A20A3 Weak Spark?

[firefighterwhite89]

The Other Day, I Was Coming Home From Work, And I Turned On My Road And Decided To Give It Hell And Fly Like Normal Down My Road. When I Downshifted And Started Up The Mountain All The Sudden I Heard A Weak Boom And Steam Started Coming Out Of Every Opening Near The Engine Bay Though The Temp Sensor Showed No Rise In Water Temp, So I Pulled Off ASAP, Shut The Car Off And Popped The Hood And My Radiator-To-Water Pump Pipe Had Blown Off Because There Was No Tightening Band On It, And Blew All Over My Dizzy And Area, And Now It's Hard To Get Cranked And We Can't Figure Out What It Might Have Damaged. TDC Sensor Had To Be Replaced Though CYL Sensor Was Fine. Ignitor, Coil And Alternator Checked Out Fine. 2 Month Old Spark Plugs, Cap And Rotor, Still Have Weak Spark Though. Any Ideas?

[rc00netzero]

This is just a guess, but if the coolant came out wit enough force to damage the TDC sensor, it could also have damaged/cracked the dist cap and or wires. I assume you bled air from coolant system when refilling? Any PGM-FI trouble codes?

[Dr_Snooz]

How much dried encrusted coolant is caked inside your distributor cap? I'd clean that up real good first.

[firefighterwhite89]

I'm Not Sure How All The Coolant Got Inside The Distributor, But It Shows Signs In The Front Half. I'll Dissassemble It And Clean It Out Good. And Get Back With What Happens Next.

[Bluntman]

I'm Not Sure How All The Coolant Got Inside The Distributor, But It Shows Signs In The Front Half. I'll Dissassemble It And Clean It Out Good. And Get Back With What Happens Next.

On the distributor between the cap and the housing there is a rubber gasket. When I had my distributor out I noticed a piece of it missing, so I replaced it. It is probably old, torn or brittle. It was like $4.00.

[1987AccordLx-i]

also clean the connector that goes across the dizzy... might have crap inside of it causing a bad signal..

[firefighterwhite89]

Distributors:
all the code's are in bold black letters

Acura

HTO2 Acura CL 98-99 2300cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T9607, D4T97-03

HT06 Acura CL 97 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T94-03

HT09* Acura CL 97-99 3000cc with Hitachi Distributor D6P96-01

TD76 Acura CL 97 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-76U (External Coil)

TD63 Acura EL (Canada) 99-00 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-63U & TD-73U

TD80 Acura EL (Canada) 97 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-80U

TD03 Acura Integra 88-89 1590cc 1st generation JDM ZC Engine with TEC Distributor TD-03U

TD03C Acura Integra 88-89 1590cc 1st generation JDM ZC Engine with TEC Distributor TD-03U w/Chrome Housing

TD23 Acura Integra 90-91 1834cc with TEC Distributor TD-23U, TD-24U

TD44 Acura Integra 92-95 1678cc 2nd Generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-44U

TD44C Acura Integra 92-95 1678cc 2nd Generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-44U & TD-68U w/Chrome Housing

TD44OBD0 Acura Integra 92-93 1678cc N/A

TD55 Acura Integra 92-95 1834cc with TEC Distributor TD-55U, TD-46U

TD68 Acura Integra 92-95 1678cc 2nd generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-68U

TD85 Acura Integra 96-01 1834cc with TEC Distributor TD-85U

TD01T* Acura Legend 86-90 2675cc with TEC Distributor TD-01T

TD68 Acura Type R &GS-R 94-95 1797cc with TEC Distributor TD-68U

TD84 Acura Type R &GS-R 96-01 1797cc with TEC Distributor TD-81U, TD-84U, TD-86U & TD-87U

TD84C Acura Type R &GS-R 96-01 1797cc with TEC Distributor TD-81U, TD-84U, TD-86U & TD-87U w/Chrome Housing

TD11T Acura Vigor 92-94 2456cc with TEC Distributor TD-11T

Honda:

HT01 Honda Accord 94-95 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T92-04 w/One Plug

HT02 Honda Accord 98-02 2300cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T96-07

HT03 Honda Accord 95-97 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D6P94-01 (External Coil) (V6 Engine)

HT06 Honda Accord 96-97 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T94-03

HT09* Honda Accord 98-99 3000cc with Hitachi Distributor D6P96-01

HT28* Honda Accord 86-89 1955cc Carb. Hitachi Non California Emissions Version

TD01N* Honda Accord 86-87 1955cc with TEC Distributor TD-01N w/Programmed F.I.

TD06N* Honda Accord 88-89 1955cc with TEC Distributor TD-06N w/M.T.

