Got into my Integra this morning to go to work and it would start. Had to take the wife's car instead.

The spark plugs are out and drying they were soaked with fuel. The fuses are all fines, none are blown. I haven't checked for spark yet ... but I would assume that there isn't any as the car was cranking (not dead battery), but would turn over.

My GUESS is that it is the distributor. I don't have after-market anything on the car as far as wiring is concerned (just intake, cam).

The car was running fine last night when I took it to air up the tires. The day before a compression test was done, but everything was done right (15A ECU fuse taken out, plugs in plug wires grounded so coil didn't fry).

I can't really do a whole lot except sweat about this all day, at least there is a weekend coming up. Anyone got any ideas where I might start?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">.
I haven't checked for spark yet ... but I would assume that there isn't any

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So does it have spark or not? It's better to be sure than to guess.

 

Haha ... yeah, probably better to check first. What is the best way to check with out frying something?

 

Pull them from the engine, hold them with rubber coated pliers....look down.

Or grab then end while the car is running.......kinda fun.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Haha ... yeah, probably better to check first. What is the best way to check with out frying something?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Just hook up an old spark plug and ground it against the block.

 

Ok ... sounds good. If there is no spark what are things to check first? And vice versa?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ok ... sounds good. If there is no spark what are things to check first? And vice versa?</TD></TR></TABLE>
If there is no spark, I would check the coil first since you said the spark plugs were soaked with gas.

 

The coil is inside the distributor. While you're in there, look around for disconnected or broken wires, or maybe a screwed up rotor...

 

What could have caused this kind of problem?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What could have caused this kind of problem?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Depends on what problem you find... Rotor can come loose & wobble, hitting stuff. Wires can corrode. Distributor shaft bearing can grind itself up. etc...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What could have caused this kind of problem?</TD></TR></TABLE>
What is the problem? Did you check it out?

 

Ok here is the deal. On Wednesday did a compression test ... when putting the spark plugs back in the gap was too small (the default gap from the auto parts store was quite a bit less than the 1.3mm gap stated as spec). So got a gap tester and regapped the plugs to 1.3mm ... a day goes by and everything is fine. Last night there was a MAJOR thunderstorm ... I don't know if that had anything to do with it (moisture in air affect on plugs/distributor) ... the car was parked outside.

Anyway there was a spark ... but a weak one (electricity travelling further gap ... weaker). Evidently it wasn't enough to catch, and the engine flooded with gas.

After drying out and regapping the plugs back down to the orginal value it starts up fine, thank God. I really didn't want to shell out $70 for a new coil.

So the guess is that the wires and rotor are old and not carrying the charge as well? Or the sparkplugs (Split Fires) are on their last legs and need replacing?

Any ideas?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95GS-R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Last night there was a MAJOR thunderstorm ... I don't know if that had anything to do with it (moisture in air affect on plugs/distributor) ... the car was parked outside.

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LOL Start the engine and dump some water on the distibutor cap. If it starts running rough or stalls you found the culprit.