StaticFire450

Okay first off, I have 2 civics.

1997 Civic DX Automatic tranny, D16Y7 motor(Girl Friends car)

1994 Civic EX Standard Tranny D16Z6 motor


This thread is mainly about the 1994.(It is closer to running)

They both have the same problem. Keeps frying ignition coils.

Short Story(Trust me this is the gist of it):

The 1997 was having Vehicle speed sensor problems and was loosing massive power!(This non V-tec you use whip my V-tec's ****) Well we replaced the VSS along with LOTS of other stuff. Well the problem got a wee bit better, but got worse in time(Lets just say the car moves 30 feet and stops, if it would start) Well I did a tranny swap for it(same tranny, which came with the VSS and all that wiring). Went to start it, No fire. Replaced it with an Advanced Autoparts coil, No fire.

So... I took the coil out of my car, the Vtec EX.(Ignition coil has the same exact part number, even though Vtec and nonVtec have different dizzy's. Those are the same) It runs!!!!...

Returned the new coil, got one from Napa(Within the day period I had my ignition coil in my car, too get the new coil, I noticed I was misfiring/popping at mid RPM range, and had no power within those rpms) I figured it was just not on good timing. So I get home and put the new coil in the DX, Does not start, Put mine back in, Does not start. Tried the new one in my car, Does not start. Tried my original one in my car again....... Does not start.(not to mention I got 3 used ones which also did not work).

Soooo I went off and bought a new distributor for my EX. Yay!! It came in!. Lets put it on!. . . I goto roll the engine over, It fires!!! Its Starting!! Fried coil... After literally 4-5 Fires in the cylinder, Almost running, It fried the brand new coil, which came with the brand new distributor.

Untill I fix my EX(Which has no CEL errors, rather than after about 15 mins of running the O2 sensor cuts the CEL on, because I have a straight test pipe. Still need the ECU mod for that) I cannot bother to work on the DX because it has some tranny problem or something...(Not to mention I bought a MX6 mazda to get us around.... and the guy dropped it off with a cracked head, so I am in the middle of figuring out why that car wont STAY running after the new head) . . . Yes very bad luck with cars in my family this year xD Blown motor in S10, Cracked head in Oldsmobile, Bad pin in Diesel 1500 Chevy tranny. Cracked head in newly purchased Mazda. Tranny goes out in college girls car. & my car suffering from trying to fix hers... Luckly my entire family works at the same exact place Hahahahaha

u.u please help. I go grocery shopping on a GT bicycle....

J-Master Flex

Man, your luck with Civics sounds comparable to my luck. I have a '95 DX Hatch 5-Speed, and it's giving me similar problems, but it's not my coil. I would go back in, take your distributor out, crank the engine so it's at TDC, and make sure that the bracket teeth on the distributor are lined up with the cam. Also make sure that the distributor is in the firing position for the first cylinder, otherwise you will be 180 degrees off.

If you've already checked that, then I don't know what to tell ya. Civic problems never seem to be completely straight forward, there is always some mystery involved. Good luck man.

StaticFire450

Yeah, I already tried that, I didn't 100% check TDC, but the car has been running for years, no problems. 100k bought. 189k right now. Timing belt replaced . . . about 60k miles ago. But I did make sure I wasn't 180degrees off.

Someone on Yahoo! Answers. Told me that the ECU could have fried, His had done so. He checked his ECU, and there was bubbled/molten plastic everywhere. . . Mine sure wasn't like that. I also checked for a fried mother board smell, Nothing that smells like a fried guitar pedal, or computer tower. So I figured it was ok. I mean my check engine light cuts on and off on the switch of the ignition. So I would imagine its fine.

I just don't wanna go off and buy a new distributor/coil again... I wanna aim for something else... Thanks though

J-Master Flex

Yeah, my father acutally owns a '98 Civic HX, and he was having problems with his ECU. The car wouldn't just lose power, it would go in and out intermittenly, and the car would buck wildly when you would try to accelerate. His CEL wasn't on, but when he unplugged his O2 sensor (initally thought that was the problem), the light went on, but the car ran perfectly smooth (minus the sulfuric smell in the exhaust). Like I said, it actually turned out to be his ECU.

I would say if you haven't already, read the codes on your car, see if anything turns up that could help you.

StaticFire450

Hmmm, I will unplug my 02 sensor(s) and try it out. Possibly even replace the ECU. If not im probably gonna sell for best offer, or cash for junkers with my 2K$ investment Haha

phil_89

where u at... i need another honda : )

StaticFire450

Haha! SC You can have it for 800$ Lol need it gone by tomorrow. :P

phil_89

k is it runing... can i drive it home.. or no... pm me and well see what's up
got any pics

Mafioso

I have a friend that's a Honda Tech and I was having starting problems. Would only turn over and wouldnt start. I checked for spark and nothing, he told me to replace the coil and ignitor. He recommended to replace both together bc they generally both go out around the same time.

StaticFire450

no, it wont start. No fire. If you fix the ignition problem, it'll run flawlessly!

