Nedd

My 2.5TL is leaking oil from the distributor-so my mechanic tells me. His solution I should get a new one(ouch that hurts!)
I need your solution, any help out there???

TexasHonda

Oring seal on the distributor is a replaceable part. It costs about $4-5 from Honda. I replaced mine in Dec. It requires removal of battery for easy access. I would guess about 1 hr labor would be right. I think I would change mechanics, since he should know just what I told you. If he doesn't, even more reason to find another mechanic.

good luck

Nedd

I'm sending my car to Honda morow morning. I hope they can fix it as you said.

Mizouse

hmm... from what my dad told me, my 2.5TL too was leaking oil from the distributor as well... (dealership found that while replacing my exhaust manifold)

Nedd

how much are the charging to fix the leak?

Nedd

I went to Honda Today! They're going to replace the oring and gasket valve. Everything came to 240. Thanks TexasHonda! I guess I have to go shoot the first mechanic! He's definately not going to get a cent from me again!

Nedd

oil leak fixed! I can now drive my car in style. Next project air intake! any advice

TexasHonda

Don't do it would be my advice. The best they can do is not cause problems, and worst is a host of DTC's due to change in air path and breathing. Some claim a very modest HP increase (2-5 hp is in the noise of such a measurement so may not be real).

If the sound of air rushing into the engine is pleasing, that might be considered a benefit. There are many anecdotal praises, but little objective support for CAI's.

good luck

HQuakers

Get a K&N drop-in air filter.

nick96acuratl

thats what i did.. never have to replace it.. its great

Nedd

It looks like the general consensors is not to do it. I'll surely get the K&N drop-in air filter!

PSC

TexasHonda, where did you get the oring from?
How complicated is it? Can you give me a quick step by step to changing the oring seal?
Mine is leaking and I need to get it done soon.

TexasHonda

It's not complicated, but access is somewhat restricted.

1) Remove battery cables (know your radio code?).
2) Remove battery heat shield
3) Remove battery
4) Disconnect wires from distributor cap
5) Remove 2-6mm (10mm socket size) hold-down bolts and remove distributor.
6) Remove old oring w/ pick and work new oring into place. Lubricate w/ motor oil.
6) re-installation is reverse, and Acura says to rotate engine to TDC before installation. Distributor is keyed to prevent installation 180 deg. off, but looking at key and slot it's not completely obvious how to rotate the distributor so if you can't get distributor drive to engage camshaft slot, you probably have drive key upside down.

good luck

PSC

Thanks TexasHonda.

I'm having trouble finding the part online, I guess I'll have to call around for it.
Does anyone have the specs on this o-ring? I might be able to get one from a company I know of that makes o-rings.
Thanks.

bpjadhav

The part number is: 30110-P1R-A01
This is for a 2.5TL - dunno if it's the same for the 3.2. It's component number 7 in the diagram:
http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

PSC

Thanks for the info bpjadhav.
I'm gonna try this this weekend. Not try, DO.

Colt45

mark that shit too. otherwise youll not have it back in in the same spot and it wont be in time.

Assuming the 2.5 engine has an adjustable distributor by the sounds. Unless you know what your doing with a timing light which i assume most dont that ask about this kinda work.


i always put some hondabond on the oring also so it seats. Hondabond is just high temp gray rtv.

hrtrworms

I didn't see it stated whether your distributor was leaking from the outside, or leaking into the distributor internally. The distributor has two o-rings, one on the mounting boss and one internally on the shaft.

If the leak was the internal o-ring, with oil on the inside the distributor, your first mechanic may not be such a bad guy. If he figured on using a used distributor rather than disassemble the existing one, I'd have no problem going back to him.

Colt45

If its leaking inside the housing its junked. The shaft would have so much play in it at that point that the pickups for the ignition control module would be getting struck on each rotation.

This means that the distributor would not work.

