igniter,coil or distributor on 91 Civic??

I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run. It's got
178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then the whole
distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to have symptoms
that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive to a store it
wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying and being ready to
tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day, but by the time I pulled
over to the side of the road, the engine was running again.

Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for about
$80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and change from
either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in Hawaii.

thanks in advance

Gary
Haleiwa. Hawaii

Hi Gary

Are you sure you are losing spark when this happens? Intermittent
stalling can happen for a variety of reasons. Maybe put a spark tester
in your glovebox so you can make sure next time.

If you do lose spark, next time you see it fail, put a small 12V bulb
across the coil's primary and see if it flashes when you try to start
the car. If so, it is not the ignitor - check the coil or beyond.

Even if it doesn't flash, be sure to check the connections to the
ignitor.
The ignitor is just a larger transistor - intermittent internal contact
on a transistor is very rare.

Regards,
Remco

Ropert's Aloha wrote:

> I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run. It's got
> 178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then the whole
> distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to have symptoms
> that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive to a store it
> wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying and being ready to
> tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day, but by the time I pulled
> over to the side of the road, the engine was running again.
>
> Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for about
> $80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and change from
> either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in Hawaii.
>
> thanks in advance
>
> Gary
> Haleiwa. Hawaii
>
>
could be the infamous "main relay" or even possibly the ignition switch.
your igniter and distributor should still be good. should...

How expensive is a main relay? If it's cheap enough, maybe I'll replace it
and see what happens...





"TeGGer®" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Ropert's Aloha" > floridly penned in
> :
>
>> I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run.
>> It's got 178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then
>> the whole distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to
>> have symptoms that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive
>> to a store it wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying
>> and being ready to tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day,
>> but by the time I pulled over to the side of the road, the engine was
>> running again.
>>
>> Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for
>> about $80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and
>> change from either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in
>> Hawaii.
>
>
>
> Perhaps...
> http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#MainRelay
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

> wrote in message

> Even if it doesn't flash, be sure to check connections to...ignitor.

Also note that when the main relay fails completely, there's no
spark since ECU's power derives from the main relay. Since the
igniter's trigger adjusts and resides within the ECU. One other
thing, Helm Service Manuals or diagnostic technicians use the
spelling, "Igniter" unlike what most do, "Ignitor." Ignitor, however,
is the most widly used on Usenet at a ratio of 14:9.

> Regards,
> Remco
>

"Ropert's Aloha" wrote

> I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run. It's got
> 178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then the whole
> distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to have symptoms
> that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive to a store it
> wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying and being ready to
> tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day, but by the time I pulled
> over to the side of the road, the engine was running again.
> Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for about
> $80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and change from
> either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in Hawaii.
> thanks in advance. Gary. Haleiwa, Hawaii

Sounds like your fuel pump's cutting out. Most likely from the main
relay or ignition switch as Mike suggested.. I'd follow Tegger's link
deeper. It can teach you how to remove, reflow the solder, using solder
with additional silver.

Ropert's Aloha wrote:
> I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run.
> It's got 178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then
> the whole distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting
> to have symptoms that I am nearing another problem. After a short
> drive to a store it wouldn't start today. It finally did after some
> praying and being ready to tow it! It also cut out on me driving home
> one day, but by the time I pulled over to the side of the road, the
> engine was running again.
>
> Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for
> about $80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340
> and change from either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out
> here in Hawaii.

See the article PGM-FI on my website (in sig) which your experience
describes exactly the symptoms I had. Clean up the distributor cap
inside and out before buying anything.

HTH
--
Graham W http://www.gcw.org.uk/ PGM-FI page updated, Graphics Tutorial
WIMBORNE http://www.wessex-astro-society.freeserve.co.uk/ Wessex
Dorset UK Astro Society's Web pages, Info, Meeting Dates, Sites & Maps
Change 'news' to 'sewn' in my Reply address to avoid my spam filter.

Ropert's Aloha wrote:
> How expensive is a main relay? If it's cheap enough, maybe I'll replace it
> and see what happens...
>
>
>
>
>
> "TeGGer®" > wrote in message
> .. .
>
>>"Ropert's Aloha" > floridly penned in
m:
>>
>>
>>>I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run.
>>>It's got 178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then
>>>the whole distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to
>>>have symptoms that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive
>>>to a store it wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying
>>>and being ready to tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day,
>>>but by the time I pulled over to the side of the road, the engine was
>>>running again.
>>>
>>>Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for
>>>about $80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and
>>>change from either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in
>>>Hawaii.
>>
>>
>>
>>Perhaps...
>>http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#MainRelay
>>
>>--
>>TeGGeR®
>>
>>The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
>>www.tegger.com/hondafaq/
---------------------------------

Slip it out, walk into a TV repair shop with a big box of assorted
donuts / muffins. Ask them to resolder it and you'll be back in the game
for 200,000 more miles. :-)

'Curly'

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 01:30:27 GMT, Ropert's Aloha > wrote:
>I have a 91 Civic Hatchback,5spd,1500cc eng. that has run and run. It's got
>178kmiles. Over the years I've replaced the igniter and then the whole
>distributor about 2 years ago(carquest). Now I'm starting to have symptoms
>that I am nearing another problem. After a short drive to a store it
>wouldn't start today. It finally did after some praying and being ready to
>tow it! It also cut out on me driving home one day, but by the time I pulled
>over to the side of the road, the engine was running again.

>Q. Should I replace just the igniter for about $90? Or the coil for about
>$80? or both? or just swap out the whole unit for about $340 and change from
>either Napa or Carquest(the main parts dealers out here in Hawaii.

Take it to a mechanic. The diagnostic charge of $60 will be recouped
several times over compared to your shotgun approach.

Make one mistake like replacing a good ignitor and you'll be out $90.

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 07:58:38 GMT, Ropert's Aloha > wrote:
>How expensive is a main relay? If it's cheap enough, maybe I'll replace it
>and see what happens...


Geeze. Learn how to test it. Instead of ****ing away $30 on a part that may
be good, get a meter and learn how to use it.