.; (TEC Dist.) Exc. Calif. (To VIN 3557058); LXi Model Engine Code A20A3
Automatic trans.; (TEC Dist.) (Calif.) (To VIN 3103678); LXi Model Engine Code A20A3
* Non-stock item--shipping delayed up to 2 business days
$56.99 1 $56.99

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Dr_Snooz]

Be careful with Rock Auto's wholesaler closeout specials. They are dirt cheap, but both times I've ordered one, they've arrived in badly damaged boxes and have been obviously broken or failed my bench tests. My suspicion is that they are the stepchild parts that were returned or uncovered in a warehouse after 50 years of aging.

I got my vacuum advance can from the junkyard. It's very easy to test them, push in the plunger and put your fingers over the holes. If the plunger stays, it's a good part.

[Captain Bravo]

Thats exactly how this one arrived. The box was crushed, but the part looked OK. I would like to find one in a junkyard, but I live in a very rural area of Michigan. There aren't too many Hondas of any kind around here.

[2oodoor]

hey why not post in the wanted section here, offer up a trade or streight up buy! Saap a picture of your distributor (cap off) for comparison.

[Captain Bravo]

Thanks for the idea roodoo2.

[Captain Bravo]

OK, where I can get one of these correct vacuum advance units? Rock Auto said theirs is discontinued except for the 91 dollar one. Autozone doesn't carry it. Any ideas? None in junk yards around here I have found. Is $91 my only option?

I posted the one I had in the classified section, but didn't get any hits so I sent it back to rock auto.

Thanks in advance.

[ecogabriel]

It is a TEC distributor.

I need a blower resistor so I'll hit the junkyard to get one. If I find a vacuum advance I'll pick it up. Incidentally, I got mine from there.

Incidentally, I took a look at the vacuum advance in Rockauto.com for my 1986; when I checked on the part # the EFI versions (black plastic) said 1986-1989. Although there are different ones for stick and auto cars, I do not think it would make a lot of difference

[Captain Bravo]

They list one for a manual trans for $51. If that is the same, or close enough, I would buy that one. I wondered how much difference it would really make between a manual and automatic version.

If you get one, I would gladly buy it from you, but don't go to any special effort. Thanks a lot for offering.

[ecogabriel]

Bad luck at the junkyard last saturday. Only one complete EFI distributor but the vacuum advance was broken at the base.... go figure why.

One think I hate of the pullityourself places is that some (possibly many) people destroy everything in their way to get the part they need; dashboards, door panels, roof panels, instrument clusters, consoles, even the hoods get all bent quite often.

[Captain Bravo]

Thanks for checking ecogabriel. I think I'll buy the one from Rockauto for the manual trans.

[Phatman]

I'll chime in if I can. I had to buy a new advance for my 88 LX-i as well since the vacuum ports broke off when tweaking the distributor.

I ended up with the same one you have where it's facing the opposite way. I didn't think anything of it, shoved the lines on then bolted it down. It works fine. It's just a pain in the a** when you're trying to set the timing and need to disconnect the vacuum hose. I just took it off the pipe line instead of the advance.

[Captain Bravo]

I started to do that, but I would have had to drill the mounting holes larger to get the screws in. I thought I better ask before I did that and ruined a part. My TEC one for a manual transmission is supposed to be here tomorrow ( my car is an automatic). Unless it absolutely won't fit, it is going on there. I'm tired of messing with it.

[ecogabriel]

I started to do that, but I would have had to drill the mounting holes larger to get the screws in. I thought I better ask before I did that and ruined a part. My TEC one for a manual transmission is supposed to be here tomorrow ( my car is an automatic). Unless it absolutely won't fit, it is going on there. I'm tired of messing with it.

From the photos rockauto has, it will fit. They looked like the one I found in the jy -less the broken base.

I was so damn pissed off -perhaps a working part destroyed by an imbecile.

Tell us how it goes

[Captain Bravo]

Will do ecogabriel.

I know exactly what you mean about people breaking stuff. I had to change a fuel pump for my aunt one time that the previous person had decided they couldn't get the clamps off of fuel filler hose, so they cut it instead. They didn't even try to get the clamps off. I just reached up in there and took the clamps off with no problem, but then I had to go to town to get new hoses. Something that should have taken half an hour turned into quite a project just because someone didn't even TRY to take it apart. Grrrr!

Oh well. Water under the bridge now.