Distributor problem??

[02gzm]

I was on my way home from work this morning and i felt my car struggle for a second like it misfired or something then about 5min later when 100m from my house the revs dropped then jumped up a bit then dropped again and the engine light came on and the car sounded like it wasn't running on all pistons. I checked to codes and it said it was the MAP sensor and O2 sensor.

Now normally i would just assume it's the sensors but a similar problem occured once when i turned my car on and it was only running on 3 cylinders and threw a MAP and O2 sensor codes, so i pulled the spark plug leads off and reconnected them and the car started up fine.

I only just had a service last week so its all new plugs, filters, oil, etc. I also got new leads installed so i know it's not them.

I disconnected and reconnected the leads and sensors but the problem persists. I'm gonna have a look again after a sleep but from the sounds of things does it seem like its a distributor problem?

[beeza]

I just went through a very similair sounding thing.It ended up being the Ignition Control Module in the Dizzy.I don't know of a way to test it,I practically checked EVERYTHING else before I bought a second hand dizzy (can't just buy the ICM seperately) and swapped in the part.
Could be the coil inside the dizzy too.It's common for Honda's.

[JohnL]

My mistake.

[JohnL]

The symptom sounds suspiciously like the symptom my car had when the ignitor (ignition control module) failed (twice!). A faulty coil might cause a similar problem. But if the code says it's something else then I wouldn't dismiss what the code is saying, when my ignitor died the code said 'ignition input signal'...

[02gzm]

Ok so i took off all the leads and cleaned all the terminals and made sure they were plugged in correctly at both ends. I then gave the MAP sensor a few whacks with a screw driver and the O2 sensor a lil wiggle and disconnected and reconnected them both.
Turned the car over and it spluttered on 3 pistons and the light came on again but then it smoothed out and sounded fine so i turned it off then gave it a few seconds and tried again and she started up no probs. Turned it off and waited another minute and still fine but i can see the problem happening again.

Seeing as it's tempermental does this give a clue to what the prob might be (i.e does it still sound like the ICM or coil)? I'll have to take it to an auto electrician on monday though to be sure of what's wrong.

[JohnL]

Seeing as it's tempermental does this give a clue to what the prob might be (i.e does it still sound like the ICM or coil)? I'll have to take it to an auto electrician on monday though to be sure of what's wrong.

A failing ignitor (ICM) tends to be an intermittent problem. Sometimes the engine will cut for a few seconds, sometimes it will die completely. It may then restart in a minute or so, or half an hour, or maybe not till tomorrow, but in the end it won't start at all. The intermittent phase might be temperature related to some degree, but not necessarily.

[02gzm]

Went for a drive to test it out and about 10min in the car shit itself for a sec and went into limp mode. Threw the same codes again. So judging from that, the temperature could be playing a part either by making the ICM play up or the coil overheat or something. The temp guage was normal though the whole time. Thanks for helping my isolate the problem a little further though.

[JohnL]

Went for a drive to test it out and about 10min in the car shit itself for a sec and went into limp mode. Threw the same codes again. So judging from that, the temperature could be playing a part either by making the ICM play up or the coil overheat or something. The temp guage was normal though the whole time. Thanks for helping my isolate the problem a little further though.

I should have been more specific, I meant the running temperature of the ignitor itself, not the engine, though in a hotter engine bay and with the distributor attached to a hot engine the ignitor will probably run at a higher temp simply because of the ambient temp + it's own operating temp (i.e. it will have a harder time dissipating it's own heat).

I still think if the ignitor is your problem that it would be likely to throw the 'ignition output signal' code.

[Limbo]

Try putting in your old spark plugs. You sometimes get dud plugs, even new ones.
Otherwise i agree with John, sounds like ignitor problem

[02gzm]

Yea im gonna put my old plugs and leads on today and give that a try. Just gotta wait for this rain to go away

[beeza]

You may be waiting a while,it's rained SOOOO much on the Goldy the last 7 weeks.

[02gzm]

Ok i left it a whole day and before i went to turn it on i made sure all the leads were connected properly. jumped in and turned it over and it started up fine but the check engine light was on. So i turned it off and then turned only the electrics on and the light was still on. Checked and now the only code that is flashing is 21 (VTEC solenoid). Any ideas on how a faulty solenoid would be related to the previous problems, which i'm sure will kick back in once the solenoid problem goes away...

EDIT: Fixed the solenoid problem - dodgey wiring at ecu somehow came loose. Car started up afterwards with very tiny hint of a splutter when starting but no other problems. Hopefully i can drive it to my mechanic tomorrow without it shitting itself.

[teh_mechanic]

I practically checked EVERYTHING else before I bought a second hand dizzy (can't just buy the ICM seperately) and swapped in the part.


ICM can be bought seperately,for around $100 new from efi specialists.i got one about a month ago for my b16 when it was having intermittent misfire problems at high rpm.replaced coil,no change,replaced ICM,all fixed

[beeza]

DAMN! Thanks mate.

[02gzm]

Reset the ecu this morning then took the car down to hipowerracing and we took it for a drive and it threw TDC sensor and o2 sensor codes. Gonna swap the dizzy on monday and see if any problems persist. So random and annoying >_<

[beeza]

So random and annoying >_<

Such can be cars...I know the feeling.

[locote]

I had similar thing happen last night...
Car just cut out while accelerating
It was cranking over but wouldnt start..
I took spark leads out and had no spark!!!!
got towed home and today the dam thing started!!!!
New coil is 60 bucks.. ill get price for ICM too and replace them both...

[beeza]

I'm selling a coil with 25,000km's on it for $30.I heard you can buy a ICM from fuel injection places for $100ish,I found this out after spending $330 on the whole dizzy...