distributor problem?

[IEK411]

Hi i just had my distributor replaced a week ago because it was giving TDC sensor codes (code 8) and going into limp mode. This morning i went for a drive and after about 5min of driving while stopped at the lights my CEL came on. There was no negative effects to the car so i turned it off and on and everything was fine. When i got back home i checked the code and it was code 8 again. Has anyone got any ideas why it would be giving this code again with a new oem distributor? Keeping in mind there was no negative effects. Maybe it's not used to the new distributor? The car is a b16a too. Thanks in advance.

[ECU-MAN]

did you reset the use memory when the new distributor was put in

also check the wiring between the ecu and the distrubutor.

[IEK411]

I reset the ecu if thats what u mean? I'll borrow a multimeter and check the wiring some time in the next few days too. I've been driving around today and nothing has come up either. Driving slow or hard, still nothing. It's pretty random

[EuroDude]

Perhaps a spark plug or spark plug cable is faulty, have you checked the resistance of the cables and replaced/cleaned the spark plugs?

[IEK411]

Sorry I've been away for a week. I've checked the cables and plugs and they're fine. It happened to me again yesterday. The odd thing is it only happens when the car is idle, like at the lights or something and theres no negative effects while driving. I did turn the car off this time and when i started it up again the idle struggled a bit like it wasn't running on 4 pistons, but then smoothed out and was fine. A distributor lead shook itself loose a few weeks ago and it was a different noise to when the car started up though so i know what my car sounds like on 3 pistons. The CEL light didn't come on when this happened either so i don't think losing a spark completely is the problem.

It's a new distributor but i read somewhere once that rebuilt distributors may pick up electrical noise and trip the sensor. So maybe i have "dirty" electrical wiring so to speak? As it only trips the sensor when the car is warm and idle. Maybe a volt stabilizer would fix the problem?
Anyone able to give me their opinion? Thanks again.

[dc2r_fAn]

Check the coil with an ohm meter to determine if they are actually dead or if it is something else. You should have 10,000 Ohms resistance between the big positive and the negative. There is a little can shaped thing with one wire coming off it called a 'rectifier'...try replacing that. Examine the coil closely to see how it failed...is there a break in the outside insulation? A burn mark? Does it smell burnt? If the distributor body is defective and causing the coils to short out, try replacing it with a used one. Its not the timing, but timing is important...you should check and make sure that the timing is correct anyway.

[dc2r_fAn]

or

yeah code #8 is your tdc...
check your dizzy wires and see if any are bad.
if not change your dizzy.

THE -TDC- SENSOR IS INSIDE YOUR DISTREBUTOR...

or

could be the distrebutor cap check that out aswell aswell as lose wires

[TODA AU]

It's a new distributor but i read somewhere once that rebuilt distributors may pick up electrical noise and trip the sensor.
Is the dissy brand new or a reconditioned unit?

[IEK411]

It's a brand new distributor, but i just had a thought that maybe the wiring is so bad it's effecting the new dizzy somehow since pretty much everything in that part of the electrical side of things is all new (dizzy, leads, plugs, etc).
The car struggling while starting up is more common now too. It will be very very sluggish and sit around 100-200 rpm, sounding like it's on less than 4 pistons, then slowly smoothing out and sounding normal after about 10-15 seconds.

[ECU-MAN]

perform a continuilty test on the wiring as described in this link
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1188961#post1188961

[02gzm]

Just a little idea here. Even though the plugs are relatively new they might be slightly fouled enough to cause a misfire. My reasoning is fouling occurs when plugs are at low temperatures and the carbon isn't burnt off. Just say you have been cruising around on low rpm like a sane person for a while and you pull up to the lights and the car is idling like you say it happens. Since the plugs aren't burning the carbon off and you start to idle, thus letting the plugs cool further, more fouling occurs which in turn causes a slight misfire that you probably dont feel but the TDC sensor picks up as firing occurs at the top dead centre stroke.
This could also explain the startup issues as maybe the engine is only firing on a few pistons until enough carbon is burnt off from the other plugs. Anyone else think this is the possible situation?


Cop: Excuse me sir is there any reason why you were screaming around in your car like that?
You: Oh i had to keep it in VTEC to make sure my plugs dont foul yo
Cop: right.... *starts writing ticket*
:P