Do i need a new distributor?

[Nottsofast]

i've had an intermitant problem over the last couple of weeks and this morning took it to be checked out. The car has been running ok and then will suddenly start to lose power for a second and the rev counter goes ballistic and the engine starts to splutter and pop and on occasions it will backfire. The rev counter will even drop to pretty much zero and the engine still keeps running, just. After a while if i pull over, or if i continue driving along it will clear without the engine cutting out and will run fine again!

The bloke was having a look under the bonnet this morning, as luckily it was playing up when i got to the garage, and noticed the oil sensor on the distributor looking worn or lose or something. He pressed it and the car immediately started to run smoothly again. His conclusion was that i need a new distributor without checking anything else.

Now he isn't a VW expert and having posted a problem up here before got the correct diagnosis 1st reply so i thought i would try and gauge opinion on here first before going and buying a new one and to see if anyone else had had a similar problem. The car is a. '86 16V by the way.

all thoughts greatfully received.....

[Diluxe]

I had a similiar problem a year or so ago, i think oil gets into the dizzy and messes with the hall sender, I'd wash out the oil with WD40 and everything would be alright for couple of weeks & then it would return, after awhile i just got p155ed off & bought new one dizzy.

[tobz.]

Theoretically what you're saying all sounds feasible.
The oil seals on 16v distributors are well known for going and allowing oil into the distributor.
If this was in turn messing with the hall sender that could cause all sorts of strange running problems and would probably explain the erratic rev counter if the LT pulse was being lost to the coil.
I think I would try out the advice given by diluxe as that will allow you to establish if it's definately the problem. If it does then you know that bunging on a new distributor will do the job.

[Nottsofast]

Thanks for the advice. As it seems like i'm slowly replacing everything on the car it now has a new distributor fitted so hopefully that'll cure it.

[maplesyrup]

Did it sort the problem? 

[Ben Lessani]

Last post October 17, 2007

LMAO! I guess slick isn't always right when he keeps telling people to search!

[maplesyrup]

I thought it was funny