Pics are included, but the two connecting ends to the Distributor have come straight off the Distributor end. This is the second time this has happened, I have already tried using two Distributors.

a number of notes.
1. I just put a new (used) transmission from JDM with about 30,000 miles on it. I got it working perfectly. The engine in it (2.3L 4cyl) 1998, has almost 280,000 miles on it. There is also a brand new radiator, plugs, wires.

2. My initial problem was with the Distributor that I was trying to fix. It had the oil seal leak within, and I tried with no success to get the pin out, so I could remove and finish repair. In so doing, when I was trying to get pin out, I bent and warped the washer looking piece underneath it. I did not realize this until later.

3. I put the distributor (above) with the warped (washer) back on the engine. I figured I had to find a shop to get the pin out, and then continue repair.
I would leak about a full quart with every 60 miles or so. Its my only vehicle, so it gets me to and from work.

4. I decided to give it an oil change and add Bar's Rear Main Seal additive to it, and help with the engine a bit. It has again 280,000 miles on it. It runs like a champ, or so it did.

5. Without knowledge of warped washer to distributor, I though I would run the car on the highway to have the Bar's Rear Main Seal additive activate and work itself. I was on the highway for about 5 miles, and then car oil light went on. I was blowing blue smoke out of exhaust. I stopped immediately off exit, and it was down a full quart. Leaking out of the warped washer of distributor that I had malfunctioned. At this time, I believe I blew the Head
Gasket, (later inspection found the oil to have antifreeze in it)
I drove it back home quickly about 7 miles after putting a full quart of oil in it.

6. I parked car and then went to a junk yard to get another distributor, and after putting it in, this is what happened. The two fitting ends of the Distributor came off. The first time, I couldnt find the two peices. THe second time, I was able to get them out of Distributor Drive (pictured).

7. I used TDC for piston one, and both times, after the crankshaft turns a bit it breaks them, and then the TDC goes off and it begins to backfire.


Conclusions & Questions:

I feel the Bars Rear Main Sealant activated and created extra friction on problems with the drive? thus creating more torque to break the Distributor?

I looked an took off valve cover to find the pieces to the FIRST DISTRIBUTOR, but I could not find them. The DISTRIBUTOR DRIVE, though is not connected to be able to go into valve cover, it is close off and drops down.
Does it mean the pieces went to the oil pan below?

Because the engine has so many miles, and the head gasket is blown did this create a problem? The engine crankcase can be turned, but when I was setting the TDC, in my full turn, a portion of it would give me some resistance , and I would have to turn harder.

Is this a bent valve? there are deposits of oil on the #1 spark plug well. I removed the spark plug to help with TDC, so I could look down into chamber.

I would require alot of pressure to break those pieces off the distributor, I feel it has to do with the Head GAsket, and or the Bar's Rear Main Sealer, by creating more friction somehow.

How? What?

Im totally confused now.........

Im a shady tree mechanic. Did the transmission completely by myself, so I can turn a wrench.....


finally, what I was going to do it just get engine fired up again, and use Blue Devil Head Gasket Sealer. My neighbor used it on his car, and its been running great......though he has a V8 mercury cougar (1995)

Help.
Dont know where to go from here.

kind regards
thomas.wine@gmail.com

 

Sounds like you have a few problems.

Oil in the spark plug wells is likely a seal in the valve cover. The o-rings under the rocker arms are another source if your 98 has them. Is your car an EX, LX, or DX? This is not a major issue.

The ears snapping off the distributor is something I've never seen on here. The only way I can think of them breaking off is if your camshaft is binding, releasing, then giving excessive force.

You said you had resistance when cranking the engine by hand. Were the spark plugs removed when you turned the engine to TDC by hand?

I doubt an additive could cause this problem. It is possible the binding of the camshaft is caused by the original ears on the distributor. I would pull the valve cover and try to locate them if they are the actual cause of the problem.

I personally think that head gasket sealers don't fix headgasket leaks unless they are very minor. They are worth a shot, because repairing the cylinder head is expensive. With 280K miles, I'd say a new engine with low miles is a less expensive option.

 

Notice in your first photo the blades (that broke off) are a bit off-center to the distributor shaft. When you install the distributor, you need to match the off-center slot in the end of the camshaft. Did you check that? People have said it's possible to install the distributor 180-degrees out by forcing it in.

You mention using #1 TDC to time the distributor to #1. You are aware that TDC happens twice in the cycle, right? (top of exhaust stroke and top of compression stroke)

 

Jim Blake is right. Did the same mistake some time ago (installed the distributor 180-degrees off), car did not start, blades broke off, luckily I found them and was able to take them out so no damage was done to the engine. Swapped the distributor, no problems since. But if the blades broke off and went down into the engine, you are in trouble

 

thanks for all the replies fellas!

Im understanding that I am putting in 180 degrees off to start. This is initial problem.
the first time the blades came off, I could not locate them.
Where did they go? I opened the valve cover, but that area is sealed off and just drops lower.......Into the engine? Down into the Oil Pan? Where should I look?

to JimBlake: Since I did the mistake twice with lining up....are there any marks to the slot? How do I know that I am 180 degrees off?
the distributor will not plug in flush unless they fit into slot....so how do I know?
If I were to set TDC to piston 1, and I looked at rotor (with distributor cap off), should'nt the rotor be facing to the position plug 1? (in this case spark plug 1 is 4 o'clock position.


to PAhonda: I would do the Head Gasket repair myself, so money cost is not a factor....I just figured I would get a quick fix with the Blue Devil ( by neighbor recommendation). Eventually I want to do another engine (JDM $300).....I just dont have the time now....need to get to work....
Any off the cuff recommendations?

to origami: where would I look for the blades in engine?....do I need to take the cylinder head off?

again , thanks y'all
really appreciate all your replies

this is my first honda......been gm all my life

kind regards
thomas.wine@gmail.com

 

If you were to take off the valve cover, there's an arrow on the camshaft sprocket. Since the camshaft turns half the speed of the crankshaft, you'll find piston #1 comes up to TDC once when the arrow is pointing downwards, and again when it's pointing upwards. You want it to be pointing upwards. Just dumb luck that you got it both times.

