crx2010

Hi All,
My 1st posting and a complete noob here who's hoping for much needed assistance with a ZC dizzy that shorted on me.

Back in 2010, I swapped out the stock engine in my 1991 CRX Si with a SOHC (Non-VTEC) ZC engine, a JDM engine. I purchased it from HMotorsonline in Burbank. The engine came with a distributor, I recall purchasing a new cap and rotor from a Honda dealership in Costa Mesa. The swap was successful but the car pretty much sat on a driveway for 5 years till April earlier this year.

Last week, the dizzy shorted on me and I broke down on the freeway. I had saved the original dizzy and assumed incorrectly that I could stick that on and all would be fine. The car starts but splurts and loses all power.

Where can I get a replacement dizzy for this ZC engine? The part# on the shorted dizzy is TD-19U and I can't find a match anywhere on websphere. Is it true that the 1988-89 Integras and even Accords carried the same dizzy? I believe that's a TD03 tho and the part# doesn't match.

Hoping someone can advise so I can get this great car back on the road.

24TEN

iTrader: (2)

SOHC ZC Non VTEC roughly equates to a D16A6, Get one for an 88-91 Civic/CRX EX/Si as long as you haven't altered anything else and are still running the stock PM6 ECU.

Info easily found if you search but hope that expedites the process and you get your car back on the road. Good luck!

PS
There is an off chance that you have a newer ZC but as long as you are still pre-OBD then you still want a distributor meant for a D16A6.

Tyson

a standard TD02U distributor should work if youre MPFI.

TD01U if youre DPFI.

where are you getting these other distributor numbers from?

jlicrx

are you sure the one you had wasn't TD18U? TD02U is 88-89 D16A6 and D15B6 - TD18U is 90-91 D16A6 and D15B6

crx2010

Firstly, thank you to all of you all for such quick replies.....

@jlicrx: You are correct - my bad - my ZC engine came with a TD18U dizzy, not TD19U as I mistakenly stated. Duh! Now I see some actual matches on Ebay.

So, do I look to buy the TD18U dizzy and all should be fine? Why doesn't the stock dizzy (I need to look up the part #, I believe TD02U) work? The timing is completely off, and even after correct markings the car is making fart-box noises and stalls. Some oil leak too.

@24TEN & Tyson:
Yes, I'm running the stock ECM. What I don't understand is how the car ran fine all this time? Shouldn't there have been a mismatch between the stock ECM and the TD18U dizzy?

FOUR-G

Could the timing belt have skipped a tooth?

crx2010

@FOUR-G: It was checked last week but I plan to have it re-checked on Wed.

Updates: I just got back from a dizzy shop in La Puente where I picked up a "new" TD02U, I also confirmed that the original dizzy from '91 - which is on the car right now - is a TD02U. Took some pics 2day that I hope to post later in the day. I hope the problem is fixed in the morrow with the new dizzy but I'm skeptical, there may be more going on.

I should mention that the last 4 weeks I would hear a whining noise when I started the car cold. The noise would last no more than 10 seconds, it even lessened over the last couple of weeks. I first thought it was the compressor belt & related to the climate control. If I switched off the CC quickly, the whine appeared to go away but there were occasions when it continued so I ruled out the CC.

If the new dizzy proves unsuccessful, should I consider replacing the ECU?

Tyson

whining noises are just belts. replace them. or maybe AC idler bearing if you have one.

CC = climate control?

FOUR-G

This thread has me intrigued. Interested in seeing your culprit. I have a somewhat similar situation...

I have an SOHC ZC (with a fuel pump block-off plate already in place) in a 90 EX...I've put 60,000 miles on it in one year, so it runs great, but I have similar issues where I cannot get the timing right, it's almost fully advanced at the distributor and still not on the stock markings at the crank. Also have an oil leak at the dist o-ring that will not cease. On the third OEM o-ring currently and still leaking. Time for Hondabond I guess...

I was convinced my timing skipped a tooth, but numerous Honda technicians told me I was full of it since it was running so well. But it has NO POWER, which was my first warning sign...

video_voide

crx2010, confirm your firing order. Maybe your spark plug wires are off.

And four-g. It's easy to check your mechanical timing. On flat ground, engine off, put transmission in neutral. Rotate the crank, counter clockwise until the crank is at TDC, and then check the cam up top. Keep in mind you may need to rotate several times to confirm mechanical timing. I do this without taking the wheel off. These are simple engines. Once you get familiar with them they're fun to work on.

4drEF

CC = compressor clutch, right?
If it's a belt, it could still be the alternator belt.

Pop the hood next time you hear the noise and verify that the sound is coming from the area where the belts are.
If it is, spray the inner side of the suspect belt with water.
If the noise temporarily goes a way or changes pitch until the water dries up then you have found your culprit.

If you can't get the noise to go away, then it could be a worn bearing in one of the pulleys.

crx2010

I was referring to the Climate Control when I abbreviated to "CC". Sorry for the confusion.

Updates: So much has gone on today including the manager of the shop (where I dropped the car off & whom I was dealing with) getting fired. I received a call from the owner this morning which was all dis-orienting.

1. Installed the new dizzy that was purchased yday. The car starts but same problem with loss of power. When pressing the gas pedal, a cutting noise appears, not very harsh but almost like metal on metal. This is a diff noise to the whining sound I reported above.

2. I asked the mechanic to verify the t-belt wasn't off a tooth as recommended by you guys. He reported back that it wasn't aligned with the various markings. Is that what you mean by ff a tooth"? I was envisioning the belt not lined up properly on each tooth.

3. I gave authorization for 2 hrs of diagnostics; I spotted the mechanic looking at CR-V T-Belt settings on his laptop. Had to stress very forcefully that my car was a CRX! I left the place extremely skeptical.

4. The shop called back an hour ago to report that the T-Belt adjustment has made that metal noise go away. He also found a big problem with the CAT Converter.

The honeycombe in the CAT is all broken up, it looks like bits of stones. Apparently, this was blocking the exhaust flow and causing loss of power. The CAT is not original, it was placed on the car as part of the CAP (Cali Assistance Program) in 2010 a few weeks shortly after I swapped in the ZC. The CAT only has 9.5K on it. Still have the warranty card - warrantied for 50K miles or 5 years whichever comes first. It's been 5 yrs and 5 months since the install, so I guess I'm SOL!

Just drove the car home, it seems OK power-wise. A lil hard to tell but defn better than a few days back. The issue now is the awful fart-box noise since the CAT is partially removed, the bolts are off. The mechanic - and I agree with him - reports that if he bolts it back on, I may ruin the engine with all the pressure build up.

Still have no idea why the TD18U dizzy shorted on me last Tuesday. And also, why the loss of power only occurred subsequent to the dizzy being replaced - first with the original from '91 and then the China-made "new" TD02U purchased yday.

Looks like I need a new CAT now. Hope to return the rental car 2morrow. Call me skeptical but I still have doubts that all the issues are resolved but I'm looking better right now than last Tues when I broke down on the 55S.

Still owe you guys pictures.

Tyson

download a helms crx shop manual. just google it, i cant link it.

and do your own diagnosis.

it shows you how to set the timing properly.

4drEF

Have had CAT failure before.
There is power loss and eventually the internals of the CAT will deteriorate and create a plug in your exhaust system.
The power loss eventually become severe where you can only run the motor up to about a couple thousand RPM and no more!

With that few miles, I don't think he CAT is the cause of the problem. It still needs to be replaced if it is breaking apart inside. However premature CAT failure occurs when the engine is not running right and creating exhaust conditions that the CAT isn't able to handle for extended periods of time.