hey guys, i know its a lot to read, but i figured the more specific i am, the easier it may be for others to know what kind of issues im having.

i have a 1990 Honda Civic hatchback, with a 1.5L engine and a 4spd manual transmission.

it starts first try EVERY time i go to drive it, has a very rough idle (NOT roaming idle, just rough) and randomly dies. when it dies, it doesnt putt or stutter, it is like someone turned the ignition off.

i have checked ALL of the grounds in the engine bay, and all of them look like brand new wires and fittings, there is no rust or corrosion on any of the grounding connections, and all connections are snug. spark plugs are a little dry, but otherwise look fine.

new plug wires, new battery, alternator works fine, MOST times, if i let the car sit for a few minutes, it will start right up. sometimes it dies a few seconds after holding the throttle above idle, ESPECIALLY once the engine has warmed up.

any help or past experience with these issues would be greatly appreciated. and again, i apologize for being so long winded. thanks for looking.

 

Main relay is bad. When it dies try smacking the dash around the fuse panel area and see if it fires back up.

 

alright, thanks. ill remember to try that next time it dies.

 

I had the same issue. Engine randomly dies. I checked the connections and discovered that the big round plug from the distributor was loose. Re-connected it & taped it. Seems to work fine for me.

 

Possible faulty ignition switch as well. I would pull it out and check the connections. Replacing it would probably be a good general maintenance upgrade. I had mine fail last year and I had to hold the key in the ignition cylinder for about a 20 mile drive home. This was no easy task having a manual car.

 

The ignition cylinder was replaced about 10,000 miles ago, I just put in a new alternator and battery, checked all my connections, and had the dizzy tested. None of the electrical components inside tested bad, which means if it is, in fact the distributor, then whatever part is failing hasn't quite gone completely bad yet. But I will double check and keep looking. I just ordered an ICM, and a main relay just to be sure.

 

Cylinder? I'm talking about the switch which is behind the cylinder and includes the wiring to the under dash fuse box. Was that replaced as well?

 

jonGSR: yes. the switch AND cylinder were replaced at the same time. i also double checked all the connections, they seemed pretty snug.

ef-hatchcrap: i tried your above advice about hitting the area around the main relay/fuze box, that did nothing for the car.

pulang90EF: i checked the connections to the distributor, both were tight.

i just got my replacement ICM yesterday and installed it, the car did seem to run a little better at an idle, but i havent yet had the chance to really drive it or test it out yet. i still have a main relay and injectors on the way (figured if im servicing my electrical system, wouldnt hurt to get the other parts just in case the ICM wasnt the issue)

ill know this weekend if the Ignition Control Module fixed the short or not, if not, then i guess i keep looking. as always, thank you guys for the advice.