Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

I have NGK v-power plugs and it seem every 6 months I have to take them out because the gap changes from .039 to .043 or so. Normal spec is .040 (+0, -1) I did it yesterday for the second time because the car was all of a sudden running like ****. I had almost no power, I'm like "okay wtf." I checked the distributor and the terminals were fouled so I cleaned them.

Is gap expansion normal or is it excessive for me? Because I keep reading that plugs could last over 100k, and I really really doubt people pull their plugs and regap them every 6 months or 1 year. So either the gap on plugs should always stay relatively the same, or the gap expansion is normal and people generally drive on out of spec gaps(?).

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

excessive. the coppers should last a couple years and even then wont get bad enough to cause engine problems. the supposed 100k is for platinum, but it sounds like you have an ignition problem to deal with first. 0.044 is the normal honda gap i think for every honda pre 2006. if youre having misfires, it means your ignition system is weak. either the distributor, wires, or something is not giving the plugs their max voltage. have you checked the voltage of the power wire going to the ignition coil with the car running? if it is lower than around 14v, you may have a problem.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

No, I've never done that before. What are the steps? What do you mean by "power wire" going to ignition coil? The ignition coil goes from the spark plug to the distributor cap... Are you talking about the + battery wire?

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

The glovebox manual says .04 while the service manual says .043 (+0, -004). So it turns out that I probably set it to .043 originally and nothing happened to my electrodes. But still car feels sluggish all of a sudden. Maybe I will check MAP sensor.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Ohh, you meant ignition coil in the distributor. Duh. I will check the wire...

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah sorry for the confusion. i know alot of older car have this problem and the fix is to install a separate relay harness with thicker wire that uses the original factory wire as a trigger for the new harness, which then draws power directly from the battery to the coil for best performance.

most of the sensors do have engine codes if they are not working properly.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Are you sure it's 14v instead of 12v? And can I tap into the inside fuse box ignition control module slot to test it?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah if its only 12v, you have too much voltage drop. i dont know where exactly to test it on older civics, but you want the power wire right before it reaches the main ignition coil (theres only one).

6thgencivic908

also what color are you plugs, and what is the condition of the inner electrode?

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Everything looks good, false alarm. I thought they expanded from .04 to .043, but I had set them to .043. I don't know which spec is better, but in my manual and on the inside of my hood it reads .04. Anything from .039-.043 is within spec.

As for the power loss, I unhooked the remnants of an alarm system that was installed by a previous owner and changed it back to stock. I should have taken it out 4 years ago but I didn't. I'm not going to jump to a conclusion, but it may have contributed to a power problem. It seems my car is running better since I pulled it, if that's even possible.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

its possible if there was a backup battery. those things die quickly and then are a constant draw on the car battery trying to recharge itself.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

I doubt it made any difference. Any way, I think it's my ignition coil. I've had problems with the car when going up to tahoe. The car would become extremely sluggish, and I think it's cause of the coil heating up. But I will test it before I jump to conclusions.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah see how much voltage its getting first before replacing.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Gearbox it's 12v not 14v. Where are you getting 14? I can get a 12v signal but there's no 14v listed anywhere in the shop manual. 14 volts from battery??

As for my power loss, I went through 2 periods within the last 4 years where my car had starting issues and loss of performance. The first time it was fixed with a new + battery cable, the second time with a new distributor cap/rotor. Today I tried to start my car and it had difficulty starting + the power loss. Another significant issue is stumbling. It's like the engine "trips" every time I let go of the gas too fast, or if I press on the gas too fast. It's like one of the cylinders doesn't fire. (plugs all look good) I have smelt gas in the exhaust, indicating unburned fuel.

I did a test on my coil but I could only accomplish one test. The secondary winding resistance was 19.0 ohms, 12.8 - 19.2 is allowed. So it's close to out of spec. I couldn't accomplish primary winding resitance no matter what. Instructions are to measure from pole A to B but I always get a 0.00. I even tested a coil I bought from honda a while back and I got the same reading. In fact, there were holes in the bag from people testing it then returning it thinking their coil is bad only to find the same reading with the new honda coil. -_-

This is what my rotor always looks like after wear. Why is part of it untouched? Timing issue? Normal? Ignition coil related? Not a clue.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

hmm, well 14v i meant test it with the car running, so you can see the voltage drop. like if you have 13.9v at the battery, and 12.8v at the coil, it is not getting all the power it should and performance will suffer. that rotor doesnt look normal either, there should not be burn marks on it even after heavy use. black buildup sure, but not brown/burnt like you have. its possible your coil is out of spec and causing problems from not making enough power. and this is affecting other parts of the ignition.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

The previous owner ran on plugs that had excessive gaps. I read that this causes the coil to always work hard making it wear out quickly.

As for the 19ohm resistance above, does resistance increase as a part gets old? Because I vagely recall testing the coil in the past and getting a 17ohm secondary resistance. I think I will give it a shot. Gonna get one of these accel coils.

http://performanceparts.com/part.php?partID=374902

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

sounds good. youre right that larger gap makes the ignition work harder. so the coil is prolly on its way out.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Well I went down the summit racing and picked up that accel coil. 50 out the door, which is a better price than napa and autozone sells standard coils for. It seems to have fixed the problem as my car has power again, but the temperature warmed up again so I'm just wondering if the cold weather was what caused the power loss, so I'll have to wait and see. (usually it's the opposite)

Hey gearbox, do you know how long a fuel filter is supposed to last before it starts to reduce flow?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

your fuel filter is the canister type right? im not sure when you should change those. the brochure at the auto store says every 50k or something but who knows. it may last longer depending where you get gas from. usually the best way would be check the fuel pressure. but they are so cheap, its easier to just get a new filter and change it.

Cleft_Asunder

iTrader: (1)

Cool thnx gearbox.