While I have gleened info from this site before, this is the first time I have had to post for something.

I have an issue similar to Bad Brians "98 Civic..... no spark" post that is presently in process but with different year and such didn't want to intrude on that thread.

Short story: Bought a well worn 94 VTEC (DOHC) sol - not running. Owner said he was 90% sure it jumped timing. (Sounds bad but gets better) After working on it, discovered timing had not jumped (still replaced belt) and did a compression check anyway. Cyl # 2 was low at around 90 lbs but otherwise not terrible so no bent valves (285k miles). While doing this I discovered there was no spark. I could smell the fuel coming up through the spark plug holes so that side seems to be working fine.

When I popped the dist cap off, the top of the rotor button fell out. The plastic around the collar had disinigrated. New button and cap later, still no spark.

I checked the dist thouroughly per manual. Coil resistances read ok, ICM resistances read ok, There is voltage everywhere there is supposed to be voltage and correct amount. Sensors inside distributor read correct resistances.

I have the distributor out right now (took it to the JY to look for compatible salvage one) and currently have it bolted to just the top tab with connectors connected. With ignition on, I can spin the dist manually (CCW) and where each spark should occur, I hear a short whining noise but see no spark at all.

I hate to start replacing the coil ($65) ICM ($85) without knowing for sure if they could still be the problem.

The one other clue to the issue is that it looks as if the engine got very hot at one point as the wires and insulated connectors have the cooked appearance. While wire continutiy checks out, could high temp cause the coil or ICM to not work right even though they check out good with a meter ?

Any help is much appreciated as I want to get this thing out of my shop to work on higher priority projects.

At least my 94 Del sol SI, w/ only 94000 miles, runs good. Unfortunately the distributor mounting on the SOHC and the DOHC is differetn so I can'r try the known good dist in the other car.

Doug

 

What DOHC engine do you have?

Is the CEL on? Any CEL codes?

I don't think resistance measurements are a reliable way to test the igniter unit/ICM. Take it to an auto parts store for testing. Do you measure about 10V at the ICM terminal for the Yel/Grn wire? Does the Yel/Grn wire lack continuity or have a short between the distributor and ECU? Have you also done the latter tests for the three distributor sensor wires?

Is the distributor missing any parts, such as the inner cover?

 

Honeslty have not checked CEL but will do so next. I measure around 11v on the Blk/Yel wire going to the ICM (as my manual calls for, not the Yel/Grn) The resistance check is between the Blu and Wht/Blu wire and measures around 2k ohms. When I went through all this a second time a bit ago, I also measured about 900 ohms across the Blk/Yel and the Yel/Grn which the manual does not call for.

Just wondering if I can check for a pulse from one of the ICM wires if everything is connected and w/ the ignition on, turn the dist manually.

Did test the three sensors with no faults (correct resistance and no grounds)

There was no ground reading on any of the other wires.

All parts are there and acounted for. The Haynes manual has a diagram similar to the one you posted.

I guess I will take the ICM out and take it to the auto parts store for testing. Did not know they could test that compnent. I typically don't have this kind of auto problem as I maintain my regular vehicles well. This is what I have run into by buying something from an unknown person with an unknown vehicle history. Will the auto parts place be able to check the coil as well ? Just curious as I will likely take the whole dist up to see what all they can test on it.

 

Many auto parts stores will test both the coil and ICM, though you'll need to pull these components out of the distributor.

Alternatively, although the home test for the igniter unit is complicated, it can be done. Click here.

Do check for CELs and the Yel/Grn wire, as this also may be informative.

 

Ok so, it seems no auto parts places (at least around here) can check the coil or ICM, at least not for this early of a model. This is a 15 year old car after all.

I even tried one local shop and also the Honda dealer and all said the same thing, all they could do is resistance checks. The local shop did point out that the coils on these were prone to fail and showed where there is an apparent short within the coil based on a visible "hot" spot. Basically a major discolored area of the coil casing that indeed looks like it got pretty darn warm.

On the ICM, I still get a resistance reading across two terminals that I don't think should have a reading. The wire colors on mine are slightly different than what is on your drawing. The Blu, Wht/Blu and Blk/Yel match but where yours indicates Wht, my diagram and actual wire color is Yel/Grn.

It is between the Yel/Grn and Blk/Yel wire that I read ~ 900 ohms and I think this could be an issue.

As I have not been able to get to reading the CEL codes yet and probably won't till this coming weekend, I am probably going to go ahead and shell out for the coil and ICM since both have some level of symptoms of not being 100%.

Worst case, I have spare parts for my other sol. It appears the SOHC uses the same internals in the dist as the DOHC, just the housing is different.

Will post back as things progress just to inform others who may run into similar issues.

Doug

 

Thought I would post the final outcome of this issue to help others who may run into it.

As stated in one of the previous posts, I was reading a high resistance across two of the terminals on the ICM that should not have had a reading. When I performed the out of car ICM test in the link from RonJ@HT, the ICM seemed to work until I put the meter across the terminals for the coil connection. I read a small voltage leak that, on the car, would be sending a small but constant voltage to the coil. This is not good.

Based on this and seeing a visible 'hot' spot on the coil body, I replaced both. and this indeed fixed the issue entirely. I did have an issue installing the new coil however. After mountinig the new coil into the dist, the dist cap would not sit properly onto the housing. I ended up having to shim the coil by .032 on one side and .048 on the other side (metal shims to maintain grounding) to allow the cap to go on with no binding. Engine is running as it should now and even with 232k miles, the Vtec still kicks in and runs the car nicely, easily putting it near redline if your not careful.

While I orginally bought this to put the engine in my nicer black Si, I think it's going to get a for sale sign in the window. Too many projects already.

Thanks to RonJ for the help.