"dgk" <dgk (AT) somewhere (DOT) com> wrote
I would not write off this shop just yet.

Some folks here on occasion have reported picking up a
really cheap distributor housing, coil, and igniter at
Autozone for an older Honda. They wrote that, if the
assembly lasted a year, they'd be happy. Overall, this does
not seem like a bad gamble to me. I just plan to keep my old
Civic more than a year.

Hang on; don't give up just yet. It's very possible you have
turned a corner here, and the money you put into it recently
will be the last big wad for several years. This is what I
am finding with my 91 Civic.

Remember that the original distributor housing (and coil and
igniter?) failing was pretty predictable. Now it should be
good for I figure at least a year; maybe three or more. And
you know a little what to look for when the car next gives
you problems.

Lot of city driving or other extreme conditions
(temperatures?)?

"Tegger" <tegger (AT) tegger (DOT) c0m> wrote
Perhaps they can but reports here indicate distribubor
components are Thee Achilles heel of Hondas c. 1990. It's
why your site has an extensive FAQ section on the subject,
after all.

"Elle" <honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote in news:TYDSh.19989
$PL.14028 (AT) newsread4 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net:


Yeah, that's right.

But my observations indicate to me that most Honda ignition failures are
due to neglect and incorrect servicing, hence the FAQ page.

The only two exceptions to the above are
1) 1990 igniter failures (for which there was a TSB), and
2) 1992+ distributor shaft bearing failures (again a TSB).

With proper servicing, Honda ignition components last almost forever.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Tegger" <tegger (AT) tegger (DOT) c0m> wrote

Those are controversial statements, but I think they hold up. We already
know Honda ignitions are unusually powerful, in that they will destroy the
coil in short order if the energy isn't directed elsewhere. It stands to
reason the entire system is designed to direct that energy to the plug gap.
Inadequate leads or rotors or caps can only be trouble, causing some of the
energy to be dissipated where it shouldn't be.

Mike

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull (AT) cybertrails (DOT) com> wrote in
news:E9ydne7MDqZJ3YHbnZ2dnUVZ_tunnZ2d (AT) sedona (DOT) net:



Yes they are.





No more than any other. They generate the usual 15~20KV to strike the
spark, then drop to 4 or 5KV for the duration of the spark.



For shortened ignition life, you're primarily looking for extended
periods of overvoltage, such as would result from worn and overly-large
plug gaps.

Secondarily, you're looking for coil damage that's due to HT current
that can't go its proper route, and so burrows its way through the coil
insulation to ground.

Tertiarily, there are igniter failures that may cascade from the
aforementioned coil failures, or from poorly-installed or aftermarket
parts.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Tegger" <tegger (AT) tegger (DOT) c0m> wrote
Maybe yours did, in your cold Canadian climate. Otherwise I
haven't seen data to convince me that Honda ignition systems
are superior.

"Elle" <honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote

I would agree with the 'turn the corner' idea. I bought my 1991 Honda Accord
in 2003. I was plagued with a few problems soon after the purchase,
including your distributor problem. (It was replaced by a used one to the
tune of about $300 parts+labor; so far so good.) Another ordeal started when
the driver's side window came out of track. I tried to remedy the problem
myself, with no luck. The next day the door wouldn't open. I thought I had
messed something up, and turned the whole thing over to a garage. After
diagnosing the infamous 'frozen latch' problem, they ended up removing the
seat to get at the innards of the door, finally cutting it open, replacing
the latch and, ultimately, the window. You see, there are little clamps on
the window... once they come off, you just have to get a new window...

I was going to say, after THOSE problems, things have been pretty good. But
reading my own previous paragraph has given me a chill down my spine!

-- R Flowers

"R Flowers" <rflowers (AT) Tinbowlinggreen (DOT) com> wrote
Yes, I think I know what you mean. From 2002-2003, My 91
Civic went through a year of several breakdowns, with a
Honda dealership and other shops repeatedly just
"re-fastening" the distributor rotor without identifying
that the distributor shaft's threads (into which the rotor's
set screw fits) had stripped.

But all's been well since; no trips to the shop. Though I
now do all my own maintenance (knock on wood) and did
pre-emptively replace/repair some major items. Naturally
with much assistance from this ng.

jim beam <spamvortex (AT) bad (DOT) example.net> wrote in
news:a6ydnZGDWcRm14HbnZ2dnUVZ_vmqnZ2d (AT) speakeasy (DOT) net:



You're referring to flame speed.

Spark-strike voltage is mostly a function of the gap the spark has to
jump.

Neglected plugs that have their gaps widened to double original gap (or
more) dramatically raise strike voltage.

If the spark has created a path to ground in the plug well in the valve
cover, it's jumping a gap that can be a quarter-inch or more. Big jump
in voltage there.









So does a home PC's CPU. They're made to take the heat.




--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"Elle" <honda.lioness (AT) nospam (DOT) earthlink.net> wrote in news:bTYSh.20288
$PL.12315 (AT) newsread4 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net:


I don't think they are either. I think it's timely servicing with top-
quality components that extends life.

I asked a few parts-house countermen about the market for remanned Honda
distributors. Apparently they sell quite steadily, so igniters and coils
are dying up here as well.

--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/