Metal in Engine

Strickland's right, you should not drive it until you install a proper 'unbroken' part. After 18 years, something was bound to break, after all.

1) It has been a long time since I've looked at the coupling on a distributor, but I think the coupling was made up of 2 semi-circle pieces with a gap between the halves. I would think that the piece is too large to fit down the drain holes, so I would look at the top of the drain holes to see if it is lodged there, in the valve springs, and under the camshafts. It is possible that the piece made it down to the oil pan, especially if the piece got broken up into smaller pieces, but I would think it is still in the top end somewhere. 2) The chance that the metal can damage the engine is pretty slim unless it somehow gets caught in the camshaft or one of the valve springs. Check the valve springs carefully, and check the camshafts for any scoring. 3) If it is not in the top end, you do not have to tear the engine apart to find it. If it is not in the top end and you really want to find it, remove the oil pan and look in there. 2) I wouldn't think that there is much chance of damage to the engine, but if the other half of the coupling breaks off, you will be stranded so I would look to replace the distributor itself.

By the way, if you remove the distributor, you should replace the O-ring on the shaft, or you may end up with an oil leak.

I don't recall exactly where all of the drain holes are, but they're there, probably under the camshaft. Try using something like a plastic zip tie to fish around under the camshaft.

I'm wondering if the distributor is not an exact replacement. Where did you get it? Have you dried a hardware store for a replacement O-ring? Another possibility is to find a used distributor at a junk yard.

I got it from NAPA. It's a re-manufactured one. May be it was polished during re-manufacturing. Junk yard may be a good idea.