P0336 crank sensor code for 1998 Honda Civic with 1.6L engine

Question:

I just bought a Honda Civic from a used car lot a month ago. Yesterday, it was cutting out and a check engine light was on. When scanned for codes, I got P0336 which is crank sensor fault. The engine also has a misfire intermittently during acceleration. Reading your blog, it seems the distributor is the culprit. However, it is very expensive from the dealer and I am not sure if the ones available from my local parts store are good enough. Suggestions?

ATS Advisor:

If you have this code P0336, the distributor is definitely toast but buying an aftermarket distributor is a bad choice. If you like, instead of buying a complete distributor assembly from the dealer, you can buy the distributor housing only. It comes with all the pick up sensors and you can use the original coil and igniter from your old distributor.

ATS Tip:

Always reset the code after performing the repairs. For details on how to overhaul the distributor, please contact ATS.