When distributors get older the bearing and shaft seal goes out. This causes that shaft to have play or "wabble". The wabbling causes the pickups to become damaged, and the car looses ignition during driving like one just turned off the ignition.

Id assume hes just referring to the o ring around the housing that slides through the cover and meets with the camshaft. Its probably seeping oil out from between the motor and the distributor since the oring isnt sealing correctly or has been pinched. Id bet (perhaps)the mechanic took the distributor out for some reason, then when putting it back in pinched the oring, and there was your origen of the leak.

In that case just cut the shitter one off (the oring)and get a new one. But as i mentioned you should mark the distributor where you take it out. Otherwise you wont get it in time when you put it back in.

I wouldnt sweat the dude. its like a 2 dollar part. Just remember you can always do it better when you do it yourself. As far as the way i look at it. But i build motors, paint cars, fabricate.... Not all people have the time or place to do work on their own cars. I just drive the hell out of them and dont trust anyone else working on them, that and its cheaper and i do better work on my own shit


best luck

later

teekay3001

u seem to know what u talking bout bro....hey what can i do for a screeching belt...car got wrecked and i had fixed mostly everything but left light and paint but that should be done next week but that damn screeching is driving me slap crazy....helpppppppppp

Colt45

sounds like something got tagged in the hit and loosened your belt. Try tensioning it more. need more info to diagnose it better.

DrakeMK3

Just to correct some misinformation in case someone stumbles upon this thread...

The distributor on pretty much all honda engines will have notches to where it is impossible to insert it incorrectly, therefore, if the distributor is taken out and you don't know the position of the notches, they will only line up correctly in one position. That is all.

Colt45

Misinformation?

So with that theroy in mind ones supposed to assume the distributor just bolts in? Thats all fine and dandy but the car lacks power and runs like garbage untill the timing is set.

There are typically 3 12mm bolts spaced on 33 degree angles from each other that hold the distributor into the head. Of course the keyway on the camshaft is designed to only accept the distributor one direction,. However theres a reason honda designed it with both notches on the distributor for those 3 bolts and marks on the crank pulley.


I said make sure you mark it when you take it out because for instance, lets say you have a nitrous kit and only run on 15 degrees of timing or whatever your application is, you take it off, and just think you bolt it back in, then end up advancing it 18 degrees. you smack the arm switch and burn a valve. The reason you burned it is you are running too much timing, and created detonation with the shade tree adjustment of the distributor.

Any car runs better when the timing is adjusted. Its adjustable so when you take it apart, or have the heads milled, or anything regarding octane, altitude...... you are not set in stone to putting it in one spot. You can loosen the 12mm's and have the car idling, use a timing light and set the timing to your needs.

So to clear up the "misinformation" you CAN put the distributor in wrong. If its not in time. Take a marker and draw a line from the distributor to the bracket it mounts to, then when you take it off, and put it back together you center the line up to match and you have the timing set right where it was. Not take it apart, and just put the notch in the distributor into the cam and put it in at focking 12 degrees when it was at 17. Ive seen 20-50whp gains in turbo cars where the timing is not set, and up to 20 whp in cars with no forced induction. Its always a good idea to set it anyways, but to prevent problems id always suggest lining it up.

Buy a timing light, and make sure its right. Sure it may run still but, the idle and everything as far as gas milage and power is smoothed out.

Sorry to sound confrontational, that post just suggests that you can only put it in one way, which is true, but it wont start anyhow if you put it in 180 out if you did somehow(not unless the belt is off). With the timing off, but close it still starts, it just is putting you in jeapordy of fucking up more shit cause the novice will think its fine cause it runs. In reality you could have it so far advanced that its getting tip in detonation on low octane gas or even high test. Or youve got it so far retarded its loading up and fucking your plugs up and running, idling, driving like garbage.

-signed a advanced honda engine builder, tuner, fabricator for at least 12 years solid

hrtrworms

This should help. Before you remove the distributor, scribe a line between the distributor housing and the head. That will insure your timing remains what it was. This is from a 4 cyl. Honda, not a 2.5 so I don't know if there's a nice boss so conveniently located for scribing.


