distributor rattle?

[CL Wong]

My mechanic is telling me that my distributor is dying
because it's rattling.  

I've never seen any posts in the last 6 or 7 years
about the distributor being a common failure item.  I
have found threads about noisy distributors on NA 20v
engines where an extra washer or 2 quiets the rattle
and others that say the timing belt tension is causing
the rattle.  I also noticed the knowledge base
mentions that distributors wear out.

My car is currently in for a new timing belt, so I'll
wait to see if the rattle still exists after the
procedure.  

Does anyone have any comments about distributors
wearing out? any issues about me driving her until the
distributor finally dies?

patient: 200 20v
updated distributor (metal gear)
178k miles



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