Hi,

I have an 89 accord dx, 132k. I had to get an emission check, so last week I had a major tune done, plugs, wires, distributor cap , rotor, and filters. Passed the check with no problem and the car runs great.

The mechanic told me there was oil in the distributor and it would need to be replaced at a cost of $400. I asked if a new “O” ring would fix it and he told me no, as the oil was coming up the center.

Is he telling me the truth on this one?

If I do need a new distributor, I have seen rebuilt ones for about $100, are they OK to use or do I need a new one?

Here are my thoughts on the matter. It really doesn't matter whether he's telling the truth or not. The amazing thing is that you have gone 132,000 miles, without the bearing failing in your distributor. Distributor failure is very common in Hondas. Honda distributors have a sealed bearing, not splash oil lubrication; hence, they only last so long. I would proactively replace the distributor, so you don't get stranded beside the road.

When my distributor's bearing failed, I was lucky to get the car home. It sounded like a thrashing machine. I replaced the distributor with a housing from Honda ($114) and installed my old igniter and coil. Some on this site have had problems with aftermarket distributors. Therefore, my advice would be to buy a Honda housing and install a new aftermarket igniter and coil (check RockAuto.com), because of the age and mileage on your car. This will allow you to keep the cost down.

If I were you, I would install the distributor yourself. Because of the ingenous offset in the shaft, there's no way you can install it incorrectly. Mark the distributor housing and bracket, so your timing will be very close to what it was before.

Hey thanks for the info.

I will get the housing from honda and replace.

Cool.