Distributor O-Ring 95 Accord

Hello Everyone,

My 95 Accord DX began to leak some oil from the distributor and so I've pulled out the distributor am in the process of replacing the O-Ring.
The problem is that there was no O-Ring so I can only assume that the rubber disintegrated from age. When I'm sliding the new O-Ring back onto the
distributor, I'm getting about half way to the end of where the distributor meets up with the engine block where it slides without any force. The
other half if I were to slide it on, would have to be expanded to go all the way. The factory manual doesn't mention if I have to slide the O-Ring all
the way down or leave it as is half way. I'm not sure if I can explain it better than this but it would seem that I would leave it half way so it is
flush with the hole. Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Nick

 

I just also wanted to mention that the oil isn't leaking inside to
distributor, just where the cam and the distributor meet. In thinking
over this, it seems that I would tend to have to slide it all the way
to the end, can anyone please confirm?

Thanks,
Nick

 

I recently replaced a distributor on my older civic. I thought that the
O ring was in a recess channel on the distributor shaft. Maybe you
could go to an Auto Parts store and look at a new distributor to see
where the O ring should be.

The other thing is that when I installed the distributor, I couldn't
make it flush with the engine by hand. I had to evenly tighten the nuts
to pull the distributor housing flush to the engine block.

 

ugh, not good!!! the ring can tear, then it won't seal. lightly oil
it, then it slides in easy.

 

Thanks for the help,

I went back to the dealer to grab 2 more just in case the way
I'm thinking it should be isn't correct. I had asked a tech over there
and they said to slide it all the way in which would mean that the
ring would be in between the distributor and engine cam; not inside
the cam hole which I had originally thought to be the case. I'm hoping
the reason to oil the ring is so that it is easy to slide just like
Jim posted. I'll let everyone know what I find out tomorrow.

Thanks,
Nick

 

--------------------------------

Try this link to find your 'exploded' view of the distributor to clarify
.. . . . .

http://www.slhondaparts.com/

 

I have looked at this diagram but it doesn't show where exactly on
that side of the shaft it needs to go. Without any force the ring just
sits about 1/2 way on the shaft, if you expand the ring a bit, you can
get it to go all of the way to the end of the shaft. My question was
it doesn't look correct when it is all the way in on the shaft as
there is a little gap between the engine cam and the distributor; not
having an existing ring to go by I can't tell where this needs to be.


Nick

 

isn't there a groove on the body of the distributor, the part that
inserts into the head? that's where the o-ring goes. have to stretch
it a little to get it over the lip, but it holds itself in place after that.

 

....just like this image. 95 Accord TEC distributor, hotlinked from www.andale.com

http://images.andale.com/f2/110/120/12633049/1061096171088_1060392661825_distributor_006.jpg

Here's another one from a Toyota. Notice the design is flawed on the Honda.

http://images.andale.com/f2/110/120/12633049/1061872067854_1064003258319_distributor_001.jpg

The Toyota has one or two bolts to hold the distributor, Honda has three. If
you don't tighten all three bolts on the Honda, the o-ring won't center and
can leak. Toyota has outsmarted Honda by making it easier for the tech to
adjust the timing while the o-ring centers perfectly. One more reason to
switch to Toyota.

 

It didn't even occur to me to go over to ebay and take a look at a
picture of one. Once I got a good side view I found out where it was.
There was an old o-ring in the location where it should have been, but
was so worn out I thought it was a metal washer and didn't remove it.
After I got the old one off it was a snap to put back in.

Thanks to everyone for their help, I just wish the factory manuals
could have better pictures of where this went; would have saved me a
lot of time.

Nick

 

Of course I dipped the shaft in dirty oil.