Honda Car Forum

Hello everyone, my Integra had the check engine light on and the muffler smelled of unburned gas. The car had loss of power and idling rough, so I suspected one of the spark plugs was not firing. In addition, sometimes the car would start and sometimes it wouldn't after cooling down in freezing weather... when it wouldn't start, the engine wouldn't crank and not a sound would be heard, but the dashboard lights would come on and the battery was fully charged. After running the car and warming up, it would start much more often on the first try at turning the key.In order to find which spark plug was dead, I started the car and with the car running, I removed one of the spark plug wires from the valve cover, which made the car turn off immediately. I reconnected the wire and went to start the car again, but it never started again! This time it cranks (engine turns over) every single time (unlike before), except there is no start.I towed it to the mechanic and they diagnosed a bad distributor. They're asking $400 for parts and labor.It would seem to me that either the Top Dead Sensor or the Camshaft Position Sensor is failing, but they want to replace the whole enchilada.Any ideas on why unplugging the wire while the car was running made this car not start anymore?Thanks in advance for any info.To update, I checked all the fuses under the hood and they are fine. I also tried starting the car with starting fluid and it didn't make a difference. The wire I pulled was # 4, which is closest to the distributor and also has the shortest spark plug wire.

idk but you can pull a plug,keep it in plug wire and turn it over to see if you have spark.Did you check LED light on ECU under carpet on passenger side floor board to see if you have a error code.Just turn key to run with out starting and count flashes.example:4 long and 3 short is 43.

I can tell you that you most have pulled the #1 plug wire for it to die out like that, #4 plug is the one closest to the distributor then #3 is next then #2 and # 1 is the last one , so from the distributor it 4-3-2-1. I believe you blow a fuse and it's not getting fuel . Check the fuses in the fuse box under the hood. when you turn the key to the on position if the check engine light is on your car isn't going to start, it will spin over ,but wont start because the fuel pump doesn't have power when the check engine light is on. I have an integra that i have to turn the key on and wait for the check engine light to go off before it will start, you will here the fuel pump kick in. P.S You may need to replace that plug that you pulled the wire off of.

it is a very common problem with older Acurus and Honda's,cam & tdc sensor are in dist. you cannot buy them separate.$400.00 not a bad price

just get a distributor from the junk yard and do it yourself...or get a remanufactor one from a parts store and do it...it will save you about 250 dollors...maybe even more....

Four hundred dollars isn't really a bad price. If it for some reason doesn't fix the problem then it's on your mechanic. Just for future refrence starting fluid is never a good option.