TD30 Honda Accord 93-95 2156cc UK Specified ONLY with TEC Distributor TD-30U

TD31 Honda Accord 90-91 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-31U, TD-34U & TD-58U

TD31 Honda Accord 94-95 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-31U, TD-34U & TD-58U

TD42K* Honda Accord 86-89 1955cc with TEC Distributor TD-42K w/M.T. Fed, A.T. All

TD43K* Honda Accord 86-89 1955cc with TEC Distributor TD-43K Exc Programmed F.I. M.T. California Emissions Version

TD52 Honda Accord 92-95 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-52U & TD-59U (External Coil)

TD76 Honda Accord 96-97 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-76U (External Coil)

TD89 Honda Accord 97-00 2200cc JDM H22 (Internal Coil) Type "S" with TEC Distributor TD-89U

HT04 Honda Civic 96-00 1590cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T94-05

TD01 Honda Civic 88-91 1493cc with TEC Distributor TD-01U

TD02 Honda Civic 88-91 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-02U & TD-18U

TD03 Honda Civic 88-91 1590cc 1st generation JDM ZC Engine with TEC Distributor TD-03U

TD22 Honda Civic 88-91 JDM 1st generation JDM "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-22U & TD-28U

TD22C Honda Civic 88-91 JDM 1st generation JDM "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-22U & TD-28U w/Chrome Housing

TD40 Honda Civic 93-95 1493cc UK Specified ONLY with TEC Distributor TD-40U

TD41 Honda Civic 92-95 1493cc with TEC Distributor TD-41U Non-VTEC

TD42 Honda Civic 92-95 1493cc with TEC Distributor TD-42U VTEC

TD42 Honda Civic 92-95 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-42U VTEC

TD42C Honda Civic 92-95 1493cc with TEC Distributor TD-42U VTEC w/Chrome Housing

TD42C Honda Civic 92-95 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-42U VTEC w/Chrome Housing

TD43 Honda Civic 92-95 1590cc 2nd Generation JDM ZC Engine with TEC Distributor TD-43U

TD63 Honda Civic 99-00 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-63U & TD-73U

TD80 Honda Civic 96-00 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-80U & TD-98U

TD84 Honda Civic 96-01 1797cc Si w/"B" Series Engine with TEC Distributor TD-81U, TD-84U, TD-86U & TD-87U

TD84C Honda Civic 96-01 1797cc Si w/"B" Series Engine with TEC Distributor TD-81U, TD-84U, TD-86U & TD-87U w/Chrome Housing

TD41 Honda Civic Del Sol 92-95 1493cc S, with TEC Distributor TD-41U

TD42 Honda Civic Del Sol 92-95 1590cc Si, with TEC Distributor TD-42U

TD44OBD0 Honda Civic Del Sol 92-95 1595cc VTEC

TD80 Honda Civic Del Sol 96-97 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-80U & TD-98U

TD44 Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC 92-95 1595cc 2nd Generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-44U

TD44C Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC 92-95 1595cc 2nd Generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-44U & TD-68U w/Chrome Housing

TD68 Honda Civic Del Sol VTEC 92-95 1595cc 2nd Generation "B" Series with TEC Distributor TD-68U

TD74 Honda CR-V 97-00 2000cc with TEC Distributor TD-74U (Check OE Casting #)

TD85 Honda CR-V 96-98 1834cc with TEC Distributor TD-85U

TD97 Honda CR-V 97-00 2000cc with TEC Distributor TD-97U (Check OE Casting #)

TD01 Honda CRX 88-91 1493cc with TEC Distributor TD-01U

TD02 Honda CRX 88-91 1590cc with TEC Distributor TD-02U & TD-18U

HT05 Honda Odyssey 95 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T93-03 w/TWO Plugs

HT07 Honda Odyssey 96-97 2200cc with Hitachi Distributor D4T94-07

HT10 Honda Passport 96-97 2600cc with Hitachi Distributor D4P94-01

IZ01* Honda Passport 94-96 2559cc 8-94476-143-1

TD01N* Honda Prelude 84-87 1955cc with TEC Distributor TD-01N w/Programmed F.I.

TD02P* Honda Prelude 88-91 1958cc with TEC Distributor TD-02P

TD52 Honda Prelude 92-95 2156cc with TEC Distributor TD-52U & TD-59U Non-VTEC (External Coil)

TD60 Honda Prelude 92-96 2200cc JDM H22 (Internal Coil) with TEC Distributor TD-60U

TD60C Honda Prelude 92-96 2200cc JDM H22 (Internal Coil) with TEC Distributor TD-60U w/Chrome Housing

TD61 Honda Prelude 92-96 2259cc with TEC Distributor TD-61U VTEC (External Coil)

TD61C Honda Prelude 92-96 2259cc with TEC Distributor TD-61U VTEC (External Coil) w/Chrome Housing

TD77 Honda Prelude 97-01 2200cc with TEC Distributor TD-77U (External Coil)


I'm Guessing Mines TD01N?

