hey everyone i have a 1994 honda accord and i had someone put a 96 accord motor in it along with new timing belt and water pump and i paid them up front which was dumb because they didnt get it running and towed it over without it turning on. it turns over but wont catch. it looked at the belt and its fine so it has to be a spark issue right? i had someone else look at it and he told me its because they didnt put the computer for the 96 engine in that will make it work with my 94. i managed to get the computer for it but i dont know where it goes or how to install it. could this be the culprit behind the spark issue?

 

The 94 and 96 engine blocks are almost identical. All you need is the 94 distributor installed on the 96 engine and your 94 engine computer will work without problems. Find out what distributor they installed on your engine.

EDIT: Find out if they used your 94 engine wire harness or the engine wire harness from the 96.

Start with the simple stuff first. The easiest is the spark plug firing order. Cylinder 1 is on the driver's side of the engine block. 2, 3, then 4 is on the passenger side (so count from right to left looking at the engine from the front bumper). The firing order is 1, 3, 4, 2. You look at the distributor from the passenger side of the car, find the #1 wire then next is #3, next #4, and finally #2.

 

oh man that makes sense. i had a feeling it was something simple like that. you have no idea how much this helps this car has been out of commision for over a year now. so do with the engine being swapped out that would make the distributor cap not work but wouldnt effect the ignition coil right?

also can you explain exactly how to do the spark plug firing order? im a little confused. sorry im new at this stuff. i know i can fix this though if this is the problem.

also how do i get the computer he brought into my car again?

thanks

 

also, so do you mean i would have to replace the distributor as a whole or just the cap?

 

Whole dist from a 94-95 is needed - being they kept the wire harness from the original car. On the 96-97 engines they moved a sensor for the ignition system from the dist to the crank so that is why - we are assuming - you are not getting spark from the 96 dist that is currently in the car.

 

Is your car an LX, DX, or EX? The EX distributor is different. If you can post a picture of your distributor, that would help. You could also tell us the number or wires and wire colors going to the electrical connector(s) of distributor.

We don't know if they used the 94 or the 96 distributor. We also don't know if they used the 94 original wire harness or the 96 wire harness.

Checking the firing order is easy. Follow spark plug #1 from the engine to the distributor. The next plug clockwise on the distributor (looking from the passenger side) should be going to the #3 cylinder. Then 4, then 2. Dose this make sense?

 

its an LX i just tried taking pics for you let me know if you need better ones. This guy texted me back and said he put the 96 dist with it.

https://i.imgur.com/eH4t4FP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HuFUNvz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aPzD0wc.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/i49txIe.jpg

Do those help? And no im not understanding what you are referring to with those instructions i guess. Is that what im doing to check spark plugs? Im sorry man this is the first time ive really been doing this on my own. This is our only car and weve been stuck without it because this guy didnt fix it. I really appreciate this


Oh i think i get what you mean. Im just looking at the way they are connected?

 

That second picture shows that the firing order is correct. Your LX distributor has one spark plug wire coming from the middle and going to the coil. Your distributor is the bottom picture.



There are some clips that hold the spark plug wires to help prevent them from rubbing and shorting. I attached a picture. Not critical for getting the car to start.

 

I can't see the distributor connector very well.

There should be a connector with 4 wires and another connector with 6 wires.

 

okay so to confirm in order to get the car to start i need to replace the whole distributor with a 94 one right? And then replace all those spark plugs in the back of the engine? And get those clips? Theoretically it should run after that correct?


Also, so i just checked where the computer is supposed to go and theres a metal box type thing thats screwed shut but im assuming that its in there? If so, i dont need the 96 computer anymore correct? I could maybe sell it to get the distributor?