You need to verify power is getting to the ignition module. If that checks okay then I would suspect the crank sensor next. Check the error codes also.
I already checked thereās no error codes. also I checked for power at the
ignition module as part of checking the ignition module on the car. I
installed the distributor with all four wires to the ICM unhooked and
followed the test procedures for checking the ICM.
are there any fuses in the kick panel that could cause the car not to
start? the fuse Mark IGN in the kick panel was bad but replacing it made no
change.
It is interesting the IGN fuse was blown. There may be trouble down steam from that fuse circuit. Verify that the ignition coil is getting power to it on the blk/yel wire while the ignition is ON. Also verify that fuse 31 in the panel under the hood is passing power along with fuse 32 next to it. If power is getting to the coil make sure that the coil has good resistance readings between the common blk yel wire connection and the two other connections of the coils. One wire ties to the center disty lead. Perhaps one of the coil lead windings has opened. You did state earlier that the coil tested good but maybe power isnāt getting to it.
I should clarify about the ignition fuse when I checked it that would be
the ignition fuse in the kick panel inside the car there was a weird black
fuse with no test points in the fuse block where the 20 amp IGN fuse should
have been. When I pulled it out to test it since it had no open test points
on the back it broke it literally fell apart one of the legs broke off and
got stuck in the fuse box for a second Etc. So I donāt know whether it was
passing current or not before I swapped it for a new fuse
I do know I had proper voltage on all the tests for the ICM with it in the
car I will have to check the rest of those test procedures you listed when
I get a chance to get to the car this week
Thanks again everyone!
also I do think I will swap distributors with the spare I picked up give it
a crank and then if no go wellā¦ more tests hopefully power is getting
where it needs to go. Iām not sure number-wise which fuses I checked under
the hood but I did check all of the big screw down fuses and they all have
continuity
Have you checked for a healthy visible spark at a spark plug tip during cranking?
Not since the car died. Have fuel & compression. Didnāt want to bork things up more without a real plug tester or an extra plug - i figured a screwdriver in a green corroded plug wire couldnāt possibly help anything!
sometimes being self-employed is great. looks like I get about an hour and
a half or so right now to work on this car bit more. Iām on my way to pick
up some plug wires and Iāve got a random spark plug thatās not necessarily
for this car that I could use to check for spark. Iām really hoping I just
slap a distributor on there and drive off into the sunset though. God bless
half off day at the junkyard on Labor Day
And I just realized Iām a bit of an idjit. I donāt have a remote start switch. I donāt have a helper. And my buddy who owns this car is I think annoyed with me enough at this point that I doubt I could get him to come out and crank the car. Keeping my fingers crossed
Welcome to the human raceā¦
;-]
so Iāve got the car running my friend was happy enough and it turns out his
wife was really the one who was annoyed that I ended up with a notarized
bill of sale for $1 vehicle.
for anyone else that is in a similar situation Civic Distributors are
exactly the same except for the mounting tabs. also the ICM looks a little
different but mounts into the distributor body the same and bolts up the
same inside the distributor. So I ended up crossing my fingers and hoping
that the pickup hall effect sensor inside my Acura distributor body was not
damaged and swapped in some new parts plugged everything up and we are a
go. I threw a set of plug wires on there as well because the ones I had
were terrible and a good aftermarket used cap that came from the junkyard.
Looking back on everything I would guess that it was probably the coil that
was bad or at least not within spec combine that with a corroded worn-out
cap and rotor and two of the four plug wires also being corroded and we
have got the cause of the problem.
I am now the proud owner of a $400 1996 Acura Integra with no radio plenty
of bumper dings front back left and right and in need of a driver side
upper a arm ball joint thingy whatever itās called on this car with only a
hundred fifty thousand miles on it I think I did pretty good.
Thanks for everyone who weighed in on the situation and my buddy is
definitely more buddy and less pissed now that that car is out of his
garage and his wife is no longer mad LOL
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Glad you got the problem solved and youāre welcome for the help. I have to think that whatever was in place in the IGN fuse position that you replaced, had to be the major factor in the problem you had. Maybe someone installed a circuit breaker instead of using a normal fuse.
Those certainly did not help but I suspect this was the cause of the problem-
This is what ultimately damaged the electronics. It is never a good idea to allow coil voltage to build up with no defined path to dissipate that energy. It builds to the point it finds the path of least resistance and that is usually through some unintended device that gets blown in the process.
It would be nice if a total non-contributor to this thread except to complain about āsolvedā would not be an a**.
Sorry - didnāt realize I could or needed to mark this thread as solved.
Also - please read the posts following yours - they give more insight in to the CAUSE of the issue than my solution - and may not have been posted if the thread was marked solved, which potentiality could have lead someone else to make the same mistake I made.
Go drive your Volvo.
Everyone else - THANKS AGAIN! problem solved, cause determined!
Since my email - which I have been corresponding with the forum through -doesnāt mention marking anything solved or not - I will log on formally & mark as solved.
-Mark
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Most definitely - pulling the plug wires blew either the coil (most likely given the tests) or the ICM. Donāt do that on a Honda for sure!
I would tend to agree - except the car didnāt start until I replace the distributor guts. who knows that fuse probably was okay and fell apart when I removed it. It was just a weird fuse but replacing it did not fix the issue although I am glad I replaced it of course.
there are so many ads for Compu tell or something and not much in the way
of things to click on accessing this forum via my Gmail that I had a very
hard time even scrolling to the beginning of the thread and I do not see
unfortunately how to mark this as solved so I added solved to the thread
title hopefully that is acceptable
Congrats on what sounds like a good buy and successful repair!
As to the front A-arm and ball joint: I replaced these on my 1999 Civic about 3 years ago using Moog parts. Itās not an especially hard job, and the Haynes manual gave good instructions. After a couple years the replacements began to squeak and clunk, but Rock Auto provided replacements gratis. Considering the Honda parts lasted about 14 years and the aftermarket only 2 or so, my confidence in Honda continues. You definitely should replace those parts if they are suspect. One hint: before tightening the big nuts or bolts that secure the A-arm to the wheel well, lower the car to the ground so itās at normal ride position. Then tighten to spec. Good luck with your Honda!
thanks for the heads up but I think I am calling the part the wrong name.
itās not the a-arm in other words the part that carries the lower ball
joint. on the Acura there is what to me looks like another a arm with an
upper ball joint at the top part of the strut Tower. that is what needs to
be replaced but I certainly do need to replace it!