[firefighterwhite89]

I'm Guessing Mines TD01N?

It Is. Just Found The Code On The External Aluminum Casing.
The Gasket Behind The Cap Is Obliterated. Thanks For That Suggestion. Had No Clue There Was A Gasket There. Currently Taking The Whole Dizzy Apart For A Cleaning.

[MessyHonda]

It Is. Just Found The Code On The External Aluminum Casing.
The Gasket Behind The Cap Is Obliterated. Thanks For That Suggestion. Had No Clue There Was A Gasket There. Currently Taking The Whole Dizzy Apart For A Cleaning.

im sorry...our stock distributor sucks

[firefighterwhite89]

Lol, I Noticed That My Igniter Seemed To Check With Weak Resistance. I Had To Replace The Igniter The First Day I Bought The Car, After Driving Only 10 Or So Miles, And It Did Show The Same Symptoms Of Weak And Sporadic Spark. Here's A Link To A Pic Of The Igniter With The Electric Meter On 1K Ohms.
http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/a...0525001656.jpg
I'm Not Very Electrically Inclined, And Really Have No Clue How To Use An Electrical Meter. May Be Using The Wrong Setting, But It Says It's Supposed To Read 50,000 Ohms Or So At 20*C(70*F).

Also, I Noticed, When I Turn Shaft In The Dizzy Housing, The Reluctor Touches The Stator On One Side 2 Out Of 4 Of The Reluctors Prongs. I Took Pics To Give You Somewhat Of A Better Idea. I Placed A White Sheet Of Paper Behind The Reluctor So You Could Better See The Gaps.
Turn 1 Touches-http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab320/firefighterwhite89/0528000332.jpg
Turn 2 Touches-http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab320/firefighterwhite89/0528000333.jpg
Turn 3 Is Perfect-http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab320/firefighterwhite89/0528000334.jpg
Turn 4 Is Perfect-http://i875.photobucket.com/albums/ab320/firefighterwhite89/0528000334a.jpg
No Matter How Many Places I Moved The Stator, I Can't Seem To Keep An Even Air Gap. Any Ideas Or Suggestions? I'll Have An Igniter By About 9AM This Morning.

[Dr_Snooz]

Bad distributor bearing. They are an odd size and very difficult to find. There is an extended discussion on this beginning at post #21 of this thread:

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66468

I'd just find a junkyard replacement distributor, unless you're up for an OBD1 or EDIS conversion.

[firefighterwhite89]

O'Reilly's Has A Re-manufactured OEM TD01N Distributor Assembly For $365...Would That Work You Think? IDK Anything About Who Re-manufactured It, Or Anything.

[LX-incredible]

Your car is just pissed at you for painting the interior pink...


You'd be better off finding a junkyard dizzy with low miles. Search "Cardone" on here and you'll see other peoples experiences with rebuilds. And yes, they rebuild the majority of them, no matter what mildly homosexual name the parts stores sell them under.

[firefighterwhite89]

OK. Thank You Very Much For The Insight. And I Believe I'm In Just Luck. I Have 2 Of The Exact Distributor Assemblies Sitting Here Beside Me. Had To Take The TDC Sensor From The One I Got Off Of A 1987 Honda Prelude A20A3. Is There A Way To Get The Bearing Out Of The One Dizzy And Into The Other? The Dizzy Off Mine Is Way Cleaner Than The One I Got Off The Prelude, Though, The Bearing On The Preludes Is Good. I Did Notice The Plastic Retainer On My Dizzy, One Of The Sides Of The Bearing Had Come Out And The Balls Had Rolled Together, But Spacing Them Back Out Right Didn't Seem To Help. Here's The Pics Of Both Dizzys.


Prelude Dizzy. Dirty, But With Good Bearing.

My Dizzy. Clean, But Probable Bad Bearing?

The Back Half Of My Old Dizzy With Bad TDC Sensor.

