After help from several of you guys I thought I'd post again, I just came in from towing the civic home from the high school, again. I have replaced the Coil, the cap, the rotor, the igniter. Every time I take this darned thing apart, for whatever reason, when I put it back together it starts, and I think I've solved it, but then after driving for a few cycles it won't start to save it's soul, no spark. I'm sure that the problem isn't the distributor, well, actually I guess I'm not sure, I guess the only thing left in the distributor is the interupter? Nothing else in it to replace? Now I'm thinking that it could be the ECM. I'm running out of options -

 

Is your main relay in good conditions because Honda's tend to get faulty relays

 

Very frustrating. It sounds like a bad distributor wire/connection that intermittently fails.

In the car's current state of not starting, perhaps it would be informative to perform the Igniter Unit Input test detailed in my post from your previous thread:

https://www.hondacivicforum.com/m_52.../tm.htm#527320

The results of the test might identify a faulty wire within or leading to the distributor.

 

sounds like a short in the wiring. i had a 91 hatch that it would do it and i found out it was the dis. plugs had a short.

 

Okay I ran the tests again, thanks for suggesting that Ron. They all passed. I was sure that after I ran them all that it would start but it did not. I had removed the distributor again, I've got that task down to about five minutes, and looked for anything I may have missed, and I cleaned it, again, no change. Tried to start it, no spark. Then I went back to your service manual page and it said double check continuity between the iginter and the distro, I checked that again, BTW - I had reinstalled the distro, continuity was fine. But then I wanted to check power to the white wire/blue stipe again, when I did I accidently touched the igniter ground with my multi-meter then I said, now it'll start, and it did. It ran for about a minute then quit. I'm thinking (guessing) that it's the main relay. That's the next effort, I'm going to remove it and clean the terminals, I guess. Not sure what else to do?

 

I don't believe that the main relay has any major effect on production of spark at the plugs.

 

I have removed the relay, no cracked solder joints, futher more, I can hear and feel all three clicks, I believe that the relay is working correctly. And I also acklowledge that it doesn't affect spark except that I thought that it turned on the ignition? But no point in debating, I yield, I'm happy to be wrong, besides, the relay is fine. All I now the darned thing has no spark I haven't a clue why . . . Now I'm going to put this part back together.

 

have you checked the ignition switch ? Are you getting fuel when you lose spark

 

I apologize if I offended you. You may be correct about the main relay. I just wasn't aware of such a function.

Would it be worth purchasing a used distributor assembly/housing from a salvage yard and then testing whether a swap (in conjunction with your new distributor components) solves the problem?

In the meantime, would it also be worth testing the new coil? If so, here's how to do it:

 

Ron: I can't express how much I appreciate you're help in posting replies on this. You haven't offended me in the least, not at all. I haven't looked at your last post yet, but I will in a moment. Right now I have to take a minute and calm down . . . HA! I just did the igniter test again, to prove that I'm both insane, and that the igniter needs to be replaced, per the test, the new igniter is bad. I took 15 mintues and put the old one back in, didn't make any difference. But I don't think it was the igniter. And yes, I wish I had bought a new distro, I could have bought one on eBay for what I've paid in parts, and I still may. I'll be shopping in a few minutes. I'll check the coil per your provided test, thank you for that, sincerely; however, the coil is new about a week ago, albeit, aftermarket, autozone.

Ya' know, the solution is something real simple, it usually is, I don't know what I'm missing, but it's something I've overlooked. I just don't get it, the distro has power, but there's no spark, I don't get it?