honda_lx

So my car cranks but won't start. Used a spark plug tester and no light. Tested the coil, it's good. Tested the power to coil. Good.

Now here's where it gets interesting. Tested two wires on the distributor connector, the green one(power) and yellow/green one (the signal wire). The green one has power but the yellow/green one doesn't, not even while cranking. Edit: Oh yeah, 96' accord, 2.2l

Can anyone offer any help?

honda_lx

So, took out my coil today and noticed this long crack in the back. I'm getting power from the coil to the distributor with my spark plug tester but I'm not sure how much power it is.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/1...89aa68ef_b.jpg

Does anyone know if this crack could impact how much power the coil delivers to the distributor?

DawolfCD5

Check for spark at the coil, then at the plugs. Do this by sticking a longer screwdriver into the wire you are testing and hold it close to the engine block. then have somebody turn the key to the on position and you should see it arcing from the screwdriver to the block. Check both if you have spark after the coil but not at the plugs its the distributor. I have a 96 and the distributor was my problem. Its a common problem for hondas.

honda_lx

I hooked up a spark plug tester to my coil (external naturally) on the secondary end and then grounded the tester and it lit up when cranked. Also connected cable back to the terminal and then plugged the tester into the other cable end that go's to the distributor, grounded the cable and the light lit up.

BUT when I removed the ground and put the spark plug tester side (the side that go's on to the spark plug) onto the distributor cap and the cable on the spark plug tester I didn't get a light. Either somethings amiss or the test I'm attempting isn't possible.

Distributor is 2 years old.

honda_lx

Update:

I found this video on How To test for spark at ignition coil.

I took the ignition wire from my external coil that connects to distributor and put it close to the valve cover bolt. No spark when my brother cranked it. And just for GOOD MEASURE..so put it near the stud on the exhaust manifold. Still no spark.

This must be an electrical issue. I assume I've lost a major ground somewhere? Car has had prior electrical issues. When I bought the car lights on High beams always on. Couple months ago wipers just started running randomly, sometimes when I hit a bump. I have a guy who used to be a technician at Honda.

holmesnmanny

check the 15a ecu fuse in the engine bay first see if it's blown

honda_lx

ECU fuse is good. Checked for ground to distributor and the black wire off main harness is showing ground. Tested signal from ECU and it's pulsing when car is cranked(Yay). I don't know if I touched one of the voltage wires because now with accessories on I don't show power to the distributor anymore. Green wire to distributor used to show power. (I have external coil)

I tested the ignition wires/distributor wires off main harness many times, and the yellow wire to ignition coil had power on accessories and so did the green one to the distributor. Now the blk/yellow wire to ignition coil shows voltage with accessories on and ground with power off. Did I short out something?

Edit: There's a 4 pin male connector that go's to ignition coil. One two-pin connector and another 4-pin connector that go's to the distributor. I also tested for power at the wire's on the two-pin connector and that's not showing power either.

DawolfCD5

If you shorted something you should see a blown fuse

DawolfCD5

If your getting power from the coil but not from the distributor Its going to be your distributor

honda_lx

Just realized difference between testing for voltage now and testing all times before, is that I took out the coil yesterday and so the coil wire isn't hooked up to the distributor anymore. Now with coil unplugged I show no power to distributor anymore from any of the wires off the main harness. (The 2pin or 4pin connectors)

I'm using a test light. Is it safe to test for ground with the positive battery cable connected?

Also, are we sure this is a distributor that gets all it's power from the coil? (It is external coil). Should there be power off main harness going to the distributor with accessories on? Just to be sure, I should be testing distributor with the ignition wire disconnected between it and the coil, right?

honda_lx

Well, I checked everything coil and distributor both getting power and ground. The PCM is sending the pulse signal. I tested the spark from the coil and it's orange. I knew the coil needed to be replaced (long crack in the back) but I can't help wonder if it took the ICM with it or the Cylinder position sensor. I think the coil was shorting out shocking the ICM and causing it die or maybe it was shocking the CPS...

I'm refurbishing an OEM distributor that had an internal leak, and it looks like if I had to remove the CPS in the future I'd have to take the clip off and remove the rotor again. No way I want to go do that. Is there a way to do a stand alone test on the CPS? Can I purchase a new one?