93 Ex Distributor Noise / Replacement Question

D15, D16, D17 and Mini-Me swaps
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93 Ex Distributor Noise / Replacement Question

By jeremma85
- Thu Dec 02, 2010 2:51 pm #225636 Hi,

My distributor is making an intermittent metal to metal scratching sound. (It gets worse as the motor heats up) I'm sure it is the distributor cause the engine runs fine and the sound is coming from that area. Plus the tach acts up from time to time while driving. I have a couple of questions regarding replacement:

*Should I replace the whole distributor or just the cap & rotor inside? (Not sure if just the rotor would be causing the metal to metal noise)
*Do I need to have the timing adjusted after I replace the rotor or the whole distributor?

I searched the board and was unable to find the info I'm looking for on replacing this. Any thoughts or links you can provide would be great!


Thanks!
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By teal_dx
- Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:17 pm #225647 92's were known for the faulty distributor but maybe one of the defective ones made it to your 93. I had the same thing happen a long time ago. You will need to replace the entire unit as it is the bearings inside that have started to seize up and prevent the distributor from spinning freely. If you mark where your distributor is lined up before you take it off of the head, you can put the new one on in the exact same position and the timing should be the same.

You should be alright buying another used one or you can buy a brand new one at a dealership for 200-300 dollars. I bought just the bare housing for $120 back in 2001 when mine went bad (didn't have craigslist back then!) and switched out all the electronics over.

If you buy a used one, it needs to be from a D16z6 engine (Ex or Si)

By jeremma85
- Thu Dec 02, 2010 5:46 pm #225655 Great! Thanks for the reply! :thumb:

By jeremma85
- Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:29 am #226035 OK, so I completed that install of the dizzy and it is running good. However, sometimes it pulsates when idling in park and I get a vibration when I put it into reverse.

I think the timing may be off but I just want to get the boards thoughts.

Thanks!

BTW I did a complete dizzy install everything from the rotor to the cap to the wires.
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By teal_dx
- Sun Dec 05, 2010 3:40 pm #226133 Pulsates as in you feel the engine miss? I would think that could be a faulty plug wire or even plug. Did you use OEM honda parts or something from a store such as autozone or ebay? I have the best luck with OEM... autozone parts have given me a headache more than once.

FOr the vibration in reverse, can you tell where it is originating from?

By jeremma85
- Mon Dec 06, 2010 12:23 am #226202 Thanks for the reply. The car is running smother when it is in drive then when I had the old dizzy on. It is idling at about 900 rpms when in drive. I think this is too high and should be around 750 from what I've read. (I have an auto) However, when it warms up and you put it in neutral or drive it pulsates a little. From 1,000 to about 1,500 rpms. The car is not missing at all through the whole RPM range.

As for parts I got a rebuilt dizzy from Autozone (I know this may be an issue but I took the chance cause I needed the car up an running asap). I bought an OEM cap & rotor from a Honda dealer. I have Neuspeed wires on it. I have been using them for almost a year now without an issue. (The civic runs better when them on)

I dropped it off at my mechanic's shop tonight to see what he thinks. All he works on is Honda's. So, I'm sure he will let me know what the issue is tomorrow.
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