by "DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
Published 12/21/2017 at 14:26
by "DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
Published 12/21/2017 at 14:26
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It might be the ignition coil that’s keeping the car from running.
Off the top of your head, does anyone know how to trouble shoot a ignition coil on a Honda? It’ll probably take an hour to find out on the forums. Or if it’s cheap I could just get one from AutoZone.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/21/2017 at 14:50, STARS: 1
You test resistance from primary to secondary coils. Unfortunately Idk what those values should be for your car.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/21/2017 at 16:43, STARS: 0
There shouldn’t be continuity between primary and secondary circuits. You usually can’t test resistance of the secondary.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/21/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 1
Didn’t I say something about that sensor not causing a no start? You can test primary circuit resistance in the coil, but that’s about it unless you have an oscilloscope or an inductive LED quick probe. There shouldn’t be continuity between primary and secondary circuits. Primary is usually .5-.8ohms, that’s the main electrical connector on it. Secondary is the part that goes to the plugs.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
12/21/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 0
Didn’t you buy a new distributor? If yes, try the old one and see if there is a difference. In my experience racing Hondas, I have had a couple of Ignitors go, but never a coil. I’d look at the Ignitors first.
Also, those ignitors are tricky. I have heard of problems with the cheap asian knockoff distributor electronics. For that reason, I’ve chosen to use only Honda Electronics.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/21/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 0
The sensor does cause a no start, it’s just no it’s no starting different than before. Before it would backfire and I could get it to run with some throttle. Now it won’t even do that, but it’s not backfiring. I’m gonna go get a new distributor tomorrow and throw that on.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/21/2017 at 18:09, STARS: 0
The old one died completely before I put the new one on. I’m just gonna get a new distributor tomorrow and put it on, because I’m tired of this car’s shit.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/21/2017 at 18:59, STARS: 1
Does it really? Must be a weird Honda thing. I’ve never seen that from that sensor. Stalling, rough runs, misfires, trans and shifting concerns, but never a no start. I genuinely hope the dizzy does the trick!
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
12/21/2017 at 19:02, STARS: 1
Time to order one of these. Very handy, especially for clearing the random O2 and other codes that old cars like yours generate.
By the way, please get that temp sensor working first. Having a failed temp sensor will mess with things, I say fix that known problem first before.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
12/21/2017 at 19:05, STARS: 0
But If I recall, it was full of oil right? Don’t toss it as the ignitor and coil may still be good.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
12/21/2017 at 19:17, STARS: 0
By the way, if there is an ignitor problem or coil problem, I believe there won’t be specific codes. Apparently, the computer doesn’t really know what is going on in the distributor.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/21/2017 at 19:35, STARS: 1
I don’t think it’s a Honda thing, so much as this car is just cursed. I think when I’m done with it I’m going to find some private property to smash the windows out and light the bitch on fire.
It doesn’t even deserve to be run in Lemons or something.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/21/2017 at 19:36, STARS: 0
The temp sensor appears to be fine now. I tried to start it a couple times and it never threw a code for the temp sensor.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
12/21/2017 at 19:40, STARS: 0
I did when I changed it :( But it wasn’t completely flooded or anything. If I had to guess the igniter or coil probably got oil in it and fried itself.
"RacinBob" (racinbob)
12/21/2017 at 20:01, STARS: 0
Good. one thing I would look at is the fuel pressure regulator. It plugs into the fuel rail and has a bypass return line to the tank lower and a vacuum line upper. It works by lowering fuel pressure at high vacuum (under idle) and raising fuel pressure at low vacuum (when floored).
A couple of ways the engine can run rich are
1. If the hose is disconnected or has a leak. You can pull the hose and you should feel vacuum at the end of the hose. If not, you have a problem.
2. If the regulator diaphragm fails, fuel leaks into the vacuum line and back to the intake manifold which will make it very rich. If the engine is running and you take the top vacuum line off and gas comes out, that is your problem.
If that is the problem it is a cheap and quick fix changing the regulator,
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/22/2017 at 08:39, STARS: 0
Yes there should, if you don’t have continuity you’ve got a short. You can’t test the resistance of the secondary coil independently, like the primary coil. But you can still test the resistance of the primary to secondary coil. For mine that resistance is 5-7k ohm. With 0.5ohm between + and - terminals of the primary coil. And because my dad was drunk and had his high voltage scope probe on him I can tell you that the voltage output is only 600v.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/22/2017 at 10:22, STARS: 0
I guess Honda does things differently from everything else I’ve ever worked on? Or maybe it’s just been that long. Modern stuff that I’ve been working on for years now doesn’t work that way
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/22/2017 at 12:30, STARS: 1
Well I’m talking about an e30. But since he has a distributor I assumed he had an old school ignition coil. I think with the wasted spark and individual coil packs you’re correct they can’t really be tested because there’s no access to the coil terminations.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/22/2017 at 12:43, STARS: 1
I thought about it more, and should be able to test both still. The electrical principles for all of them are the same. It’s just easier to swap them around instead of dicking around with a meter.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/22/2017 at 13:57, STARS: 0
It’s been nearly a decade since I’ve done anything other than coil on plug. Even when I worked on Rovers and old British stuff with old school coils, those would always test fine so we would just swap them out and see if that fixed them. You can’t do shit on COP coils, except primary resistance, unless you’ve got a scope. Resistance testing on coils doesn’t get you very far most times.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/22/2017 at 14:17, STARS: 0
Wouldn’t you be able to put one lead to the + connector on the coil pack and the other lead to the output where the spark plug connects and get the same result as a traditional coil? But ya the resistance is really just telling you that the two coils aren’t shorted together.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/22/2017 at 14:40, STARS: 1
I’ve tried. Always open. In fact, I just now pulled out a good coil and tried it because I was starting to doubt myself. Open. Every part of it was open, even primary. This coil was just removed from a perfectly running engine mind you. But it’s also got a 4 pin connector. No continuity anywhere. Unfortunately out wiring diagrams don’t show us what’s in them. To top it off, this one is from a ten year old engine. Mercedes says the only reliable test is with a scope. But we just swap them anyways.
"diplodicus" (diplodicus)
12/22/2017 at 14:56, STARS: 0
I was thinking about sacrificing one of my coils from my 540i to figure out why. But I found this pic.
Some sort of Delphi COP, I’m sure they’re all slightly different, but I’m guessing something in the circuit has to be energized for the coil circuit to be completed. Which would explain why it reads open and you need a scope to really know.
Oddly enough the 540i coil packs are only 3 prong, not 4.
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
12/22/2017 at 16:10, STARS: 0
That one actually looks nearly identical to the one I tested. M272 engine.