What's new

Distributor adjustment - is it possible?

skhell

Members
Messages
951
Reaction score
54
Location
Portugal
Car
1.8, 6th gen Accord
Hello everyone,

I am about to replace the distributor in my 1.8 year 2000 Accord, since it's leaking oil from the internal oil seal. I was thinking that I would have to adjust the distributor with a timing light in order to adjust the ignition timing. At least that's what is described in the workshop manual.

The problem is that the distributor is mounted with 2 bolts, one going though a oval hole and another tough a round hole. Since one of them is round, I will not be able to rotate the distributor to adjust it.... I haven't yet removed the old one or un-tightened the bolts to check if it rotates...

Can anyone confirm if the distributors on these cars can be adjusted or not?

Here is a picture of the new(2nd hand) distributor that I will install. You can clearly see the round and the oval holes that are used to mount the distributor.

IMG_20171007_145930.jpg
 
According to this https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Timing the adjusting bolt isn't the distributor mounting bolt - can you see another one nearby ?

When I replaced my 6th Gen distributor due to a crack in the housing I just swapped them over - I didn't get any ignition timing issues from doing that.
 
Cliffordski said:
According to this https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-Timing the adjusting bolt isn't the distributor mounting bolt - can you see another one nearby ?

When I replaced my 6th Gen distributor due to a crack in the housing I just swapped them over - I didn't get any ignition timing issues from doing that.
There are no more bolts, only those 2. According to the repair manual, we should loosen the 2 mounting bolts and turn it either way to adjust the timing. But since one of the holes is round, I will not be able to turn it. Right?
You replaced the entire distributor or only the distributor cap/housing?


Screenshot_from_2017_10_07_15_07_20.png
 
Yes you're right, I just changed the housing.

skhell said:
But since one of the holes is round, I will not be able to turn it. Right?
I don't think that necessarily follows - there could be a mechanism allowing movement inside the housing at the other end of the bolt that goes in the round hole.
 
Cliffordski said:
Yes you're right, I just changed the housing.



I don't think that necessarily follows - there could be a mechanism allowing movement inside the housing at the other end of the bolt that goes in the round hole.
There is no such mechanism.

According to the following video, there is only 1° of adjustment. It's not the same engine, but the distributor is identical.

https://youtu.be/tClG5L8ekdw
 
1 degree rotate on dizzy is 2 degree timing on crank
he say 1 degree on dizzy in vid but he just saying so might be 2 or 3 degree rotate on dizzy
ecu control dynamic timing and this only static at idle but if static out by 1 crank degree then all timing out by 1 degree
 
slimsonic said:
1 degree rotate on dizzy is 2 degree timing on crank
he say 1 degree on dizzy in vid but he just saying so might be 2 or 3 degree rotate on dizzy
ecu control dynamic timing and this only static at idle but if static out by 1 crank degree then all timing out by 1 degree
Actually that makes sense, but I am still not convinced. The guy in the following video says that Honda distributors that only has 2 bolts, don't need to be adusted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SP9t0HpJXw

I also found the follwing forum thread. It seems that these distributors are not made for "fine tuning" the static timing: https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/forum/general-tech-help-7/timing-adjustable-not-49778/#post294028

Any way, I will wait until I have the timing light with me so that I can check timing after installing the new distributor.
 
In that same video, there is the following question/answer:






Robert Le1 year ago

Hi Justin, so there is no need to mark the original position of the distributor on our 6th generation accords?
REPLY














Justin Le1 year ago

Yup... If your distributor is the two bolt design like mine they are nonadjustable. Cant even rotate it if you wanted to.
REPLY2
 
Also found this forum thread: https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/forum/general-tech-help-7/hitachi-vs-tec-distributors-they-swappable-17045/

It seems there are 2 types of distributors, the TEC which as 3 bolts and HITACHI, which as 2 bolts. It looks the that its not possible to adjust the base timing on the HITACHI distributors. A good explanation of why these are not adjustable:



Code:
The adjustable accord and civic distributors are similar. They have the adjustability so that the base timing can be 
synced up with the crankshaft since they have all 3 sensors in em. The non-adjustable distributors have the crank and
 tdc sensors moved to the engine reading directly off the crank so no adjustment is needed to compensate for timing belt 
stretch and such.
 
No. It pivots around the center of the distributor. Around the part that goes into the cylinder head.
 
Top