Ok guys, for some reason my brother's car is not starting anymore. Here's what happened. He was driving fine when all of a sudden the car started backfiring when he would rev to about 4K. So he pulled over to see what the hell, and now it won't start at all. We didn't notice anything wrong, but it backfires when trying to turn it on!! I need some help here guys, because I have no clue on what it could be. Thanks.

 

it might be the timming or the distributor

 

sounds like it has jumped time. Pull the timing cover and check the cam gear to the crank pulley.

 

Timing

 

Timing?? Well, looks like I'll have to borrow a timing gun. Thanks for the replys guys. I'll check it out and then give you an update.

 

Cam timing is what they are talking about. Check to make sure that your timing belt hasn't skipped a tooth. Your ignition timing should be ok, but I would check it anyway.

 

Take off the distributor cap, and check the rotor first. Is it a really loud backfire? If so your rotor may have came off, happend to me, and a buddy aswell!

 

It is a pretty loud backfire. I don't think the timing belt would be the problem since it was changed out with the swap about 2 months ago. But now that you mention the rotor, I think that might be it. I did have a problem with the distributor when I initially got the swap, and the guy just put another distributor in there. I'm sure the distributor was pretty old though. I will check both just in case.

 

Check the timing belt anyways, we're not saying it broke or stretched, but it could have skipped, this is somewhat common, and doesn't always mean that the belt has gone bad.

 

It's the rotor

 

If i remember correctly.. your brother has a ZC right?? well remember that those ZC motor distributors are crappy. Most likely the distrib, with that ZC its pretty normal to go through plenty of distributors. Just find another distributor.

 

Yeah, it's my brother's car. But he's barely learning about cars. Thanks for the help so far, I'll check the distributor first.

 

I vote for the rotor also.

 

So do you guys recommend us changing just the rotor, or the whole distributor? I asked the mechanic who installed the swap and he said it was the distributor, but he's not going to change it for free. Well, how hard is it to change out the rotor?

 

my car did the same thing befor the little screw that holds the rotor on came loose so i replaced it and used some loctite to keep it in place . also had to replace the dist. on my zc before just get a new 89 integra 1.6L dohc dist from a parts store and your fine usually come with a lifetime warranty

 

Yes, Check to be sure your Timing belt didn't jump a couple teeth, Unless that is on the money your ignition timing most certainly won't be. The distributer runs of the intake cam and if that isn't properly times to the crank then you get the picture. If you have a non honda timing belt that could happen. My gates Belt has jumped time 3 times in 300 miles from when it was installed, AND it is tensioned properly. Gonna toss it and do what I should have in the first place, used a OEM timing belt.

 

How would I check to see if it jumped some teeth? I'm not sure how to do that.

 

The same thing happened to me too. The screw kept falling out of the rotor. It would backfire then stall.

 

Quote:

How would I check to see if it jumped some teeth? I'm not sure how to do that.

you must align the cam shaft sprocket and the crankshaft pully to top dead center. if its not at top dead center.....align it.

hope this helps

 

Ok so basically aling the crank pulley to TDC, and see it the cam gear is at TDC too. If it's not then aling it accordingly. Ok, I see. Thanks for the help. Now I just have to read the Helms and find out how to put the Crank pulley to TDC. I'll check that first and then check the rotor screw.

 

The screw that holds your rotor in place fell out......I bet you $10. Bux. When that happend to me, everybody was like timing belt this, and timing belt that! I said screw that, and the first thing i did was take off the distibutor cap, and voila, the rotor was lying there!!! Check it out first, man! Hope that helps!

 

I'm going to take you up on that. I'll check that first, and if it's not I'm going to demand my 10 bucks.

 

Well guys the problem is solved. My brother went and got a used distributor from the salvage yard, and it worked. I opened the old distributor and it was pretty rusted. Also I could barely move the rotor. Total cost of the repair was 40 bucks. Thanks for all the help guys.

 

Thank you. Broke down on the ide of the rode. Thanks to your help i was able to get back on the road. Almost spent a bunch of money for a $15 part. Thanks man

 

where's ron?lol
seriously guys learn to test all your ignition components.
that factory distributor you just tossed likely had some good parts.

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