opinions, if this sounds like a bad distributor or not ?
06-28-2015, 02:52 AM
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opinions, if this sounds like a bad distributor or not ?
i want to get people's opinions what my problem could be?, to narrow it down as much as possible, before assuming and just buying parts . . . my car is a 90 honda crx si with 255,000 miles with a ZC DOHC swap
i was on highway going 60mph, then started losing power, stalling out towards the shoulder, it was making sputtering sounds while doing it, then it would'nt start, just crank over and over while making sputtering and a few backfire sounds out the tailpipe, but would'nt start. i got it towed home.
i saw that the base of the distributor rotor looked melted around the shaft it goes onto, the rotor spins around normally if i cranked it over though, and the rotor still had the rotor screw in place, and it was'nt loose. the cap looked brand new from the inside of it, didnt have any red dust or residue or signs of anything.
heres a pic of the rotor :
it has spark, main relay clicks turning the key "on", fuel comes out of disconnected fuel filter hose when cranking it over, battery is 12.18volts , starter and alt are good, no fuses blown, timing belt is good, timing looks lined up same as before, it has gas, spark plugs looked like-new condition, no ECU codes either.
i tried putting a new cap and rotor got from autozone on, making sure the plug wires in right order, it still did'nt start?, did same thing, just cranked and cranked but not start?
most people think i need a new distributor, that the bearing probably failed and caused the rotor to melt, but i read that if a distributor fails, you hear a screeching noise coming from the distritubor and theres usually red dust or oily residue inside your distributor cap, and i did'nt have either of those on mine?
if my distributor did go out, it did it suddenly, after car was driving perfect, and i did'nt have any symptoms leading up to it?
after trying to narrow it down myself, and hearing opinions on forums, should i just assume and go ahead and buy a whole new distributor ?
or would it be better to have a mobile mechanic take a look at it, so he can tell me for sure if its the distributor or not ? so i know before buying parts
any thoughts or input is cool, thanks
i was on highway going 60mph, then started losing power, stalling out towards the shoulder, it was making sputtering sounds while doing it, then it would'nt start, just crank over and over while making sputtering and a few backfire sounds out the tailpipe, but would'nt start. i got it towed home.
i saw that the base of the distributor rotor looked melted around the shaft it goes onto, the rotor spins around normally if i cranked it over though, and the rotor still had the rotor screw in place, and it was'nt loose. the cap looked brand new from the inside of it, didnt have any red dust or residue or signs of anything.
heres a pic of the rotor :
it has spark, main relay clicks turning the key "on", fuel comes out of disconnected fuel filter hose when cranking it over, battery is 12.18volts , starter and alt are good, no fuses blown, timing belt is good, timing looks lined up same as before, it has gas, spark plugs looked like-new condition, no ECU codes either.
i tried putting a new cap and rotor got from autozone on, making sure the plug wires in right order, it still did'nt start?, did same thing, just cranked and cranked but not start?
most people think i need a new distributor, that the bearing probably failed and caused the rotor to melt, but i read that if a distributor fails, you hear a screeching noise coming from the distritubor and theres usually red dust or oily residue inside your distributor cap, and i did'nt have either of those on mine?
if my distributor did go out, it did it suddenly, after car was driving perfect, and i did'nt have any symptoms leading up to it?
after trying to narrow it down myself, and hearing opinions on forums, should i just assume and go ahead and buy a whole new distributor ?
or would it be better to have a mobile mechanic take a look at it, so he can tell me for sure if its the distributor or not ? so i know before buying parts
any thoughts or input is cool, thanks
06-28-2015, 11:04 PM
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Sounds like the coil or igniter both are in the distributor.
My '91 CRX Si had the same lack of power/sputtering and replacing the distributor fixed it.
Take care,
ChrisS
My '91 CRX Si had the same lack of power/sputtering and replacing the distributor fixed it.
Take care,
ChrisS
06-29-2015, 04:06 AM
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thanks for giving your opinion, yeah, so far i have thought putting a whole dist. is the best thing to do, but i decided to get a used oem one, they say they are tested and good, and have 30 day warranty, not sure if they come with the cap / rotor on them ? but i hope they do, cause rather have the oem ones than the cheap autozone cap/rotor i got right now on mine, and hopefully the ignition coil and ignitor on the dist. i get are both good, but i have'nt test the ones on mine yet either, cause they could be good ?, but if mine or the ones on the used dist. are bad, i will just buy new oem ignitor or coil, and put it on the used dist. i buy.
if putting on a new (used) dist. does'nt solve the problem, and still does'nt start, i can just keep it since it was about time to replace it anyway since it was old and cause had weird melted rotor thing ?, or i could take it back if they accept it still ? or put it for sale on ebay or craigslist to get the money back i paid for it ? then just move on and figure out the next thing, like if the fuel pump or filter is the cause ?, ...
