It's an 89 SI with the stock d16a6. When the sensor went bad I went on ahead and replaced the entire distributor with a new one. Before I took the old one off I took off the distributor cap and checked what direction the rotor was turned, then I adjusted as best I could visually with the new one hoping it would slide in.when I took the old distributor out and put the new one in, the inside rotor didn't line up with the engine at all, not even when I turned it a few mm. Anways, I turned it so it would go in and started it. Once I let it warm up I tried to set the timing with my timing light and I couldnt find the timing marks. I drove it down the road and below 2k rpm it acts pretty sluggish but picks up and drives like normal after that. Could I have turned it too far the wrong way upon installation and screwed something up or did the timing jump when the crank angle sensor went bad?


This is the diy i followed https://www.google.com/amp/s/shabbanation.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/how-to-change-your-distributor-in-an-88-91-honda-civic-si/amp/

 

You need to revisit installing new distributor process. Bad crank sensor would not, in itself, cause the mechanical timing to jump.

 

I have a timing light so I went out, let the car warm up, and rechcked everything. Even with the distributor advanced all the way the timing indicator on the side of the timing cover is still far from the marks on the pulley.