[firefighterwhite89]

A1 Cardone Was The Ones Who Remanufactured The Dizzys. But Chris From Oreillys Said They Also Showed For $248 Richporter Technolgy makes a TEC Distributor That Fits Models TD41K, TD42K And TD44K available at OReilly's. I'm Checking In On It ATM. They Don't Have A Pic Of It On There Website, And Only One Mention Of Them Upon Searching. https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthrea...ght=Richporter

[LX-incredible]

Unlikely. The only new distributors they make for our cars are for the carbed models. At least that's all I've seen. The RTs are manufactured in Taiwan

[Oldblueaccord]

Bad distributor bearing. They are an odd size and very difficult to find. There is an extended discussion on this beginning at post #21 of this thread:

https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66468

I'd just find a junkyard replacement distributor, unless you're up for an OBD1 or EDIS conversion.

I didn't look at the link again....

I kinda thought I had found one that would work but I was ignored and I never really followed up on it.

Try a bearing place let them hunt around for you.

Motions not bad and there main warehouse is somewhere near you.

http://www.motionindustries.com/moti...ocationsMI.jsp



wp

[LX-incredible]

The mechanical advance on these will usually fail before the bearing. Remove the advance plate so we can have a look.

2 Screwdrivers will pry the reluctor off of there. Don't pry on the teeth though!!! Remove the ignitor from the outside, then the pickup coil and wires. Remove the e clip from the vacuum advance arm, remove the vacuum advance, and finally the 2 screws that hold the advance plate in. Do not remove the large plastic ring from the advance plate! The tiny ball bearings will go everywhere.

Once you have it off you can see the condition of the mechanical advance. The ball bearing is located under the advance. You'll need to remove the reluctors at the bottom of the shaft by driving out the roll pin. Be sure to mark the reluctor sleeve and shaft with a scribe! If installed 180º off it wont run. You'll then need to remove the 3 screws under the advance and pull it out. Bearing can be removed from the shaft with a puller. If you're ghetto and feel lucky, leave the screws on the bearing retainer plate and tap the shaft through with a hammer and block of wood.

[ecogabriel]

I would not spend money on a rebuilt distributor; just rebuild it yourself. It is not going to be worse and you'll spend A LOT LESS and if you are a little careful you'll get a far better result (and cheaper did I say that?)

Get a jy dizzy (FI if yours is EFI) and test the sensors -use the service manual for the values you should be seeing- and swap the sensor/s that are out of range. Same for vacuum advance, centrifugal advance and the other parts.
BE CAREFUL WITH THE WIRES!!! if the are like in mine they are hardened after 20+years of being heated up, cooled down and (in my case) bathed on hot engine oil (leaky distributor shaft seal)

I have been checking prices for the bearing; two places have replied and sent me prices. The bearing runs at about $22 shipped (give or take an extra buck).
One of the places is BDI, http://www.bdi-usa.com
The other is VXB bearings or something of that sort...

The OE brand for the bearing is Nachi and the code is 6201/012NSL.

(Side note for technicians) there is a 6201 bearings that have 13mm. inner diameter. If someone does machining (e.g. a lathe) I wonder if a sleeve can be made that accomodates the 6201 w/13mm in our smaller diameter shaft (12.5mm or so). That would be killer since the bearing is a LOT cheaper and far easier to get. If a sleeve can be made economically... I would get one)

Back to rebuild, get the distributor shaft seal since you are at it; I got mine online but can't recall from where. Check ebay just in case.

Where the shaft seal sits there is a bushing; that one may be worn and introduce free play although it is always lubricated with the splashing oil so it is not as likely (mine was OK). Just check it; it seems that Rockauto carries those bushings.

When replacing the ignitor (you have to replace yours, right?), get a silicon grease tube; they run $3-4 at RAdioshack and will help in transmitting heat from the igniter to the dizzy body. A THIN layer is enough -it just fills the minimal gaps between metal to metal.

Follow the lazy dizzy rebuild thread; I pretty much did that even though I had not read the thread at that time.

So the only thing left to replace in my dizzy is the bearing; weights and springs looked OK. I would have replaced them had I found them for sale (they are not, unfortunately)

One last tip: make sure you took pictures or somehow are sure how to reassemble the wheels that interact with the lower distributor sensors.That info is using for the sequential fuel injection and should be accurate

besides the 3g dizzy repair I repair the one in our gayota camry; the only good thing (besides being easier to disassemble) was that both bearing and seals were standard sizes. Both have not leaked oil since (the reason why I took both apart)

[lostforawhile]

I would not spend money on a rebuilt distributor; just rebuild it yourself. It is not going to be worse and you'll spend A LOT LESS and if you are a little careful you'll get a far better result (and cheaper did I say that?)

