tankdeer

'98 Civic EX threw a CEL a few days ago. Jumpered and read the code as 8 - TDC. The thing is, the car is running fine, no stuttering or anything. Any ideas besides replacing the whole distributor? Tight on cash so that would be my last option as they ain't cheap.

Thanks!

94EG8

If you can get a cheap D or B-series OBD2A distributor used cheap swap in the CYP/TDC/CKP sensors. Or just live with the CEL on. Same thing happened to my '94 except it was the CKP sensor and I drove it like that for 2 years because I couldn't find a good distributor for any kind of reasonable price.

tankdeer

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the sensor(s) could not be removed from the distributor and you had to swap the whole thing. Maybe that was just because you can't buy them separately. (At least not that I could find) I can try a couple junkyards and see what kind of prices they have, but then I risk the parts being DOA.

How did you pass emissions checks with the CEL on? Isn't that an auto fail on the visual inspection? I guess I could just unplug the lamp. But I guess I have a little while before that comes up.

So, I guess because the car is running just fine it's probably safe to assume that the sensor just failed? And is not throwing the error because of a more serious problem?

Cheers!

94EG8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tankdeer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the sensor(s) could not be removed from the distributor and you had to swap the whole thing. Maybe that was just because you can't buy them separately.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Last I heard honda was selling the three sensors as an assembly, at one point you could only buy the entire distributor though. At the time mine went bad you couldn't get just the sensors, only and entire distributor, local honda dealership wanted $1000 for a new distributor, I said no thanks, finally got a good used one 2 years later for $50

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tankdeer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can try a couple junkyards and see what kind of prices they have, but then I risk the parts being DOA.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Try the distributor on the car right at the yard. They usually mark them with a paint marker anyway so you can return it within a few days if its bad

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tankdeer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How did you pass emissions checks with the CEL on? Isn't that an auto fail on the visual inspection? I guess I could just unplug the lamp. But I guess I have a little while before that comes up.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I live in New Brunswick, Canada. We don't have any emissions testing. When have your annual motor vehicle inspection done they check to see that you have a CAT and a muffler, thats it. Pulling the bulb wont fool anyone btw, they'll notice when you first turn the key that the bulb doesn't light up during the check sequence.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tankdeer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So, I guess because the car is running just fine it's probably safe to assume that the sensor just failed? And is not throwing the error because of a more serious problem?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Either the sensor is bad or the wiring going to the sensor is bad, its not uncommon for those sensors to die either.

tankdeer

Awesome. Thanks. I'll contact Honda to see what the price on the sensors are, and I'll check a couple junkyards too. Is the installation pretty self explanatory? I'm fairly handy, and have always done most of my maintenance/repairs/upgrades myself; so as long as there is nothing completely funky about it, I guess I should be able to figure it out.

Thanks again!

94EG8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tankdeer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Awesome. Thanks. I'll contact Honda to see what the price on the sensors are, and I'll check a couple junkyards too. Is the installation pretty self explanatory? I'm fairly handy, and have always done most of my maintenance/repairs/upgrades myself; so as long as there is nothing completely funky about it, I guess I should be able to figure it out.

Thanks again!</TD></TR></TABLE>

The distributor itself is only 3 bolts. When you go to unplug the connector at the distributor you need to first pull slide the connector off the metal holder its attached to or the plug wont come apart. As far as disassembling the distributor goes its pretty straight forward, only thing to remember is mark the 2 pronged piece on the end of the distributor that locks into the camshaft. I use a file and scratch a mark accros this piece and the distributor shaft, otherwise you can get the little 2 pronged piece 180 degrees off. (its a lot simpler when you actually see it)

tankdeer

Makes perfect sense. I've replaced distributors before, just not on this car. I'll look around and see what I can find parts-wise.

Appreciate all your help!