guitarswheelies

My 95 Integra GSR 140k wouldn't fire Wed morning. Been running great. Cranks but no fire at all. Has fuel-will shoot 2 feet of gas from the gauge port in the filter. Checked and there is no spark. I tried the OBD. With the jumper wire in place and the key "On" the check engine light comes on and stays on. Is this a "zero" code indicating the computer is suspect?. The check engine light is not normally on. I've read other similiar posts-check the coil and voltage at ECM. Boy, the rotor is hard to get off and I don't want to crack it! any ideas?

guitarswheelies

RE your reply-the I rotated the rotor by pushing the car in gear. If the belt was blown the rotor wouldn't turn if you push the car , right? Something in the head turns the distributor which is turned by the crank and connected by the belt. No belt no rotor turn , right?

JimBlake

When you jumper the SCS connector, the light will stay on solid if there's no errors. A code 'ZERO' is when the light doesn't come on (but check for burned-out bulb).

Yeah, if the timing belt was gone the distributor wouldn't turn. But if the belt lost a few teeth & the timing skipped, it would still turn. To check that you gotta take off the valve cover & check the camshaft timing marks.

No spark. I'd guess coil or ignitor. You can check the resistances of the coil, but the easy way to check the ignitor is swap in a good one.

guitarswheelies

Thanks for your reply. One question-what's the ignitor? Is that ECM that is inside the distributor cap and costs $205 at National Auto? I'll try reading the coil soon. That part is only $70! Don't have any spares available.
OK, I'll go outside now in the 10degree snow and try to work on it!

JimBlake

ECM = engine control module. Controls the entire engine, located inside.
ICM = ignition control module. Small amplifier-type thing inside distributor. Lotsa people call it an ignitor.

guitarswheelies

I read the coil with an ohmeter. Its 6/10 ohm on the primary and 9000 ohms on the secondary. That seems alight, maybe a little low but its 10 degrees here outside and that lowers coil resistance! I ordered the ingnitor from Auto Zone for $169.I'll let you know how it goes. That rotor was impossible to get off! The metal bushing part is still on the distributor shaft. I had to crack the plastic part. Its push on-no set screw.

guitarswheelies

I got the parts and went to remove the ignitor that's in there now. My question-do you rotate/pull out slightly the distributor to get at those two mount screws? These screws are pointing front but downwards and are on the underside of the distributor. The a cooling system housing, maybe for the thermostat, that prevents you front connecting a screwdriver at that angle.

Provocateur

You need to remove the rotor first and then you should be able to get at them easily. If you are still having issues, you may be better off removing the whole distributor and working on it outside the car.

guitarswheelies

Hey Shmoo yeah I'm gonna pull the distributor and work on it inside. Its like 15 degrees here today and the car is plowed in now with like 2 feet of disgusting freezing snow. The Haynes manual shows the distributor with the thermostat housing removed. That's too much funky detail for cold fingers-pulln' off hoses, etc

guitarswheelies

Yes, bought a new ignitor for $245 from Acura and it still doesn't start! Ugh.... I hate that feeling! I'm gonna try replacing the coil. If the computer is bad will the car still get spark?

I was reading something about Saturn and they won't start when there is a bad crank sensor. Didn't show any code for this guy either. Can this be the problem?