The shaft key is offset, so unlike a lot of cars, it is virtually impossible to get the distributor's shaft/rotor assembly 180 degrees out of time. No worries.

Colt45

WORD

Exactly what i was talking about right there. see the holes in the distributor are notched so you can change the timing with a timing light.

PSC

Texas what's the purpose of lubricating the o-ring?
Is it to help work it on?
I know that you said lubricate it after working it on, but I was thinking maybe you made a mistake.

Colt45

Texas?

Im from ohio.. my name is just colt?

Anyhoo, yea lube the o-ring. Otherwise it will tear when you put it in there..

Its just like a vagina. If its not lubed or moist so it goes on easy, then tearing can occur.

PSC

I'm going to change my oring tomorrow.
I have oil coming out of that small round cap on top that is behind the six ports where the spark plugs go.
How do I clean that up?
The car runs fine, no misfire or stuttering.
What IS that cap anyway?

PSC

Fellas I have another question.

Before I take the distributor off I'm going to mark a straight line across the distributor cap, distributor and engine block so that I reinstall it in the original orientation.

However my concern is if the rotor moves at some point during the removal/reinstallation.
Someone told me that it is likely that the rotor will move when I put the distributor back in.

What can I do to address this?
I was thinking before I remove the distributor, to remove the cap and mark the position of the rotor, then replace the cap, then remove the dis., replace the oring, reinstall the dis., lining up with the line I drew, then remove the cap and check/reposition the rotor if it shifted.

Is this good enough?

Thanks for your help.

icecoldone1906

I know it has been a while with this repair but I need help with it. Can anyone help me repair my 2.5? I have the distributor shaft seal leak that is spoken of.

adventurecrv

If you feel like driving up to Canada happy to do it for you!

Seriously, it is a fairly easy job if you know how to use hand tools. I did mine a couple of weeks ago, it took me about an hour.

Disconnect the battery (negative terminal first, positive terminal second).
Remove the battery (two 10 mm nuts).
Remove spark plug wires from distributor cap (note the order they come off - tag them with tape if need be).
Remove the battery heat shield thing (two 10 mm bolts and then pull, note wire harness).
Remove Distributor Cap (two 8 mm screws) and note the position of the Distributor Rotor.
Remove the two Distributor Bolts (two 10 mm if I remember correctly).
Pull off the Distributor.
Remove the seal on the shaft (I used a small pick).
Carefully install the new seal.
Lubricate the new seal with oil.
Reinstall the Distributor ensuring the Distributor Rotor is in the same position as when you took the Distributor Off.
Reinstall the Distributor Cap, Battery Heat Shield, Spark Plug Wires, Battery, Battery Terminals (positive first, negative second).
Start the car. Enter in your radio code!
Pat yourself on the back for saving yourself $100 @the dealer...

I used various wrenches, 1/4" sockets, 3/8" sockets.

Take pictures as you go along in case you forget where something goes...

Good luck!

icecoldone1906

I want to say thanks for all your help with this repair. I'm not sure what i would have done with my TL if it had not been for this forum. I know I have save plenty of cash doing things myself.
Just for clarity there is only one seal to replace correct? For some reason i thought there was a seal inside the distributor itself.

riccotxtre

Too much info sometimes helps other times confusing.If you have a Japan import 2.5 then dist.is adjustable it's also round maybe other states have same however Ca.emissions distributors,intakes,exhaust manifold are all different.I purchased Attarco and was swapping parts from old 1being a non-adjustable dist. Timing is aligned with marked gears etc.then monitored by sensors about 10 total info translated thru PGMFI & ECU adjusted to 15°btdc. If some Honda pro knows different pls.explain.I know euro can be coded changing systems not sure about Acura computers yet.

Exactly what i was talking about right there. see the holes in the distributor are notched so you can change the timing with a timing light.[/QUOTE]