StaticFire450

Also, Isn't the ignitor inside the the distributor?? I replaced the whole dist. and it fired 3-5 times and failed out again.

So I guess, What would cause the ignitor & regulator to fail????

phil_89

power surge... could... but it could **** up other **** too... try taking off the belt on ur alt... and starting your car... let it run for a min then shut of and start it

StaticFire450

It doesn't start... No Fire.

& wouldn't a surge be cause from a short somewhere?

What are common things to short out, that goes with the ignition, Or coils/regulator/ignitor.

there has got to be something, 1 thing I can fix/replace, That will prevent my coils from frying like that.

If I was to buy a new ECU, Distributor, Plugs & wires. Yet it still fried coils... What would be the next culprit?

phil_89

go get ur alternator checked... thats what i would do... cuz thats what happened in one of my others cars...

StaticFire450

Just to let you people know, I am 90% positive I found the problems. I had found a manual for repairs. I also found wiring diagrams for the entire car. Well through out the ignition system I found that only the Distributor, ECU, Ignition switch, Alternator, Starter, & Tachometer are used within the start up.

So I got down to checking the electrical continuity. Worked my way to the ignition switch itself. In the running and Rolling over positions(II & III), I found problems. With what you may ask? Ignition coil & main power supply have no continuity. So I am guessing I have a fried ignition switch.

As of today I am gonna start working on hot wiring it. If It works then I can be sure its just an ignition switch needed, & help out lots of people.

I will also try to post a .pdf of the ignition testing diagram. If its anything like my problem, you will not have continuity with any wire from the black/yellow(Ignition coil) wire.

StaticFire450

PROBLEM FIXED!

I was working on that wiring.. Testing it with the meter and everything. I put the best looking ignition coil in. Initially when I tested the wiring, The Black/Yellow(Ignition coil) wire would not hold continuity with any wire past it. Well yesterday after I put the good looking coil in. I tested the wires & the ACC(?? idk what that is, I am guessing Aux key position) wasnt getting the correct continuity. So I messed with the wired more and more.

After making sure everything was in okay visual condition, I plugged it all in, hooked up the SRS(air bag stuff) and rolled it over. -put-put-put-put (gave it a little gas) VROOOOOM!

What. I noticed that once in a while when I start it now, I hear 'tick-tick-tick-tick' super fast, sounds like an arc bouncing off something. Rarely happens though. Which leads me to think that the ignition switch itself may just be getting loose(functionality going in and out as it pleases) or some wire some where... in the midst of the wire jungle, is exposed.

If any of you have any thoughts of what the noise could be, do share! As for the car starting and running though, It cranks instantly and runs superb(The dizzy I bought for it must have been a good idea all along, because my rpm's take off alot faster now. :P )

FYI I am driving the car daily again, If you think that is a bad idea, please state why. ( I know if I notice the ticking happening more and more, I will stop driving it until the problem is found/fixed, but it hasnt seemed to effect anything so far)

phil_89

lol and u were about to sell her to me... : ) the tick tick tick u hear... do u think it might be the main relay.... mine did that when it started to go bad.. it would just do it on start up's .... then would stop...

StaticFire450

Lol yeah.. That was my initial thought. But its LOUD! I mean obnoxiously loud. Like a huge electrical arc, I understand thats the normal tick in the relay(an arc), But this has to be exposed to be that loud... I will visually inspect the main relay come tomorrow when I have no work.

phil_89

cool keep us posted

lazlong

If it's not the relay try looking were you messed with the harness doing the tranny swap. Very common to pinch or strip a wire when reinstalling.

bluhonda

One sentence.. Check, clean, and tighten the ground wire to the tranny...

StaticFire450

Alright, Well I looked & everything is in order. Rather than the stereo, No wires were exposed. So I took a look under neath the hood & yeah, There wasn't any problems there either. (FYI The Tranny swap was on the 97, which I don't plan on working on) But I checked the wires anyway. -Good

Since I posted my last message, and throughout this week, I haven't heard it at all. The normal relay click is there. So I guess it could have gone away? Perhaps something was acting up from sitting there so long. Lets just hope it doesn't come back!

Gonna start a diff thread here shortly, Looking into swapping a B16A into my car with my Tax Returns!! DOHC n.n

phil_89

u droping ur b16a into the EX ...?

StaticFire450

Yeah I opened a thread in the Forced induction/swapping section. Asking suggestions and such. I wanna purchase all the stuff or even a car with the engine in it already. Since my body is rusted and such. Probably rebuild the D16Z6 for my girl, and sell her D16Y7

Gabe420

So the other day I was out driving my 93 civic coupe ex and I bring it home park it. Come back out to leave shortly after and it wouldn't start I figured maybe a faulty gas gauge cause it sounded like it wanted to crank so I put two gallons of gas in it and it started up drove fine drove it to town came back parked it. Later came back to leave again and it wouldn't start. But when I went to town last I filled it with gas so I know it's full but it won't crank I can hear my fuel pump and I checked one but not all for spark. It had spark so idk i was going to buy a distributor but was wanting to see if anyone could help me so I don't buy the wrong part