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So I just replaced my dizzy 3 days ago on my 93 civic 1.5 dx and all my car problems i was having stopped. car is running smooth, timing was good, etc. on the freeway on my way to work, my car started sputtering, then lost power. car wouldnt start again, so I had to tow it home. I tried turning it over, and it cranks, but no spark is coming from the dizzy. A buddy of mine told me that it could be a defective distributor, or my ecu is bad. I am gonna exchange the dizy, but i looked inside the ecu and some of the sauder points for the connecting clips look rusted or dirty



I hope that these pictures show what im talking about, but would this mean that my ecu is bad? There are no burn marks on the other side, and no cel light coming on.

 
Rep Power: 243

The solder points don't look that bad. I doubt it's the ECU. A little oxidation is going happen after almost 20 years. I would start with the distributor.

 
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Reman distributors are always suspect. Might shove a warranty replacement in it, or find another car to test yours in, or swap theirs into yours, whatever.



On the ECM:
Look inside the ECM at each of the electrolytic capacitors.

Back in the late 80's to the mid 90's, there was a huge amount of bad caps that would start leaking after several years of service. The acids leaked out and ruined circuit boards and other components.
This affected all sorts of consumer electronics, from TVs to cars to computers. Mitsubishi-built electronics were a well known offender back then in the automotive world..... They made stuff for most all other vehicle manufacturers too, not only their own.

A quick google gave some nice bathroom reading material:

http://mrgears.50webs.com/ECU2.htm

http://www.samurai4x4.org/download/m...azione_ecm.pdf

http://www.90gsx.com/eclipse/cap/caps.htm

You should have a good idea of what to look for now.....
(I actually have no idea if this is actually the normal problem with Hondas ECMs, I rarely get to see anything that old now.... but I DO KNOW Honda has electronic problems in various areas related to leaking caps.)


The problem still exists today too, google has all sorts of hits on it.
Motherboards seem to be a popular thing.

 
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thanks guys for the response. I am in process of exchanging the distributor, they have to order another one, so i should know hopefully tomorrow

 
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good news is the distributor was defective. I put it in yesterday, and it runs like new again. I am replacing the master clutch cylinder today, and after that my civic will b running hella smooth. Thanks for the help