EDITED: Straight to the solution!! Distributors do crazy things.

Yep. I swapped the "seemingly-good distributor" from the red civic into the blue civic....instant perfection!! So the basic summary is:

1. Blue civic with heavy misfire. 1year old distributor went bad.
2. Put junkyard crx distributor in blue civic....code 8 and limpmode...no power at redlights until recranked.
3. Put distributor from red civic into blue civic. Perfect: No codes, runs great!!

 

So it misfires under load?does it drive fine tell it warms up. If the problem is more promenet when it's warm I'd check the o2 operation. If its random check the range of the tps sensor( 5 volt referance, .05-.08 at idle and 4.5-5 at wot) also check the map, (5 volt referance, 1volt at idle and around 5 wot) also make sure none of the spark plugs.also check the computer ground at the thermostat.

 

Youll know if there bad if it spikes. Goes from 1.1 the jumps to 2 volts then goes back to 1.5 for example. Its soposed to increase and decrease smooth.There's a good chance it wontbe anyof these that are at fault but since these sensors measure load it's good to make sure there ok.

 

Also wiggle the wires to the sensors and distributer while running. If it shuts off while wiggled then the conector to the component is bad

 

1. Buy used distributor for $30
2. Install with a timing gun
3. ????
4. Drive your car!

Could be a main relay issue with the no-crank issue. Take it out, resolder the cracked joints and re-install

 

the Misfiring isn't so random. the Misfiring seems routine. And tonight, I drove it to bravely try it out to work. I did notice that the misfire also routinely occurs above 1500rpm (I'm guessing) even if you keep the throttle UNDER 20%. So now I need to correct myself: The misfiring is above 1500rpm REGARDLESS of throttle position.


I have already wiggled most every wire while running. I have also wiggled the wires INSIDE the distributor cap a few times. As mentioned above, 1 time it resulted in "no crank" followed immediately by the only time it has driven without misfiring....then back to hesitation next day.

The "no recrank" was only 1 time...I was wiggling wires in the distributor cap. It immediately cranked and ran GREAT after I wiggled them again....then back to hesitation during the next crank (next day). Tell me more about step 3...lol

---------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------

Tomorrow, I will try to check that ground on the thermostat, try to fit my accord's fuel gauge onto my fuel line to test pressure, and start checking/wiggling/unplugging every random sensor to test for operation.

 

try a KNOWN GOOD distributor.

 

I am trying my best not to "throw money" at this problem. I'd have to wait 2 weeks before I can even afford a salvage distributor. The only distributor available to me to borrow is from a friends ZC motor, and I heard they are not interchangeable.

 

I had a new distributor go bad in less than a year, was miss firing.

 

I just aquired several FSM files for miscallenious Honda crx's and civics, etc. When I have time (late at night), I will read through them searching for distributor testing procedures. Then I will spend my next offday troubleshooting again.

Thanks for all the help so far!!

 

But you can afford the internet connection and probably the iPhone, right?

 

Are you implying that I SHOULD be throwing money at this project without properly testing/troubleshooting first?

And yes, I can barely afford:

Mortgage
smartphones for me and my wife
DSL internet
Food, etc, for me, wife, and 3yr old son
paying off son's medical bill from last illness

AND registered and insured
-1988 Mazda B2200, bagged on 18" Navigator rims
-1995 Honda Accord, H22 block, F22 crank & rods, SK2 IM & TB, etc (still building motor)
-1992 Nissan Hardbody pickup with: R32 Nissan SKYLINE engine (RB20DET), misc boltons
-1991 Honda Civic Hatch, mostly stock..newest addition, last priority money-wise
-1996 Dodge Neon, mostly stock (wife's car)

I am not gonna ask what your responsibilities include, but I have explained mine. And I will not act like a little teenager (local people) that won't pay debts, insurance, or registration...but they sure go out, party, drink, and have iphones. I have responsibilities and priorities, and this car is a low priority when it comes to money. If I am going to spend money on it, it will be for a part that I have proven to be faulty. Otherwise, it can continue to stay parked until I get around to it.

Thank you for your concern about my choice in expenses.

 

Just drop that h22 in there and you'll have a monster. Lol sorry that doesn't help.
Is there any corrosion in the distributor?

 

Still looks brand new, inside and out. I will be doing troubleshooting on my next offday. I now have a list of things to check and re-check, and also finally have the FSM with instructions to test the distributor.

 

I dnt think it's the distributer because it had symptoms for a bad coil but you've changed that. The other components would make it miss fire all the time or make you tach go crazy...I would look at a vacuum leak at the intake manifold or the tps and map... After re reading possible clues,#4 makes me lean towards the tps.

 

Is it DPFI or MPFI?

Now.. I'm running through thoughts in my head.. I had had something similar with an audi we use to own... Turned out it was the MAF sensor in the intake. It wasn't reading the right airflow, cause the computer to miscalculate fuel needed, so it was running lean... I did also have some issues with coil packs and plugs too (they were in need of replacement)..

I dunno.. but it's possible that you are running into an air/fuel mixture issue instead of a spark issue. I'd check your injectors.. Make sure they are getting juice, pull them and clean them real good. Might fix your issue.

You can check out this link also
http://www.aa1car.com/library/misfire.htm
Should help in diagnosing it. There are some other tests you can do, depending on what equipment you have.

Since you are running into a load issue

 

I still haven't had time to troubleshoot it. Still on my agenda, but as I said before, I have responsibilities & priorities that interfere with project-time.

Anyway, I drove it today and (like 1 day last week) I left it idling for 10 minutes while I was stopped. When I got back in it (just like last week), it accelerate with 98% of power and only 2% misfiring.....very light and subtle misfiring.

So we can add a clue:

Misfiring is diminished when the car is idled for 10 minutes. This could be because it is at operating temperature, or the fuel pressure builds up?? However, after I start driving it again, the misfiring gained significance last week after 3-4 minutes of driving. Then it was back to normal. I didn't have time to make extra rounds this afternoon, but I am pretty certain the misfiring would have come back if I drove it for another 5 minutes.

I'm still looking forward to a free-day of troubleshooting. I picked up another distributor, map sensor, and fpr from a d15b2 crx while I was at home (at my friend's junkyard). Tomorrow after work, I am going to look at another 1991 honda civic hatch for $250....another "running but has been parked for 2 years" car. If I get it, it'll probably be used for parts.

 

YAY!! I finally had a day to toy around with the Civics...I have 2 of them now.

The '90model EF is red and will be for parts only, but it runs great.

I cranked the blue '91 EF today and it of course had a misfire when I pushed the gas. I let it idle for about 20 minutes until the fan finally clicked on. I did much revving and the misfire seemed to have dropped by 95%...barely a faint misfire left. That faint misfire is probably because I moved my distributor timing the other day.

So it is now absolutely confirmed that the misfiring problem is non-existant when the car reaches operating temp and you are free-revving in neutral. I didn't drive it, so I don't know how it will perform under load.

 

SOLVED: Yep. I swapped the "seemingly-good distributor" from the red civic into the blue civic....instant perfection!! So the basic summary is:

1. Blue civic with heavy misfire. 1year old distributor went bad.
2. Put junkyard crx distributor in blue civic....code 8 and limpmode...no power at redlights until recranked.
3. Put distributor from red civic into blue civic. Perfect: No codes, runs great!!