Honda Car Forum

i drive a 94 accord lx. i was wondering if theres a way to change the idle
slightly without messin around with the ECU. the idle is just running
slightly slow since i have put on a new distirbutor. is there an
adjusting screw or anything like that? i used to have a ford probe that
just had a screw that could be adjusted.. thanks in advance

ballinjefe22 wrote:
> i drive a 94 accord lx. i was wondering if theres a way to change the idle
> slightly without messin around with the ECU. the idle is just running
> slightly slow since i have put on a new distirbutor. is there an
> adjusting screw or anything like that? i used to have a ford probe that
> just had a screw that could be adjusted.. thanks in advance
>
not unless you reprogram the ecu. if idle is too low since the new
distributor, then the distributor's the problem - it's /not/ the idle
adjustment! you know you have to use a jumper to set the ignition
timing don't you? otherwise your base timing will be too retarded and
idle potentially too low.

ballinjefe22 wrote:

> i drive a 94 accord lx. i was wondering if theres a way to change the idle
> slightly without messin around with the ECU. the idle is just running
> slightly slow since i have put on a new distirbutor. is there an
> adjusting screw or anything like that? i used to have a ford probe that
> just had a screw that could be adjusted.. thanks in advance

What exactly is the idle speed? If it's like my '93, normal low idle speed
should be about 750-800rpm.

BTW, is the new distributor OEM or aftermarket? If it's aftermarket, then
that could be the problem.

"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote
> ballinjefe22 wrote:
>> i drive a 94 accord lx. i was wondering if theres a way
>> to change the idle
>> slightly without messin around with the ECU. the idle is
>> just running
>> slightly slow since i have put on a new distirbutor. is
>> there an
>> adjusting screw or anything like that? i used to have a
>> ford probe that
>> just had a screw that could be adjusted.. thanks in
>> advance
>>
> not unless you reprogram the ecu. if idle is too low
> since the new distributor, then the distributor's the
> problem - it's /not/ the idle adjustment! you know you
> have to use a jumper to set the ignition timing don't you?
> otherwise your base timing will be too retarded and idle
> potentially too low.

When setting the timing, make sure the car is properly
warmed up, too. Follow the directions at the online manual
for your 94 Accord at www.autozone.com .

OEM distributor cap is by far preferred, too. Anything in
the ignition system should use OEM. The few extra bucks are
worth it.

i dont even know what you mean by 'using a jumper'. how would i do that?
and yeah, its an OEM distributor, so i kinda doubt that would be the
problem.

ballinjefe22 wrote:
> i dont even know what you mean by 'using a jumper'. how would i do that?
> and yeah, its an OEM distributor, so i kinda doubt that would be the
> problem.
>
not sure of the location on the accord, but on the civic, there's a lead
with a yellow cap in the passenger well that needs to be shorted out.
an old paper clip stuck into the sockets works fine. it disables the
ecu's electronic advance mechanism so the base timing can be set.

"Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:RzCQf.4793$6I.4080@newsread3.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
> OEM distributor cap is by far preferred, too. Anything in the ignition
> system should use OEM. The few extra bucks are worth it.
>
My son and I are new converts to that, Elle. A week or two ago his car died
and had to be towed home. The finding: his aftermarket rotor just plain
broke. Although it had a metal sleeve around the shaft, the outer plastic
failed. He now has a new OEM rotor and cap (which was also aftermarket).

Mike

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote
> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote
>> OEM distributor cap is by far preferred, too. Anything in
>> the ignition system should use OEM. The few extra bucks
>> are worth it.
>>
> My son and I are new converts to that, Elle. A week or two
> ago his car died and had to be towed home. The finding:
> his aftermarket rotor just plain broke. Although it had a
> metal sleeve around the shaft, the outer plastic failed.
> He now has a new OEM rotor and cap (which was also
> aftermarket).

For the archives, how long did the aftermarket rotor last?

"Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:wMKQf.4953$6I.983@newsread3.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> "Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote
>> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote
>>> OEM distributor cap is by far preferred, too. Anything in the ignition
>>> system should use OEM. The few extra bucks are worth it.
>>>
>> My son and I are new converts to that, Elle. A week or two ago his car
>> died and had to be towed home. The finding: his aftermarket rotor just
>> plain broke. Although it had a metal sleeve around the shaft, the outer
>> plastic failed. He now has a new OEM rotor and cap (which was also
>> aftermarket).
>
> For the archives, how long did the aftermarket rotor last?
>
It must have been 9 months. He was replacing the ignition tune-up parts when
he zapped his ignition coil (the one TeGGeR has a photo of) and that was
last June.

The OEM rotor is made of a dark gray plastic with a textured surface,
instead of the shiny black stuff. The OEM is also one piece, rather than
plastic over a metal sleeve. That interface is the one that failed; the
sleeve stayed on the shaft and the plastic went its own way. I don't know
what those plastics are, but I bet the Honda part isn't as brittle as the
NAPA part. I was a little taken aback by the price of the OEM rotor ($23 US)
but it sure beats a towing bill on top of all the hassle. That was why I
also bought the OEM cap ($25 US)... now he has a spare cap to ward off evil
spirits, too.

Mike

"Michael Pardee" <michaeltnull@cybertrails.com> wrote
> "Elle" <honda.lioness@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote
>> For the archives, how long did the aftermarket rotor
>> last?
>>
> It must have been 9 months. He was replacing the ignition
> tune-up parts when he zapped his ignition coil (the one
> TeGGeR has a photo of) and that was last June.
>
> The OEM rotor is made of a dark gray plastic with a
> textured surface, instead of the shiny black stuff. The
> OEM is also one piece, rather than plastic over a metal
> sleeve. That interface is the one that failed; the sleeve
> stayed on the shaft and the plastic went its own way. I
> don't know what those plastics are, but I bet the Honda
> part isn't as brittle as the NAPA part. I was a little
> taken aback by the price of the OEM rotor ($23 US) but it
> sure beats a towing bill on top of all the hassle. That
> was why I also bought the OEM cap ($25 US)... now he has a
> spare cap to ward off evil spirits, too.

Excellent anecdote on OEM vs. non-OEM for the archives.