kuags27

I have a 94 CIVIC- LX-1.5L I replaced my distributor housing a year and half ago from my mechanic ($391 cash),but my mechanic replace the old cap & rotor. A three months ago the distributor started to make a grinding noise once in a while. I replace the rotor and cap rigth away but the grinding noise still coming back on & off. But two week ago its started grinding alot on and off. I check and open the distibutor cap and remove the rotor to check if any lose parts, but none. I drove again and after a while either on a stop or parked the engine is warm the engine hesitate once in a while. But this weekend I warm up my car the engine light went one and the grinding got worse. I shut off the car parked it and wait for a while. I start it again the engine light is off, the grinding stop, once the engine is warm again the grinding noise comes back no check engine light, drove it for a couple of miles no light, parked the car the enigne light goes once the grinding noise become continuosly and shut-off the car re-start again no check engine light, I left the car running, check engine light came on once the grinding noise starts and continous. Need help! Do I have to replace the ignition distributor again. I also change the spark plug when I change the rotor & cap.

I did some research on replacing the ignition distributor. I took the part number and number of the part on Bernardiparts.com and did some google and found some oem parts but its expensive. I found this site PARTSGEEK.com its local and $20 dollar cheap the Drivewire. Is this site reputable and any members experince on PARTSGEEK ordering parts. I need help and advice please.

kuags27

Here it the part number and item info I got from my research:manufactured by Richporter Tech Distributor #W0133-1602291, TEC TD41-U

PARTSGEEK Pice: $172.95 plus shpg plus ins=$189.95 (no core chgd.) Local east coast;no sure

Drivewire.com: $192.95 free shpg (no core chrgd.); westcoast;reliable I think!

honda.lioness

Go read on how to figure out what code is being thrown, and report what it is here. Meanwhile it is likely the dizzy housing bearing is failing or one of the three sensors inside the housing somehow got misaligned blah blah. Bearing failure is a common problem on older dizzies; dunno why such a new one would fail so soon, unless the aftermarket design stunk. Go buy yourself an OEM housing for $100 or so from www.bkhondaparts.com . Transfer the igniter, coil, cap, and rotor from your current setup. This is an easy DIY job. autozone.com has a perfectly good manual specific to your Civic which will help you with it.

Note: one of the pluses of 92-95 Civics is the OEM DX and LX dizzy housings are so cheap.

kuags27

I only have the OBD-II, I don't have the OBD-I. Should I just by the whole entire assy so I just unbolt and unplug the entire housing out, then replace it with new one. If I have the OEM original housing, I will do that, but my old mechanic replace it I think an aftermarket one assebly. Would that be easier less labor and minimal time. The car is hesitating sometimes too, then RPM goes down to 600RPM and up to normal for a second. So it might be the ignition coil too. I don't want to spend more money later and headache later.

Thank you Honda. Lioness for the advice.

kuags27

How about the two website that sell the Richporter Tech Distributor, these is the manufacturer that one of the Honda site I checked that they have it label. #W0133-1602291, TEC TD41-U. or should I buy it direct to Honda parts. It's $40 to $50 w/o tax less that the dealer sell it.

honda.lioness

What engine is in your Civic right now?

The hesitation could be a lot of things. But given the grinding, start by fixing the dizzy problems first.

It is true one can get an entire aftermarket dizzy for much less than an entire OEM dizzy. But as you may have experienced here, do not expect the aftermarket one to last long.

Distributor King is another aftermarket dizzy seller that many here like. But again, you get what you pay for. Many here have also had problems with Distributor King dizzies.

If the current ignition coil and igniter are aftermarket, then it is preferable to switch them out for OEM as well. The choice depends on how much reliability you want and how much you want to spend. Post back with the engine and hopefully I can speak more to your total expected cost and labor.

I am assuming whatever swap you have in place is not too complicated. If you have a swapped ECU as well, then I probably cannot help much. :-(

kuags27

I have the 1.5 L engine, non-VTEC (D15B7). My brother gave it to me when I sold my integra (stick) and totalled my wife's car on an accident (NOT MY FAULT) Both of them are integra LSSE sedan (stick) & coupe (auto). I love Honda car and stuff.

honda.lioness

Then if I did not want to mess with this much and wanted reliability, I would buy the whole OEM dizzy (housing, igniter, coil, cap, rotor etc.) from www.bkhondaparts.com for about $260 and plug and play, as you indicated earlier. A few plugs and three bolts and set the timing, and that dizzy will give you at least eight years of excellent service and should help your MPG.

http://www.bkhondaparts.com/billkay/...itch=&hidIrno=

Then troubleshoot the hesitation.

