Honda Car Forum

I have a 91 Accord... I found it cheap and have been tinkering with it.
The problem? It runs good for a very short time and then wants to die
at low RPMs. The longer it runs the worse it preforms at low RPM. As
soon as you get above 1.5/2K it runs great...

I have fixed the main relay, rewired and replaced most of the dist.
including the ignitor module, cleaned the throttle body, and kicked it
really hard.. None of which work.

I wonder if perhaps the main relay needs to be looked at again. Or
what?

Any suggestions would be GREAT. Thanks you all.

This sounds a lot like a failing distributor coil.

Some cheaper stuff to replace, first (and they're due anyway within a couple
of years or so):
Air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs, distributor cap 'n rotor, ignition
wires.


<jostorama@gmail.com> wrote
> I have a 91 Accord... I found it cheap and have been tinkering with it.
> The problem? It runs good for a very short time and then wants to die
> at low RPMs. The longer it runs the worse it preforms at low RPM. As
> soon as you get above 1.5/2K it runs great...
>
> I have fixed the main relay, rewired and replaced most of the dist.
> including the ignitor module, cleaned the throttle body, and kicked it
> really hard.. None of which work.
>
> I wonder if perhaps the main relay needs to be looked at again. Or
> what?
>
> Any suggestions would be GREAT. Thanks you all.
>

Ahh.. I should of mentioned, the cap, rotor, and air filter are new.

"Elle" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message news:4Ci4f.2107$hY6.985@newsread1.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
> This sounds a lot like a failing distributor coil.

"Distributor coil" is a term not widly used. Either ignition coil or reluctor coils. :-|

<jostorama@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1129425259.893064.241280@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...

> I have a 91 Accord... I found it cheap and have been tinkering with it.
> The problem? It runs good for a very short time and then wants to die
> at low RPMs. The longer it runs the worse it preforms at low RPM. As
> soon as you get above 1.5/2K it runs great...
> I have fixed the main relay, rewired and replaced most of the dist.
> including the ignitor module, cleaned the throttle body, and kicked it
> really hard.. None of which work.
> I wonder if perhaps the main relay needs to be looked at again. Or
> what? Any suggestions would be GREAT. Thanks you all.

From reading your past post it sounds like a bad distributor housing.
Since your igniter is new check the distributor shaft for stability at all
rpm. Years back this model had problems with the distributor shaft
interfering with the reluctor coil.

Troubleshoot may require hooking it to a scope or swap the
distributor housing after using the best device you already have, your
eyes.

Burt,

This is a new concept for me. Most of the suggestions have been change
your plugs/swap your wires/ etc.

What does a new housing run? Would a completely new distributor do the
trick since it changes the coil, the housing, and everything else?

<jostorama@gmail.com> wrote in message news:1129566056.691937.57140@f14g2000cwb.googlegro ups.com...

> This is a new concept for me.
> Most of the suggestions have been change
> your plugs/swap your wires/ etc.

The concept is that the signal from the reluctor pickup coil should
be clean. Since the signal error is more noticeable at low rpm and
the ECU is a solid state device I am pointing to the housing
problem. Also, an error from the reluctor will get your rpm jumping
wildly.

> What does a new housing run?

The housing is estimate $145, a whole new set $245-350. Back
in those days, I'd just swap the bearing for $0.50. That's where
the problem originates.

> Would a completely new distributor do the trick since it changes
> the coil, the housing, and everything else?

Yes, if you run a test thru my scope and I'd confirmed it. Otherwise,
it's up to you.

Burt S. wrote:

> The housing is estimate $145, a whole new set $245-350. Back
> in those days, I'd just swap the bearing for $0.50. That's where
> the problem originates.

I would think that replacing the bearing alone would be fine as long as the
housing hasn't accumulated any of that infamous red dust. Otherwise, the
housing would need to be replaced as well. When my '93 Accord was infected
with the red dust, the housing, cap and rotor were replaced.

"Burt S." <BurtSquareman@none.com> wrote
> <jostorama@gmail.com> wrote
> > This is a new concept for me.
> > Most of the suggestions have been change
> > your plugs/swap your wires/ etc.
>
> The concept is that the signal from the reluctor pickup coil should
> be clean. Since the signal error is more noticeable at low rpm and
> the ECU is a solid state device I am pointing to the housing
> problem. Also, an error from the reluctor will get your rpm jumping
> wildly.
>
> > What does a new housing run?
>
> The housing is estimate $145, a whole new set $245-350. Back
> in those days, I'd just swap the bearing for $0.50. That's where
> the problem originates.

A new housing from an online Honda parts company (still OEM and often much
cheaper than the dealer) runs $248. Coil and ignitor run an additiobnal $71
and $76, respectively. You're looking at $400 easily.

Probably a good investment for this 91 Accord.

Alternatively, if you don't plan to keep the car long, you might try a
non-OEM distributor (housing; coil; ignitor; the whole shebang) from
Autozone. Some guy here paid about $200 for this. I wouldn't expect it to
last long.

There is a test you can do on the distributor coil. www.autozone.com has a
free online manual that provides it.

Possibly lean misfire due to vacuum leak since it becomes noticeable
once the cold engine fuel enrichment stops and occurs at high
vacuum/part throttle, e.g., under 2000 RPM.