any recomendations on where they can test the igniaiton coils?

Rob

 

i would check the condition of each plug(ie. pull each out) sometimes the ceramic on a plug may crack after you put it in and ground out. if your car is misfiring, then it will putter and you will smell gas out the tail pipe. as many have said, test each coil pack if the plugs are in good condition. this can be done by using the method of laying the coil pack with the plug in it(outside the engine), laying on the on the top of the engine and running the car for 30 secs or so. or you can unplug one coil pack, and start the car, and see if the car runs any worse than before. if it does, then that particular coil pack can be deemed as good, so plug it back in and try another. when the bad coil pack is removed(and the other 3 are in the engine), and the car is started, the car should run about the same as it did when it was in the engine. if none of the coil packs seem bad(car runs the same when you unplug different coil packs) then it may be the ignition control module. i am not familiar with hondas newer ignition systems, but all distributorless ignitions need a control module. if it comes to testing a bad module i believe autozone will test for free, if not, you need a digital multimeter and a wire stripper. if it comes to testing the module by yourself, post back for directions.

 

I had a chance to see a D17A2 ignition system today, turns out a relitive has an '01 Civic. It's nice to see Honda finally moved to a crank fired ignition system.
[/sidenote]

 

let me make sure i understand you corectly. Just take out one coil. turn on the car and see how it runs with the coil out. meaning just with 3. Then if it runs worse than that one is good. repeat this until the car runs the same and that should be the foul one. ??

Rob

 

leave it to Kai to patronize h:
but yes it is nice they ditched the distributor since most other companies moved on in the early to mid nineties.

funny tho how you can make 400WHP running only a coil upgrade and stock dissy on a boosted b18c

~kris

 

ya, that is exactly what i meant. i have done it before on other cars and it helped to zero in on the bad cylinder faster. the only thing that is different in your case is that the coils are actually on the spark plug, the cars i have worked on have had external coil packs, with regular spark plug cables running to each plug. i don't know of any adverse effects because of this difference, but this is worth a shot. also, make sure you check the physical condition of each spark plug cuz i have put new plugs in cars, and seen them misfire cuz they were dropped at some point in time, and the crack caused by being dropped opened up further.

are you running platinum or regular plugs(copper)? sometimes a incorrect plug gap may cause this. if your car calls for platinum spark plugs, run platinum only. if it does not call for platinum, make sure you gap the plugs correctly. oh ya, only let the car run for a short time(enough to tell if the cars is running the same or worse). don't prolong the running of the car while it is only running on 3 cylinder. by prolonging it, you get a build up of gas in your exaust while can cause flames, so be careful.

this method is similar to what MBenztech said to do in an earlier post.

 

hey rob sorry i havent gotten back to u in a few days ive been busy. so did u ever try my method of takeing out the spark plug and attaching it to ur coil (wire) and seeing if it sparks when out of the engine? everyone is explaining exactly what i had previously explained... i wish people would read the post befor ethey complicate things more. but im sure rob appreciates all the help. good luck bro u still have my aol name if u need any help ill be around

 

Well, even Mitsubishi has been using a crank fired ignition system for years now... Converting Hondas to crank fired ignition systems used to be "the shit," however...Honda's electronic distibutor system was possibly the best in the business. The only thing that could have made them better was an external coil, which aftermarket systems cured.

 

yes u r right about the DSM's my friend has one and i have done some work on it for him to save him some dough, but mitsu actually uses 2 coil packs and shares 2 cylinders for each coil pack, at least on the DSM's and ill tell you what its fukin smart because if u think about it only 1 of the 2 paired cylinders is firing at any given time...mitsu gets my :thumbup: for that cost cutting solution...but then again mitsu gets my :thumbup: overall for their cost/margin, if you work at/own Mitsu Graveyard or your name is Gary you are the man in this Thread...
Did you know Mitsubishi Motors (ie. Mitsu Car Dealers) accounts for only appx. 3% of total Mitsubishi INC. revenue... THINK ABOUT THAT.
When i apprenticed as an electrician for 2 years (16-18)...do u realize how many MITSU bulding AC units i wired...dozens.

PUNCHLINE: no one could ever take down Mitsu (as a company).

FURTHERMORE: not necesarily reagarding KAI's post: but a 1993 Ford Escort wagon 1.9L has individual (distributor-less) ignition. I wasn't necessarily attacking mazda since i honestly dont know that much about them...i prefer to attack american made cars because in certain area's they MAY show improvement but in the important area's they lack advancement/quality. I will however give credit to SATURN...thats right because GM got smart and decided to test their "ECOTECH" engine until it blew up...and if your a Million $ company like GM/Saturn you can afford to find out what your stock 2.2L Ecotech can do before it blows...and then market a "REDLINE" Saturn based on your results...
of course the "REDLINE" saturn ION with 205HP performs (in my book) HORRIBLY...and i compare this to the 1993, 190HP Prelude VTEC...
look at the 1/4 numbers.

MY POINT IS SIMPLE, NO ONE TOUCHES HONDA IN N/A HORSEPOWER PER LITER.

P.S. - Sorry about the post, normally i try to keep it short.
P.S.S - Kai, Much love...its about engines not manufacturers

~kris

 

there is no need to get upset cuz other people offer different ways of doing things. we all are trying to help him.