Nissan D21 Distributor Replacement at your home or office.

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Distributor Replacement Service

How much does a Distributor Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Nissan D21 Distributor Replacement is $555 with $460 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1989 Nissan D21L4-2.4LService typeDistributor ReplacementEstimate$1035.53Shop/Dealer Price$1275.67 - $1973.57
Show example Nissan D21 Distributor Replacement prices

What is a distributor and how does it work?

The distributor is an electro-mechanical component installed in a car’s ignition system to provide, time, and “distribute” the spark that occurs at each spark plug in an engine’s combustion cylinders. The distributor contains a rotating shaft with a gear at the bottom that engages a gear on the engine’s camshaft. Atop the shaft is a plastic rotor that has electrical contacts molded in. As the plastic rotor turns, it completes a high voltage circuit to each electrical contact, one per engine cylinder, that is molded into a plastic distributor cap. That high voltage then flows along the spark plug wire to the spark plug, creating the spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture in an engine cylinder.

Distributors vary in design: some may have the ignition coil built in, some have vacuum advance mechanisms attached for engine timing, and really old distributors may even have mechanical points. Vintage cars, that is cars older than 25 years, will more commonly be equipped with a distributor. Most modern car designs have replaced the distributor with fully electronic systems controlled by engine sensors for more precise, and more powerful, ignition system operation.

When to consider replacing the distributor:

  • Worn or damaged integral parts. Worn shaft bushings can result in wobbling or eccentric rotation of the rotor, resulting in misfires, loss of power, rough idle and poor mileage. If the shear pin breaks that secures the distributor shaft drive gear, complete loss of ignition spark distribution is the result. A failed ignition module that is mounted to the distributor housing may also be more cost-performance efficient to replace the entire distributor.
  • Visible oil leaks. Distributors are attached to the engine and consequently, there are seals, both internal and external, that keep oil from leaking at the point of attachment. External O-rings are serviceable but if an internal oil leak occurs, due to a worn shaft, for example, it might necessitate rebuilding or replacing the distributor.

How do mechanics replace the distributor?

Distributors are bolted to the engine block or the cylinder head. The replacement procedure is as follows:

  • Once all diagnostic tests are complete and the distributor is confirmed to be faulty, disconnect the battery negative cable.
  • Set engine at top dead center on the compression stroke for cylinder no. 1. Mark location of distributor housing and shaft relative to the engine mounting surface.
  • Remove primary and secondary ignition system wiring connected to the distributor. Unbolt and remove the distributor. Temporarily cover the hole in the head or block so no foreign matter drops into the engine.
  • Install new distributor and new cap and rotor, with the rotor pointing to the cylinder no. 1 firing-order electrode of the distributor cap. Reconnect all wiring and reconnect battery negative cable.
  • Start engine and set basic engine ignition timing per original equipment manager specification. Then check timing advance for proper function. Road test vehicle.

Is it safe to drive with a distributor problem?

Yes. A faulty distributor will cause increased fuel consumption, increased emissions and poor engine operation but does not generally create a safety hazard.

When replacing a distributor keep in mind:

  • Many ignition system failures will mimic a distributor failure, including faulty spark plugs, faulty wiring, and a worn cap and rotor. Mechanics will always test the distributor directly to ensure it is not needlessly replaced.
  • If a distributor is removed for testing and then re-installed, be sure that new o-rings are installed. Re-using old o-rings often results in oil leaks.
  • If the distributor is replaced, and the spark plugs and spark plug wires have considerable mileage on them, the best results will be obtained by replacing those components at the same time the new distributor is installed.

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Meet some of our expert Nissan mechanics

Real customer reviews from Nissan owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(41)

Rating Summary
38
1
0
0
2
38
1
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Larry

15 years of experience
44 reviews
Larry
15 years of experience
D21 1990 - Radiator - Atlanta, GA
On time and very knowledgeable.

Eliud

20 years of experience
148 reviews
Eliud
20 years of experience
D21 1989 - Distributor - Grayson, GA
Best ever

Joel

25 years of experience
77 reviews
Joel
25 years of experience
D21 1989 - Idle Control Valve - Glendale, AZ
He was very informative about the problem and he was knowledgeable about the problem but unfortunately he wasn't able to fix it because the part was discontinued. I will definitely recommend his services to anyone. Thanks Merlyn

Chet

35 years of experience
613 reviews
Chet
35 years of experience
D21 1993 - Clutch Slave Cylinder - San Diego, CA
Chet was courteous and very knowledgeable. He completed the job in the estimated time and made some good recommendations for things that needed to be done.

Excellent Rating

(41)

Rating Summary
38
1
0
0
2
38
1
0
0
2
Number of Nissan D21 services completed
451+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Nissan MECHANICS
1500+
experts on our platform

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