Ok, so here is the issue I'm having

I have a 88 crx HF with a DOHC zc swap, I just replaced the distributor with a new integer one maybe 3 weeks ago, today while driving at low speed (~10 mph) on the freeway, it just suddenly died on me. Threw a CEL light and would not start back up. The engine will crank but not fire.

So i get towed off the freeway by METRO services and while I'm waiting for my AAA tow truck to come, i decide to just try it again, this time it fires right back up.

At this point the other tow truck drivers says he will follow me for a bit incase it dies again. I make it about a mile and the same thing happens, under the same conditions (stop and go traffic etc.) Car will crank but not fire up

Now he tows me too my mechanic, as I'm waiting for my ride, my mechanic goes to check on it and it starts up again. He has to see if he can duplicate the problem.

Prior to all of this the car was running fine. I'm Stumped.

Im leaning towards a fuel problem but i have no idea.

Any input!?

THANKS!

 

Have you checked your fuel filter? You could also possibly have water in the fuel system

 

I have not been able to check it at all, i thought it may be a fuel problem, thing is i was able to drive it for about 15 miles on this particular trip before anything even happened.

Wouldn't water in the fuel system cause the problem to happen earlier?

 

this was happening to a friend
Was a clogged fuel filter
I'd say start with the cheapest solutions
Check your fuel pressure, you'll know if it's fuel related
in a crx it's easy to hear if the pump is priming
if you can get it to start check your injectors
place a screwdriver on it and your ear to the end, you'll hear a click
How long ago did you replace the dizzy

Also, check your grounds

 

Check codes.

 

I'm hoping its the fuel filter, can I still check codes even though the cel went away?

 

I have sohc zc the codes stay stored in the ecu

 

....if the light is not illuminated then the codes will not flash, that is on obd0 DOHC ZC. im not familiar enough with obd1 to know for sure if its like that too but i think it is...

next time it happens, check the code/codes. anytime i see the light come on in my efs i reach down and ****** that carpet back and watch it blink,

what kind of distributor was it that you replaced yours with and why?

some parts can be replace, some parts cant in honda distributors. if at all possible its best to keep your original and service it. you really need to see that code to see if the fault could be coming from your ignition. there are a number of different codes that can be thrown from the distributor, different sensors and ignition signal codes. not that there have to be codes with the distributor being at fault.

richporter technology and few other manufactures offer decent replacements for these units, do your homework before purchasing a new one. a cheap a/m unit will f*** you.

bad fuel will make your engine stutter and act up without throwing any codes. not that you dont have a bad filter and could be getting o2 sensor codes or something else acting up too. i recently had a bad experience with the shell station that i've been getting my shell gas from for years now. all the sudden these idian/arab ****** take over and my ZC is stutterin like a b****. i switch to the new chevron that was built down the street and most of the stuttering is gone, im still on the 1st 1/4 tank with 102 on my trip meter instead of 45-60 like it has been on the contaminated shell. i cant wait to average my fuel economy on the next few tanks...

 

I replaced the dizzy maybe 3 weeks ago at most, i believe it was the td03 one, i know it was the appropriate one, the wiring was also done so that it can be adapted to the plug on the harness.

I'm not sure when the PO changed the fuel filter or pump and in the short time i have owned it, i know i haven't.

As far as the grounds go, i think im going to make some new ground wires up later today to install either way.

 

what kind of distributor did you replace it with?

i wouldn't worry too much about the fuel pump, hondas typically dont have problems, unless it has been jacked with before in which case there could be a problem with assembly or sending unit.

did you ever get the code that it was throwing? make it act up and pull the code.

 

The distributor is one from a 88-91 integra i believe, i couldn't get the code, the car is at my mechanic now, im waiting for an update from him now

 

so your saying its a used honda distributor, i know/hope you got the part numbers correct, what im wondering is if its an aftermarket replacement.

