I have had my d15B coupe for about 5 months and only had a few problems, sometimes it wouldn't start back up after getting gas and would randomly die sometimes and not start for a bit. Recently i remembered i had an old y8 distributor and decided to replace the ICM, rotor, coil and spark plugs to see if it would help. It seemed to help but then it started spuddering bad up hills and under acceleration. Im sure its none of the distributor parts i mentioned because i put the old ones back in and still the same problem. Today i noticed that sometimes the fuel pump wont prime when i am about to start the car and thats when it wont start or will die right after starting, could that also be the cause of the motor running spuddering too? I think it might be the main relay but i thought id ask to see if anyone has any ideas or experienced the same, Thanks.

 

The sputtering is your ignition timing probably. When you put the new distributor on did you adjust the ignition timing?
Adjust the ignition timing and your problem will probably go away.

The fuel pump priming problem is going to be your main relay. It can actually be fixed. Just take the main relay out of the car, and remove the cover from it. Then resolder all of the solder joints on it.
Over time, the solder joints can become weak, underneath the solder. Although the solder joints may appear fine, underneath the solder the connection is probably weak. Just resolder the joints and reinstall the main relay. I had this same exact problem and this fixed it.

 

What I did was take a sharpie and trace the spots that the distributor was touching on the head where it bolts up. Kinda ghetto but I thought it would work. If it were the timing would it spudder every time I went through that rpm? Because somtimes it runs perfect through all rpms and other times it does the spudder. Thanks

 

Well, do you know that the ignition timing was good beforehand?

Also, were the parts you replaced new or used? Perhaps they were messed up and you put them in and they are causing the problem.

The starting/dying problem is separate and is most likely the main relay like I said.

 

The parts were out of a used distributor and I'm not sure that the timing was right to begin with. I've tried both coils and both ICMs and I got the same results. Should I just get a whole new distributor?

 

I would check/adjust the ignition timing and fix the main relay. Then go from there.

 

Will do, thanks.