My 94 Honda Accord’s distributor runs with the ignition switch off. Car will not start. Does this with master relay and 50 amp ignition fuse removed.
Typically you do not have a customer approach you and say “my distributor is running and I don’t think it should be”. I ask if you can clairify just what you mean when you say your distributor is “running”.
I agree that my first post was somewhat obscure. Kind of like “Your refrigerator is running; go catch it.” Came out in morning and heard electric motor sound from under hood. At first thought it was fan stuck on. Under hood obvious by location of sound and touch that it was coming from the distributor. (Unless something else nearby that would transmit vibration.) Tried key and would not start. Removed ignition fuse and unplugged master relay and still occurs when I reconnect battery. I know that this year Accord had ignition recall but thought it was interlock issue.
What propels the distributor?
The distributor is driven off the engine. No engine turn=no distributor turn.
Now, while I can conceive of a failure that would cause the distributor NOT to turn while the engine did, I cannot think of a failure that would cause the distributor to turn independent of the engine (that doesn’t involve the supernatural).
Are you positive it’s the distributor? Is it possible it’s the fuel pump? It could be the pump is failing and not shutting of a)when the system is off and/or b)when the system is up to pressure. I’m not sure if that car had an electric pump or not, but most manufacturers went that way…sometime around the late 80’s, I think.
Thank you. I knew that and was trying to help the OP with the thought process. No way for you to know that of course. I should have said “The first question you need to ask is…”
I figured YOU knew it…I just wondered if OP knew enough about how distributors work to realize you asked a rhetorical question.
Describe what the item that’s running looks like.
If the OP doesn’t know a distributor can’t “run” because it is driven off of the motor, then I doubt he/she has the skills to diagnose and fix this problem. Get the car towed to a mechanic, or find one of the “I’ll come to you” mechanics to look over the car.