Hello,

I'm having a bit of a problem with my integra GSR. The other day the car wouldn't start (no crank, just clicking when you turned the key) and I had it towed to Tuffy (I don't have the time to work on my car much any more). After some diagnostics they said it was the starter... so I thought "Oh, I'll push start it then drive it home"...

... but then it died two blocks after I left. My father and I tried to push-start the car again but were unsuccessful. I ended up replacing the starter on the side of the road with another one I had and the car now cranks but will not start. I checked and double checked the grounds, made sure all the connections were tight, etc, but the car will simply not start. The starter engages and disengages and cranks strong, so that doesn't seem to be the issue. We ended up pushing it two blocks back to the Tuffy I had it towed to originally, which was a fantastic endeavor.

I'd think it was some other part of the ignition but I replaced pretty much everything recently. New distributor, wires, fuel pump relay, fuel pump. I've checked all the grounds I know of... any ideas of what it might be? I'm baffled.

 

Not to state the obvious cuz I assume you already checked but you didn't mention the plugs, maybe you need spark?

 

I actually replaced the spark plugs as well... I just don't know. I wonder if I have a bad engine harness... that would be fantastic.


Thanks,

Sean

 

Obviously to have spark you need to have a good ignition coil and good ICM (ignitor) I know you said you replaced them, but when you say ''new'' distributor what do you mean? Brand new from the parts store? Brand new from laying around the garage?

I say this because i know people who have received bad parts and bad distributors from parts stores.

Have you checked every fuse under the engine bay? Checked the fuses under the dash?

You can/need to test the coil & the icm.. Then i would go from there

If you are mechanically inclined enough to do any of this.. or ''if you dont have the time to work on my car anymore'' then you need to just take it to the shop and be prepared to get charged out the ***.. So i would make time unless you just have cash laying around

this might help

 

I checked pretty much every fuse under the dash, yes. As for the distributor, it had been running 100% fine until now... I got one from here brand new:

http://www.distributorking.com/

I suppose that they will probably test the coil and stuff at Tuffy and figure out what's going on.

Thanks,

Sean

 

I've never purchased one thing from distributor king, but to be honest i have seen a few threads about them and i remember seeing a few threads particularly where people had problems with there dizzys from them.. I've also seen where people have had 0 problems. Seems sort of like a ''hit or miss'' transaction with them.

 

Interesting. The only thing is that the distributor was working just fine and started right up on Saturday before I got the no-crank issue. Though the starter going bad may well have caused the distributor to go too somehow... I'm not sure.

I suppose that we will find out tomorrow what they find. I wish I didn't work so much or go to school full time so I could actually fix it myself... oh well.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.

- sean

 

Low and behold the distributor went bad. Interesting because it was working before... oh well. Guess I'll slap on my old one and then RMA the other one.

 

Glad to know all these years on h-t as helped me with knowledge

Hope you get it fixed soon man.. GL

 

Drove it home today, so it seems to be working alright. Question though:

The bearing in my distributor is making a fair bit of noise, which is why I had originally replaced it. Do you think that it is safe to drive with the bearing? The car starts up (sometimes it takes a little bit more "oomf" to do it, but it always does) but I'm just wondering the dangers of the bearing going out. I'm RMA'ing the DK distributor, but I don't really like driving my civic since it needs the brakes worked on

 

should be fine to drive. hmmm.. i don't recall any bearings in the distributor. correct me if i am wrong. maybe journal type? lol

 

There is a bearing in the distributor.. I believe it is sealed though... I remember i had a distributor a few years back go bad on my old '92 si hatch.. It made alot of noise.

I would try to replace as soon as possible.. I'd imagine it wouldn't be good if it decided to lock up.

 

interesting... i have taken over a dozen distributors apart down to bare case. how can i miss this... now i'm on a mission! thanks. i will go find it first thing after i wake up.

 

yeah, the bearing's pressed onto the shaft. not designed to be a replaceable part. they go out, all kinds of rust-lookin powder fills up the dizzy cap (the first sign of a dry bearing- it's gonna go out). i always just give distributor king a call for a new complete unit when this happens... (i've heard a few things on here about possible negative comments about them, but i've had roughly 10 or 12 perfect experiences on cars that get beat on, so... i dunno, works for me?

 

Oddly enough my distributor doesn't have a bunch of dust in it, so I'm not sure. And DK was quite nice about it and I shipped it back yesterday, so I should have a new one next week.

Thanks all