Clif

I have a 96 Accord EX, with the F22B1 motor. The tachometer does not work at all. What can I do to find and fix the issue?

holmesnmanny

The tachometer gets its signal from the distributor. It should either be that or the cluster. The cluster is a pain to get to and normally is not the problem. I'm not sure if the sensor in the distributor is interchangeable with other distributors or not tho.

Clif

Well, I am also getting a code P1381 - Cylinder Position Sensor Intermittent Interruption, which also points to a bad distributor. So, I am searching for a replacement. Let me know if you know of one!

GhostAccord

Check your wiring if it is an intermittent issue. The CYP pickup in the distributor could also be dirty or corroded. I would suggest testing and cleaning first, rather than just replacing it with a cheap reman distributor.

With the ignition off, disconnect the distributor wire connector and check the resistance between the two CYP sensor wires, they are the BLK & YEL wires coming out of the distributor. You should see between 700 - 1,300Ω resistance. If it is not between this you will need to replace the sensor (distributor housing)

The pickup in the distributor can be removed and replaced if you can find a pickup from a working distributor. Most times it's just easier to replace the entire housing.

Clif

I checked the resistance. It was between 800 and 900 ohms.

Is the distributor housing worth changing, versus the whole distributor?

GhostAccord

The housing really is pretty much the whole distributor. The "whole distributor" usually consists of the housing with the addition of the cap, rotor and dust shield. If your cap and rotor is old you would be better of getting a complete quality OEM replacement distributor.

If you have between 800-900Ω then check for continuity between the two terminals (individually) and body ground. If there is continuity, replace the distributor. If there is no continuity. it's time to test the wires & ECU. There could be a short/open in the wires or a bad circuit in the ECU.

The wires for the CYP sensor will dry out and crack over time. they can short out against the distributor housing under vibration. You could look inside the distributor and shrink wrap the wires, or just replace the housing..... All depends on how adventurous you are I guess.

Clif

Thanks for the great advice. I will go out and check the CYP wires now.

Which wires are for the tack, and what do I need to check for that?

GhostAccord

The BLU wire coming from the ignitor (ICM) inside the distributor is the tach signal wire. Just an FYI. It has nothing to do with the CYP sensor though.

This wire sends wave pulses to the gauge cluster. You would need an oscilloscope to check the signal. One thing you can do is check for any resistance in the wire between the ignitor and gauge cluster. Or make sure that the blue wire has good continuity between the ignitor and cluster.

If there is no resistance, aka good continuity, then you would move on to checking the ICM and gauge cluster circuits.