Sup all,

My distributor on my 2001 accord sedan 4cylinder sulev was throwing a bad sensor code, I replaced it with a dizzy I pulled from a 98 vtec 4cylinder accord sedan in a pick n' pull. Doesn't seem to want to fire up, I believe I wired it correctly as I marked all the wires, took pics etc. Replacement distributor looks identical, is it compatible? Or did I buy a piece of junk?

 

Unless you saw the used distributor working it probably was already dead.
VTEC used Hitachi distributors and non-VTEC use TEC distributors.

 

could I have installed the tooth in the wrong direction, or does it only mount in the correct position?

 

Folks have forced the distributor on 180°, the keyway is not that far offset.
Put the engine to #1 TDC and verify the distributor is pointing to #1.

 

You were right, the dizzy is garbage. The mount is completely tweaked, I didn't notice it. It wouldn't sit flush no matter what, because it was bent!

Follow up questions, can the CYP sensor be replaced? What other models used the same distributor/engine f23a1, f23a4?

 

CYP sensor is part of the distributor. AFAIK no one, not even Honda, sells the CYP sensor separately.
2001 HONDA ACCORD 2.3L L4 Distributor | RockAuto
I'd just replace the distributor with a new unit. When the distributor in the '97 started leaking I just replaced it with a new unit from Cardone, it has been working fine since.

 

Well, I have 2 distributors in front of me, I could swap parts, but I am not sure how to identify the sensor.

 

What was the actual code set before you go any further?
CYP is in the distributor, but the TDC and Crank sensors are located on the oil pump housing, if these get dirty they can trip a code from lack of resolution.

If the 98-02 Hitachi is similar to the 96-97 Hitachi, it will only have the coil, ICM, and CYP sensor.
It would be easier to just swap the coil and ICM. CYP sensor is more imbedded into the housing. Coil is the big ole black thing with the tower, ICM is the square module, possibly grey in color. CYP will be the magnetic pickup buried a bit deeper in the housing below everything.

But before doing any of that, check all the connections to the distributor and the connections inside of the 'good' distributor. Reset the PCM(clear the memory via pulling the memory/clock fuse) and drive the car to see if the CEL comes back. If not it may have simply been an intermittent issue that just needed some cleaning of the contacts.

 

I believe it was p1381.

The dizzy was leaking oil and I cleaned it out. Are the TDC and Crank sensors located directly below the distributor? I noticed there are 2 plugs going into the engine that are oily too... can I just clean them out with carb cleaner or something?

 

P1381 is CYP intermittent connection.
If the wiring connections are dirty, clean them with the appropriate electrical/contact clearner. WD40 can be used as a cleaner as well.
If the distributor was oily internally, oil and dirt may have gotten on the CYP pickup which would cause a loss of resolution. This could also cause an intermittent signal if filthy enough. Clean off the magnet head and the reluctor ring.

TDC/CKP sensors are located on the front of the engine on the oil pump housing. These are locaed behind the crankshaft pulley and timing belt.

 

pss........did anyone ever read about an alternator issue causing the p1381 code on this gen Accord


Back to you regular scheduled programing