You also ought to ask the shop that put the aftermarket dizzy in what the warranty was on the dizzy. Some have lifetime warranties. If they say no warranty, you should ask for a partial refund. If they refuse, tell them politely you are very disappointed the dizzy failed after 1.5 years and you cannot send business their way.

kuags27

the warranty is 12 months & 12,000miles. But I will try.

kuags27

thank you! Honda.lioness

kuags27

I tried to order the OEM ignition distributor but its discontinued. I have to order an aftermarket that Richporter Technology Distributor make.

honda.lioness

If you have not already ordered from RichPorter, try

www.bkhondaparts.com
www.hondaautomotiveparts.com
www.slhondaparts.com
www.hondapartsunlimited.com

kuags27

I opened the hook today and took-off the cap and rotor, long beholded the shalf has a play and wobble. Its the bearing inside the housing is causing the rattle and grinding noise. Then the rotor were scratching and grinding the metal point on the cap. The Engine light kept on coming on and the OBD-I reading is #9- its a problem in the cylinder position (CYP) sensor unit inside the distributor housing. I just trying to decide which manufacturer should I get now an aftermarket ignition distributor made by Richporter Distributor or Dorman Distributor.

Anyone have any experience on the two aftermarket distributor company? Which one last longer or any problem occur? Which one is durable or known that there product last longer?

kuags27

Honda.lioness
I called some people from Honda. Honda definitely discontinued the part number or the ignition distributor TEC TD-41U, eventhough it said in some dealer's website they have the TD-41D listed. So aftermarket I go for the distributor. I hope it last long and durable.

honda.lioness

kuags, this does not mean online Honda OEM parts dealers do not have a TD-41U housing in stock. I know in August of 2008, hondapartsunlimited.com had at least one, because I called them and asked when I was doing some work on my 93 Civic DX (same dizzy as the 94 LX), putting a new bearing, oil seal, and o-ring in. I considered a whole new housing. A writeup on changing the bearing: http://honda.lioness.googlepages.com/distributorbearing . Of course, it is easy to slap a whole new aftermarket dizzy in there, which sounds like where you are headed.

kuags27

Thanks- Honda.lioness. I pleased the order already. I picked the Richporter Distributor.
I will do this rebuilding for the old one! Once I receive the new distributor and install it.

kuags27

It finally arrived the Richporter Distributor TD41. It took me fifteen minutes to remove and install the old to new to the engine. Minor adjustment on timing. I will do it tomorrow morning. The car runs great again. I will post the photo later.

Thanks again.

kuags27

It finally arrived the Richporter Distributor TD41. It took me fifteen minutes to remove and install the old to new to the engine. Minor adjustment on timing. I will do it tomorrow morning. The car runs great again. I will post the photo later.

Thanks again.

kuags27

After 2yrs and 5mos my civic is giving a sputter hesitation and engine dies. Once you start the car its having a hard time starting. I change the MAP sensor, cleaned the throttle body, clean the IACV, I just change the FITV on last year. Changed the distributor cables. Spark plug are still good and gap adjusted. I checked the distributor which I changed on 3/2009.

So I decided to put the old distributor housing with rotor and cap back to the engine. The only issue on the old one was the bearing inside "the grinding" thing. Long behold its running fun its not hesitating, sputtering when you apply alot of gas or sudden gas application on the throttle, but the grinding noise is back. So the distributor was the issue or culprit. Now I have to buy a new one again. I also switched the ignition coil and Igniter unit to the TEC-TD-41U housing from the old one. But its still the same sputtering and hesitation. Its the inside stuff. I guess most of the distributor can only last 2-1/2 years lifetime. The TEC TD41U has oil inside the housing when I open the distributor cap. The o ring is not good its leaking from the inside and outside. So what kind of distributor unit I should get DORMAN, CARDONE or BECK & ARNLEY.

Need advice!