Nissan Repair: Nissan Truck Repair, nissan truck repair, distributor shaft

Question
I have a 1999 Nissan Frontier 4x4 automatic with a v 6 engine.  The truck stopped running and the mechanic at the Nissan shop said it was the distributor gone bad.  He replaced the distributor and now the truck is running but it makes a horrible knocking or grinding sound in the distributor area.  The mechanic said it was the results of placing a new distributor gear against an old gear on tha cam shaft.  The truck made no grinding or knocking before the distributor change.  The service manager said the mechanic should have switched the gear from the old distributor to the new before he installed the new distributor, however, it was too late because he turned in it for a core. Now the service manager says he will obtain a used distributor from the junk yard and change the gears on the distributor shaft and it should quieten down a lot.

My question, will it help to change the gear on the new distributor for a used gear from the junk yard?  Question 2 will it hurt the engine to continue to run it as it is.  The sevice manager say the gears will wear in and the noise will go away.  After about 3 weeks and a thousand miles I cannot tell the difference.  What do you suggest?

Thank You

Answer
Hi Billy -

I have not heard of this before. Every distributor I have replaced, I have never used the old gear and it has been fine. What is the mileage on your truck?

In answer to your questions, I think any sound like that is ruining something in your vehicle and should be researched. And if it will help to replace one with an older gear, I really don't think so. What makes them think that another gear would be any different?

I would take it back, demand that they fix it, get rid of that sound. Is it certain that the sound is coming from the distributor?

Get back to me please -
aloha
calvin