PROBLEM:
Hey experienced Honda Tech's. I'm scratching my head, I cannot figure out what my problem is with my DA9. It started with a slight hesitation as I was driving home. I thought at first it was low fuel, so I went to fill it up at my local 76 (I know its not dirty gas). Before I had gotten to the station the hesitation and sputtering was beginning to worsen. I managed to keep it alive and also restart it to get home after refueling. The next morning the car would only crank and spin but not stay running. I had an experience Honda guy come over and give it his best diagnosis without many tools in hand.

So here it goes. I've replaced the following thinking that maybe it was the......

1. PGM-FI MAIN RELAY......Thought that maybe fuel wasn't being sent and managed correctly.
2. FUEL FILTER.....Thinking that I had a clog or just a dirty filter.
   

(Things I checked and cleaned as well, just in case.)

1. I checked and cleaned the spark plugs (NEW NGK-R)
2. I have new NGK spark plug wires.
3. I tested the fuel line to make sure that fuel was being sent through from the fuel pump...yup plenty of fuel.
   

After those 2 main replacements, I came to the conclusion that it must be the distributor, as I had it been rebuilt not that long ago so I replaced the spark resistor and put it all back together. Before I replaced the resistor I tested it by cranking the motor and ground out the spark plug to a ground while connected to the spark plug wire....RESULT - NO SPARK.

I cranked the motor again and finally LIFE, or so I thought. As I was cleaning up, allowing the motor to warm up, it started doing the same hesitating and sputtering. I tried a couple more times and even pressed on the gas pedal and left it there in the 4-5k range but the motor wouldn't have it and it just died.

After slamming my head on the concrete and throwing my hands up in the air, I figured it would be best to get opinions from those of you who know WTF is going on.



SOLUTION:
Replace your Ignitor coil and spark resistor. After all of the other things I replaced..It almost came down to the ECU..Thankfully it was the ignitor coil that failed.

 

Now i know this is going to sound very far fetched but is the motor grounded properly?...i had a buddy with a civic and his did almost the same thing...and he was working on it to fix it and just happend to have a wrench laying touching the motor and the frame at the same time and he got it running and thought he had it fixed...and as he was cleaning up...he picked up that wrench and the car died...he jammed the wrench back in there again and the motor picked back up....he ran a cable from the motor to the frame...and from that day on hasnt had a problem...like i said...its very far fetched but still a possibility....

 

u could try that

 

Thanks.
I just tried that(I checked my ground connections and got the same result...actually, being that it has been sitting for a while it just cranks...motor won't even run.

I don't think its the battery, either..its about 6mos old and is cranking strong.

 

maybe ur coil or rotor or ur cap...just check ur dizzy

 

I'm beginning to think that its just the whole damn dizzy....Fuuk the rebuild...I should just go and get a new one. I don't know...any other thoughts on what may be the problem??? ANYONE

 

You don't have to buy the whole dizzy, check the cap n rotor make sure there isn't any carbon build up in there. have you checked the coil? check that for primary and secondary resistance and make sure those are in spec. and you said that you replaced the module in the dizzy? if you replaced that by itself and there is problem with the coil you can continue to blow that module out over and over again.

And I'm assuming your injectors are all pulsing correctly?

not sure if this will help at all or not but it's just a thought!

 

I'm goin to try and see if I can borrow a spare distributor.

Yes, thanks, the cap, rotor aren't old (about a couple mo's old in fact). My mechanic had the entire thing rebuilt. but being that he mentioned that I wasn't getting any spark, he figured that it was spark resistor/module..what ever you call it. SO ya I'm wondering now if maybe its the ignitor coil?? I have an extra one I'll see if that helps...will do that in the morning. but I'm running out of options.

RE: the injectors....they should be okay.... I've got a 198k on the motor but I'm pretty certain that those aren't the issue. as I mentioned..the motor actually got working again, once I put the spark module in... the engine ran for like 5 min but then it just cut off entirely...so I know that fuel is getting in...it was running smooth for that 5 min....so something just isn't right.

Could it be the ECU???

 

switch out the coil first since u have another one

 

Have you checked the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor)?

 

Hmmm. what brought you to that component? What is its main function (other than the obvious)? Just curious....I mean how do I go about testing it??

 

anyone else have ideas as to what the heck is going on?

 

I would start with the distributor. If that's not it then come back.
You have fuel and spark?
Possibly a vacuum line rotted out?

 

You don't have to get a new distributor. If you're thinking it might be the distributor, take it to autozone or shucks to get it tested to see if it's still okay before you buy a new one.

 

thanks, I'll take it tomorrow. that way I can get some answers quick.

 

Figured out my problem. Posted solution at top.