A-series

My car started up normal, idled for 30 seconds, then shut off. No chugging, etc., as if someone has turned it off. Now it won't start.
Does that sound like something that's happened to anyone else here?
Was just hoping someone could point me in the right direction such as rotor, ignition coil, ignitor (I don't think it's the cap 'cause looks fairly good).

This was right after I had cleaned some of the connections under the distributor cap as they were dirty/rusty in the hopes it would fix the occasional tach. problem I had.

Anyway, everything went smoothly, was careful removing the screw on the rotor so not to strip it, cleaned the connections on the ignition coil (w/out removing it) and cleaned up the shaft the rotor goes on.

I'm sure I put everything back as it was, I'm going to try and check for spark tonight with a spare plug and then planning to get a volt meter(orwhatever) and check to see what I get.

Hope it's not the distributor :eek4:

Anyway, any advice or similar experiences you peeps could share (remember it started up great and idled like normal, then just shut off) would be greatly appreciated.

In a bit of a rush, gotta figure out how I'm getting to work.
Be back later tonight hopefully.

95LSv

Same thing happened to me twice, and it was the dizzy... check for spark and report back...

94civicEX

Make sure your wire caps on on snugly, check to see if the screw came out of the rotor.

How did you clean the connections? Just with a wire brush?

JoePoonani

Same thing happened to me, my car just died and it wouldn't start just cranked forever. Turned out the coil went bad, replaced it and everything is peachy.

A-series

Well if it's the dizzy I'm gonna be super pissed since it was replaced about 2 yrs. ago (by prev. owner). Plus the car would be sitting a while if that's the case

I checked for spark and sure enough, there is none. I left the gap of the spare plug at 1.1 mm as recommended for my engine, not a big gap, but it was dark and I turned off my flashlight so I would've seen something. I had my sis crank the engine for a couple seconds twice and nothing.

For some reason I decided to try the #4 and then the #2 plug wires, not necessary I know, so only a couple seconds with each (didn't wanna flood the engine with any more fuel than necessary) but me thinks I would've seen something.

EDIT: Just to clarify, my understanding was you could have a spare plug in the plug wire boot (snapped in tight of course) and then hold it near ground and you'd see a spark jump the gap of the plug itself.
I mean I remember reading if you do this in the day you should widen the gap so you can see the spark but it was dark so my only confusion is whether you can just hold the plug near a ground location (I assume for safety)which is what I did or if the plug has to be touching the engine or another grounded location.
I hope it did it correctly.:nervous:

A-series

You mean the ends of the plug wires on the dizzy cap?

That was my thought too, everything was nice and snug, wires/cap, rotor screw, etc. That was the first thing I made sure of when I took the cap back off.

I cleaned the various surfaces with a brass(I think) wire brush. Nothing too abrasive, pretty soft bristles by wire brush standards.
I might as well have used a paper towel on the rust-colored crap 'cause it came right off.
There was also some white build-up on the inside of the cap that I didn't notice the first time so now that's gone but didn't help things.

I'm guessing that cleaning things speed up the process and something got more charge than it had been and poof.

A-series

Yeah I'm guessing it's either the ignitor or the coil, I'm really hoping it's not the dizzy itself but we'll see.

Tomorrow I'm gonna use the digital voltmeter I bought ($18 @ walmart)to test for voltage on the ignitor and the resistance on the coil using the instructions from a manual I found online.

Making sure the resistance isn't too high on the coil should be easy enough.
However, apparently if "everything checks out OK" for voltage on the ignitor that means I should replace it is a bit confusing to me right now
I'm sure when I get in there and re-read the instructions I printed out I'll understand.

Thanks for everyone's input, I really do appreciated it.

P.S. If it's the ignitor or coil do you guys have experience with aftermarket ones? Any advice, such as "Only use OEM" or something along that line?

We'll see, I'll report back, thanks again.

95LSv

Since you're not sparking, it sounds like the coil... just go to your local autoparts store and pick one up and change it out.

JoePoonani

I good(also dangerous and retarded) way to check for spark is putting a screw driver into the plug wire itself and crank the engine, if you get shocked then you have spark.

Fuse

A cel?

So you are washing the dizzy, some times when you get water in the dizzy it messes shit up. Try drying it out and take the connectors apart and blow them out too.If this fails.

Take you dizzy cap off have you sister turn it over you will see the spark jump from the end of the coil to ground.Lets say you do see spark the problem would be in you cap or rotor.Lets say you do not see spark it could be you coil,igniter,ecm or wiring.

Get back to me and we will diag you coil and igniter(the igniter controls you coil the ecm controls you igniter its all a big loop)

What engine I will get the diagram out.