07-02-2015, 08:42 AM
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just wanted to update the post . . .
luckily my friend whos a good mechanic that i trust was available, and he looked at my car this morning, and within 10 minutes he got my car started, he used my battery jump starter and had me crank it over, and started, but then he removed the distributor and showed how when you turn it, it was binding, and should be turning freely, and that he is sure its the distributor bad, but also he said when the dist. shaft heated up, it melted the rotor, and moved the rotor, where it was out of time, and would'nt start because of that mainly, cause it should of still been able to start with the condition of my distributor, but not if its out of time cause the rotor moving,
so he said its a good idea to get a used OEM distributor, but he said he just needed to lube up the current distributor good, and it can still be good enough to be able to run the car while we drive to get the used part, since he does'nt have his truck with him at the moment, so he took some stuff apart around the bearing end and lubed it up with bearing grease i had, on both ends, and afterward, he showed me how it spun freely and was'nt bindijng anymore, so right now he is putting the distributor back on the car, so we can use it to go get the part,
so most of the people on the forums were right, saying it was probably the distributor, cause it is, but i'm just glad i did'nt end up blowing a bunch of money getting some unknown mechanic look at it for telling me the same thing he did, cause he will barely charge me much at all.
luckily my friend whos a good mechanic that i trust was available, and he looked at my car this morning, and within 10 minutes he got my car started, he used my battery jump starter and had me crank it over, and started, but then he removed the distributor and showed how when you turn it, it was binding, and should be turning freely, and that he is sure its the distributor bad, but also he said when the dist. shaft heated up, it melted the rotor, and moved the rotor, where it was out of time, and would'nt start because of that mainly, cause it should of still been able to start with the condition of my distributor, but not if its out of time cause the rotor moving,
so he said its a good idea to get a used OEM distributor, but he said he just needed to lube up the current distributor good, and it can still be good enough to be able to run the car while we drive to get the used part, since he does'nt have his truck with him at the moment, so he took some stuff apart around the bearing end and lubed it up with bearing grease i had, on both ends, and afterward, he showed me how it spun freely and was'nt bindijng anymore, so right now he is putting the distributor back on the car, so we can use it to go get the part,
so most of the people on the forums were right, saying it was probably the distributor, cause it is, but i'm just glad i did'nt end up blowing a bunch of money getting some unknown mechanic look at it for telling me the same thing he did, cause he will barely charge me much at all.
10-18-2021, 02:42 PM
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just wanted to update the post . . .
luckily my friend whos a good mechanic that i trust was available, and he looked at my car this morning, and within 10 minutes he got my car started, he used my battery jump starter and had me crank it over, and started, but then he removed the distributor and showed how when you turn it, it was binding, and should be turning freely, and that he is sure its the distributor bad, but also he said when the dist. shaft heated up, it melted the rotor, and moved the rotor, where it was out of time, and would'nt start because of that mainly, cause it should of still been able to start with the condition of my distributor, but not if its out of time cause the rotor moving,
so he said its a good idea to get a used OEM distributor, but he said he just needed to lube up the current distributor good, and it can still be good enough to be able to run the car while we drive to get the used part, since he does'nt have his truck with him at the moment, so he took some stuff apart around the bearing end and lubed it up with bearing grease i had, on both ends, and afterward, he showed me how it spun freely and was'nt bindijng anymore, so right now he is putting the distributor back on the car, so we can use it to go get the part,
so most of the people on the forums were right, saying it was probably the distributor, cause it is, but i'm just glad i did'nt end up blowing a bunch of money getting some unknown mechanic look at it for telling me the same thing he did, cause he will barely charge me much at all.
luckily my friend whos a good mechanic that i trust was available, and he looked at my car this morning, and within 10 minutes he got my car started, he used my battery jump starter and had me crank it over, and started, but then he removed the distributor and showed how when you turn it, it was binding, and should be turning freely, and that he is sure its the distributor bad, but also he said when the dist. shaft heated up, it melted the rotor, and moved the rotor, where it was out of time, and would'nt start because of that mainly, cause it should of still been able to start with the condition of my distributor, but not if its out of time cause the rotor moving,
so he said its a good idea to get a used OEM distributor, but he said he just needed to lube up the current distributor good, and it can still be good enough to be able to run the car while we drive to get the used part, since he does'nt have his truck with him at the moment, so he took some stuff apart around the bearing end and lubed it up with bearing grease i had, on both ends, and afterward, he showed me how it spun freely and was'nt bindijng anymore, so right now he is putting the distributor back on the car, so we can use it to go get the part,
so most of the people on the forums were right, saying it was probably the distributor, cause it is, but i'm just glad i did'nt end up blowing a bunch of money getting some unknown mechanic look at it for telling me the same thing he did, cause he will barely charge me much at all.