Get a jy dizzy (FI if yours is EFI) and test the sensors -use the service manual for the values you should be seeing- and swap the sensor/s that are out of range. Same for vacuum advance, centrifugal advance and the other parts.
BE CAREFUL WITH THE WIRES!!! if the are like in mine they are hardened after 20+years of being heated up, cooled down and (in my case) bathed on hot engine oil (leaky distributor shaft seal)

I have been checking prices for the bearing; two places have replied and sent me prices. The bearing runs at about $22 shipped (give or take an extra buck).
One of the places is BDI, http://www.bdi-usa.com
The other is VXB bearings or something of that sort...

The OE brand for the bearing is Nachi and the code is 6201/012NSL.

(Side note for technicians) there is a 6201 bearings that have 13mm. inner diameter. If someone does machining (e.g. a lathe) I wonder if a sleeve can be made that accomodates the 6201 w/13mm in our smaller diameter shaft (12.5mm or so). That would be killer since the bearing is a LOT cheaper and far easier to get. If a sleeve can be made economically... I would get one)

Back to rebuild, get the distributor shaft seal since you are at it; I got mine online but can't recall from where. Check ebay just in case.

Where the shaft seal sits there is a bushing; that one may be worn and introduce free play although it is always lubricated with the splashing oil so it is not as likely (mine was OK). Just check it; it seems that Rockauto carries those bushings.

When replacing the ignitor (you have to replace yours, right?), get a silicon grease tube; they run $3-4 at RAdioshack and will help in transmitting heat from the igniter to the dizzy body. A THIN layer is enough -it just fills the minimal gaps between metal to metal.

Follow the lazy dizzy rebuild thread; I pretty much did that even though I had not read the thread at that time.

So the only thing left to replace in my dizzy is the bearing; weights and springs looked OK. I would have replaced them had I found them for sale (they are not, unfortunately)

besides the 3g dizzy repair I repair the one in our gayota camry; the only good thing (besides being easier to disassemble) was that both bearing and seals were standard sizes. Both have not leaked oil since (the reason why I took both apart)

can they get the bearing and seal for the carb cars? i can get dizzys all day with worn bearings and seals, and it's easy to dismantle them.

[ecogabriel]

can they get the bearing and seal for the carb cars? i can get dizzys all day with worn bearings and seals, and it's easy to dismantle them.

Good question. Now another

It seems that the weights (and maybe the springs) from the Hitachi distributor are available from the link below

http://www.hondapartscheap.com/south...%29&vinsrch=no

Would those work in a TEG distributor? Anyone with experience in both dizzies?

[Dr_Snooz]

I Did Notice The Plastic Retainer On My Dizzy, One Of The Sides Of The Bearing Had Come Out And The Balls Had Rolled Together, But Spacing Them Back Out Right Didn't Seem To Help.

I think that's your problem. If the distributor bearing rolls freely, then just replace that plastic ring (or the entire plate) and you should be good to go. Do a Lazy Rebuild (I posted the link above) and you're ready to rock.

[firefighterwhite89]

I think that's your problem. If the distributor bearing rolls freely, then just replace that plastic ring (or the entire plate) and you should be good to go. Do a Lazy Rebuild (I posted the link above) and you're ready to rock.

How Would I Replace The Plastic Ring? I Thought It Came Made With The Bearing? I'm Going To Check On The Bearing In The Older Dizzy, And Attmept A Few More Things. Thank You For All The Good Info So Far. I'll Get Back With The Progress ASAP.

[Dr_Snooz]

It should lift right out. Use a needle-nosed pliers and pull straight up. Be very gentle and go slowly because they are very brittle and will break if you sneeze on them.

Alternatively, you could just swap over a whole plate with an unbroken plastic ring.

[firefighterwhite89]

OK. Now. I Got It. You Guys Are Brilliant, Swapped Out Bearings Though I Had To Surgically Remove 4 Rusted Screws, 2 Holding The Pickup Coil, 2 Holding The Set Plates. lol. That Was A Job Right There. Anyways, Put The Good Bearing In A Bowl Of 10w/40 Synthetic Motor Oil And Span It Around Many Times, Getting Any And All Metal Shards/Dirt/Any Debris Out And After About 15 Or 20 Minutes The Bearing Rolled Just Like New. Perfect Bearing. Fit It In The Dizzy, And Put It All Back Together And Holy Crap, It's Fixed. Perfectly Even Air Gap Every Time I Turn It, Every Prong On The Reluctor, Perfect Spacing...Finally. I'm Pretty Confident This Fixed The Weak Sporadic Firing Of The Plugs. Now It's Just For The Trying To See If It Fixed It Part. It's 3:45A.M. Here And All 3 Of Our Neighbors Hate Me And My Roommates Hondas Enough To Call The Local Law Enforcement On Us For Our Cars. It's Perfect Timing To Try It. Wake Up Ruth Alabama. <---I Hope This Fixed It.