In reality, you don't have to take off the valve cover. Look at your first photo, you can see the blade (well, the place where it's broken off) is off-center. Then look into the hole where the distributor mounts. The slot in the end of the camshaft is also off-center. You have to spin the distributor to match when you install it. Then the rotor might be pointing towards #1 or it might be pointing towards #4. That's just how 4-stroke engines work. Other car companies use a distributor drive coupling that it more obvious, but the one Honda uses isn't all that difficult to see.

 

Thanks for all your help fellas a couple of weeks ago.
had to save some money....and now Im back at it....have some questions

I am fairly certain I connected both times offset.....so will be trying repair again this friday november 8th.

I have some pics and questions....

First , Ive included the factory repair manual page for Distributor Install.

I have the F23A1 engine....so its the diagram in the NW (2:00) position.

Im confused, because I swear to god, after labeling the wires during removal, my spark plug one wire, was on no. 4 position.....(oppositely, the spark plug 4 was in no. 1 position)

I will double check, but ultimately....I should just follow this page and instructions to a t then?

When you are facing the engine....spark plug 1 would be on the left? or the right?
My spark plug 1 was on the left (closest to transmission)

Position 4 (spark plug 4) is on the right closest to the timing chain correct?

A1 No.1 cylinder mark on that diagram means spark plug 1?

Ive also enclose pics of new distributor....

any advice will help....

any secrets or tips on getting TDC piston 1 correct?

or more importantly.....getting ignition timing in position without specific tools?



thanks fellas
thomas.wine@gmail.com

 

On the F23 engine, #1 cylinder is closest to the left (driver's side) shock tower, and #4 cylinder is closest to the distributor or transmission.

I'm wondering if you have something else going on though. By that I mean you mentioned it would turn over good (with a socket and ratchet), then hit a hard/tough spot, then go back to being easy. I'm wondering if you're running into a hydro-locked cylinder, which is causing the ears to break off the distributor drive tab. The head gasket leaking might be filling up a cylinder, making it hard to compress, hence the hard spot. Most people only think about the coolant loss, or the oil/coolant mixing, but if the leak in the gasket is next to the cylinder bore, it's possible for it to go into the cylinder.

To get the engine up to #1, pull the far right (looking head on from the car or the cars left side) and use a plastic drinking straw to go into the spark plug hole. Now rotate the crank CCW until the straw stops going up. on the front edge of the timing cover is a tab built into it, check to see if the groove in the lower pulley is aligned with it. If you still have the valve cover off, you can look to see if Jim's arrow is visible and pointing straight up. If you have all 3, then you should be at #1 cylinder, and at TDC and ready for firing off that cylinder. Just so you know, the longest spark plug wire IS for #1 cylinder.
Now, using a flash light look into the hole that the distributor plugs into. Note which side of the circle the groove is cut into it (it's off set to 1 side), and rotate the distributor drive to match it. Now it should slip in, and be flush with the end of the cylinder head. If it's not, pull it back off an move the drive some more 1 way or the other. Once it slips in and is flush, then you can put the 3 bolts back in. If you installed the rotor (or it came pre-installed) then note where it's now pointing. That should be #1 cylinder. Now you can put the valve cover back on, plugs back in, and run the plug wires from longest (#1)to shortest (#4), and install them on the distributor cap in the correct firing order.

I hope this helps.

 

I'm not sure how a hydrolock can damage the distributor coupling. If you're using the crankshaft pulley to turn the engine, and a cylinder comes up against a water column, that doesn't stress the distributor at all. If you were using the distributor to turn the engine, that's just a bad thing to do altogether.

Another thing, you mention getting the spark timing correct...

This engine doesn't use the distributor for the actual spark timing. That is triggered by a sensor down at the crankshaft pulley. The process of using a timing light and rotating the distributor to adjust the spark timing is not done here.

And finally, the camshaft sprocket might not have an arrow like I said. Shop manual shows it as "UP" embossed in the sprocket.

 

Thanks guys for all the help on the distributor.....I got it in. Used a brand new one....
NEW PROBLEM:
I just replaced my head gasket. I did an excellent job. No leaks, good compression. Good rpm.
I had replaced my transmission, a JDM replacement.....everything worked great on transmission, until I blew the Head Gasket.
Again, replaced head gasket.....
now my car will not shift into higher gear. it will get up to about 3000 rpm's and then just keep stuttering....wont go over 35-40mph. Transmission will not
convert to higher gear power.....( i did not have this problem at all after initial replacement...before replacing head gasket)
I replaced sensor under the distributor (blew off cylinder head during gasket blow)


I have enclosed pics of the other sensor that blew......its comes under the intake manifold , in the center , attached to top of engine block
To the right of this sensor, is another gauge/sensor......I believe it is the oil temperature sender unit?
Is this the Knock Sensor?
Will this keep my car from going into higher gear?

I just dont know what the name or type of sensor this is......cant locate any info on my repair cd.
It is a 1 pin.

what should I be looking at on my transmission?
the shift solenoids? what should I be looking at for my shift solenoids?

I replaced the solenoid gasket on the cylinder head.....and man, it had a lot of build up of oil in filter screen part of gasket...

thanks y'all

kind regards
thomas.wine@gmail.com