Civic died at a stoplight...

[falconGSR]

I was driving back from Lake Texoma (1.5 hr trip) and my 94 civic auto with 113k mi. on it died while idling at a light.

i hear the fuel pump, when i try to start, it turns over fine. when i hook up a timing light, i can see i get a spark on the #1 about once every 2-3 seconds...at first i thought that was the problem, but maybe thats fine for the speed the engine is being turned over at idle.

detailed sequence of events:

i stopped at a friends house in a bad neighborhood before driving back to my place.

about 5 minutes before it died, i had started her with only 1 plug wire in (hondas were getting stolen at my friends place)... it started and idled rough then i shut it off after about 2 seconds (oh SH!T...d'oh!) and put the plug wires back in and it started right up and ran and accelerated just fine.


i am suspecting the ignition since i was dinking with it with the stupid plug wire thing...but what else? i was worried the timing belt might have let go, but it feels like it kicks once or twice when i am turing it over which means i am getting compression and spark at least intermittenly...

any ideas? the helms manual is my bedtime story for tonite.

Joe

[JRCivic]

Pull the distributor cap off and inspect the rotor button... it is not uncommon for these to break and then only spark when they happen to bounce into something that makes contact.

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'93 Civic Si H/B with B18C1, JRSC @ 8psi
Best 1320: 12.68 at 110 mph

[VaporTrail]

My guess is timing belt. Same thing happened to both my Civic and CRX. On the B18c Civic, the tensioner gave out at idle. On the HF CRX, the water pump bearings had seized. Check your belt tension, rotate motor to TDC via the crank pulley, and make sure cam timing is in line with the TDC of the crank. HTH

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-JG-
-1994 Civic EX-
-Block in the shop, turbo in the closet!-
-vapor-trail.net-

[falconGSR]

Thanks guys, I'll be diagnosing it tonite. Stay tuned.

[falconGSR]

Well, I pulled the distributor cap off and things look OK in there.

I bump the starter and the rotor turns, so the timing belt is not broke, and I am pretty sure its not jumped any teeth.

My spark plug antics probably fried the ignitor. Thats my best guess. I have to figure out what an ignitor is and go buy one.

I found the ICM section in the helms so i'll do the electrical tests listed...and check and make sure i dont have any burnt fuses...


Joe



[This message has been edited by falconGSR (edited July 28, 2001).]

[JRCivic]

Joe,

The Ignitor and the ICM are the same part... ICM is short for "Ignition Control Module".

Good luck.


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'93 Civic Si H/B with B18C1, JRSC @ 8psi
Best 1320: 12.68 at 110 mph

[falconGSR]

Thanks Jim. All the tests point to a bad ICM, so I removed it from the distributor.

I am shopping for one now. I am tempted to hit up a junkyard for it since i have heard that it costs around $200.

Joe

[Curto]

Dude... I had a bad ICM. That bitch cost me $195.00. Pissed me off.

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97 Acura GS
JRSC (6psi)
Walbro Fuel pump
CarTech FPR
JR BTC (thanks Boostedintegra)
JR MAP
MSD 6AL ignition, coil, distributor, wires
APEX AFC
KAMIKAZE Headers
DC Exhaust
CAI
AEM Cam Sprockets
Jet Racing ECU
Brembo Cross drilled/slotted rotors

Rice burning Sleeper
San Jose, CA