 

That is the right dizzy for a zc (89 integra TD03u), I would also test your ignition switch because I had similar symptoms and that was the cause. Check your codes too and tells us what you are throwing.

 

alright well i got a semi update, when the guy was test driving it right now, it did the same thing where it died, but when the mechanic was on his way over to him, i guess during the time it was sitting something was able to cool down or whatever and it fired up again.

 

Fouled fuel injectors if it's hard to start when hot
could be

 

Again, i understood from the Original Post that he's using the correct TD03u, my inquiry is as to whether or not he's using a USED HONDA OEM UNIT pulled from another car/motor or an AFTERMARKET NEW/REMANUFACTURED UNIT as the quality will NOT be the same.

Not that honda didnt have problems with their ignition on most of their distributor ignition systems anyway, it doesnt help when you have parts built/rebuilt by someone other than the original engineers.

nextime it does this, if you know its not gonna start again...right when it dies on you, DONT immediatly turn the key off and try to start it again, when it stalls, if the CEL is on pull the carpet back and count the blinking lights.

if you dont know how to count them, just wait till it pauses blinking, then start counting from there. count it multiple times as there may be multiple codes.

 

Hey, little update,

so it looks like the igniter in the distributor was defective, so its been replaced with a new one

 

sooooo.....did it fix it?

 

Seems like it, been driving it around without any issues so far. I'm going to change the fuel filter and resolder the main relay, just for the heck of it.

 

With OBD0, the codes will CONTINUE to flash every time the car is switched on to IGN-2 regardless of having been switched off, or check engine light being on or off.

It will continue until the ECU is reset or the battery is disconnected.

 

i guarantee you that if there is a code/if the ecu is blinking or steady lit, the check engine light is ON on obd0 systems.

obd1 is when it began that a code may be stored without throwing the CEL on. this is because the types of codes expanded and some codes that were added could be associated with less serious issues that didnt require a Malfunction indicator to appear.

obd0 was so simple with so few codes, all of which were associated with more serious issues which would even on todays models require a malfunction indicator be illuminated.

the only way your gonna have blinking codes without a CEL on obd0 is if the light itself doesnt even work, e.g. blown/missing bulb or problem in the circuit for that light.

I know I didn't sound so confindent with my first statement of this but i did discuss the operation of on-board diagnostic systems covering pre-obd to obd1 with a seasoned honda technician at work who has worked on hondas for 30 years now prior to posting this reply.

 

Hate to burst your bubble dude, but you can still be throwing a code without a CEL. It's happened to me twice, code 9 and 20. Granted I fixed the CYP sensor problem but until you reset the ECU you're gonna throw a code with or without a CEL.....if you were throwing one before.

 

cant really tell if this is all really directed at me....but i'll take a look at my ecu later to see if it is flashing

 

You can take a look if you want, but it's more directed to the guy just being misinformed with bad information.

 

Ok, you are right, about me being wrong. There is ONE code that can appear without setting a check engine light, that is your code 20 ELD electronic load detector circuit.

the pictures attached are straight from the HONDA ETM that i managed to access at the dealership i work at.

the troubleshooting flow chart in these ETM's state to verify 2 things at the beginning of the section for each code, that is: "check engine light is on", or "check engine light is off", and "LED indicates CODE ##"

A picture of code 9 is and a picture of code 20 are given as examples, i personally looked at the troubleshooting flow chart for EVERY code available for 91 crx(doesnt include pr3 and pw0 which only have 4 main differences, dual o2, vtec sol., vtec press., and knock, all of which WILL be set with CEL on.) EVERY one of the flow charts begins with:

-check engine light is on
-LED indicates code ##

except for one, troubleshooting code 20 begins:

-check engine light is off
-LED indicates code 20


90civic-ZC:

im not saying your a liar or missinformed, i am saying you need to see if you check engine light even works, maybe ALL of your codes are thrown with the check engine light off...

OP:

sorry for any kind of confusion that may have occured.