Ok i Have a 99 Accord with the 2.3L vtec motor and the problem i have does not happen all the time and that is why it makes it difficult to diagnose. When it does act up the car will crank and then start but then sound like the engine is misfiring or choking or not getting enough gas. It makes this sound for about one min. than it smooths out like nothing ever happened. Then every once in a blue moon it doesnt start at all. It would crank but not start. i checked to see if getting fuel by hearing for the pump to prime and it does sound like its sending fuel, plus it smells like fuel is reaching the engine. Next i check to see if getting spark. Now I did get a spark out of every plug wire. Now i have 178700 miles on the car and everything that has been replaced since i have had the car with 150000 miles on it, is water pump, timing belt, new radiator, oil pressure switch, new seals for vtec solenoid, spark plugs, plug wires,distributor cap, iginition switch, and 2 heater hoses. Now I do notice ever since i fixed the leak with the vtec solenoid, about 3000 miles ago, oil is leaking worse than before out of the distributor and distributor cap. Plus it still seems maybe the vtec solenoid may be leaking but it may just be from oil coming from the distributor or maybe the pcv valve. There is visible oil leaking on the transmission and heater hose beneath the distributor, which i thought would be fixed by taking care of the vtec solenoid. Now after testing just about everything i can think of I believe that the distributor might be failing or maybe even the ignition coil inside the distributor because of all the oil leaking in the distributor. I believe it might be the problem because like i said before it only does it sometimes. but occuring more and more frequent. Please, I need help finding out the problem before I get stranded for good.

 

Since it only does this once in a while....as you said, testing is hard.

Yes, I would take car of the oil leak. This sounds like the internal seal in the dist is leaking....there is also an o-ring that could leak but you stated oil is inside.

There are some write up on replacing the seal in the dist or you will have to go for a new/reman one.

 

Thank you. When I replace distributor I will give an update. Also do you know or anyone else know what other parts other than Vtec solenoid and Distributor leaks oil on that side of the engine?

 

It's possible for the valvecover to leak at that end, but you should see that by looking carefully for the source.