Please don’t be put off by the length of this description of my problem, I wanted to provide enough information and specifics of what I’ve done to ensure any suggestions wouldn’t be over ground already covered.

I inherited a 99 Accord LX 4 cly (VTECH) from my daughter, when it failed after filling up with gas on a hot evening. She said the vehicle quit while driving with everything just died. She waited about 30 minutes and the car started and got her home. I came down the next day and picked up the vehicle and trailered home. I took the vehicle for a 20 minute test drive on a hot day with no problem and when parked the vehicle re-started. I installed new plugs, wires, cap, rotor and air filter. Took vehicle for about an hour test drive, ran like a champ, parked in a parking lot and let it sit for 20 minutes and it would not start. Left it in the parking lot for 4 hours and still wouldn’t start, ended up towing home. Here is where my odyssey begins.

I searched the internet and came across this forum and other’s offering several suggestions which I’ve followed. The most likely culprit was said to be the Main Relay, which when tested, tests fine. When the key is turned on the Check Engine light comes on for 2 seconds and goes off with a click of the relay being heard. The fuel pump can be heard. The rocker arms can be seen moving through the oil filler cap during cranking. The plug wire was pulled and a screwdriver installed shorting out to ground showing a intermittent yellow spark. Went ahead and pulled the sparkplug and performed the same test with the same intermittent yellow spark. Changed out the ignition coil and got the same result of the spark test. That brought me to the igniter or ICM, which most said was very unlikely to fail and I had the opportunity to ask a Honda/Acura mechanic, in which he said the same. He indicated the ignition switch might be the problem and gave me a switch to try, which I plugged in and got the same cranking with no start. I went back to the distributor and performed the voltage tests and test light tests recommended. The test light held to the (-) to body ground blinks during cranking indicates a bad brand new coil. The voltage tests during cranking at the negative side of the coil both connected and disconnected show about the same voltage, indicating a bad ICM igniter. If replacing the ICM would cure the problem, I don’t have any problem spending the $200 to replace; the coil if it is bad can be replaced on warranty. I’m afraid the ICM is not the problem and I will be lead down a trail of changing parts as I go, instead of identifying the problem first and repairing. HELP!

 

Hi New member..this looks like a question for one of our Experts..
Go to deserthonda and ask him that question..you can click on his link at the bottom of his signature and tell him your from the HAF and need help.

WheelBrokerAng

 

Thanks WheelBrokerAng for the lead to deserthonda, I wrote an email to them, haven't heard anything as of yet.

Went to the Honda Parts & Service shop yesterday afternoon and explained my problem with the ICM igniter in hand. They informed me they change quite a few of ICMs out due to lack of spark or intermittent spark. Honda said they perform the same on vehicle tests I had performed and were as confused as I was about the conflicting tests between the coil and ICM. The parts guy suggested I take the ICM to Oreillys Auto Parts and have the ICM tested. The mechanic and I both asked at the same time "They can do that?". I went to Oreillys and had the ICM tested, it took longer to find the right leads to their tester than it took to perform the test. The first test showed the ICM to be good, but three additional tests showed the ICM to be bad. The Oreillys guy said he sees that a lot and is why he does the test more than once. He thinks as soon as the unit produces heat due to current flow is why it cause the intermittent failure. I ordered the $200 ICM and already had a replacement coil headed this way. I plan on installing both tonight and you can bet I’ll be holding my breath why I turn the key.

 

Well the new ICM and replacement coil did not bring the Accord to life. I pulled a plug wire and shorted to ground with the spark being yellow for about 4 revolutions and then no spark.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions? I was hoping someone would have responded by now. I didn't think I violated any posting rules that have put me in the no responce zone......

1999 Accord LX 4 clyinder VTECH AT Non-ABS

New parts - Distributor cap, rotor, coil, ICM, wires, sparkplugs, air filter.

Checked Parts - Main relay, fuel pump sound, check engine comes on and goes off, rockers move during cranking, coil & ICM voltage check, test light test on negative side of coil.

Please Help!

 

When I read your post, it seemed like you had your problem figured out when the ICM tested bad. That is why I (and probably others) didn't post. That's what I thought also PA Angelo

Where did you buy the coil and icm? If aftermarket, it is always possible that you got a bad part out of the box.

If you have the original coil, reinstall it and see if your car will start. You can have the new ICM tested at O'Reillys just to be safe.

Carefully check all 4 wires going to the ICM. It could be possible that the wiring has been damaged and had some crappy repair work.

Have you checked for any codes stored on the ECU?

There are some other tests that can be done with the test light to try to figure out what is going on. Report back, then we can proceed with some other tests to try.

 

First off, Thank you very much for your reply and help!

Both the coil & ICM were purchased at O'Reillys. The coil was the second one due to it testing bad using a lamp test to ground and to the negative side of the coil during cranking and the lamp blinking. I made sure to purchase Hitachi brand parts as other's had prewarned about buying cheap parts. I can pull the new ICM and have it tested to ensure its good if you think it will help in the trouble shooting.

I have not only re-installed the original coil, but one by one put the old cap, rotor, plug wires back in service with no luck.

I have visual checked the wires to the ICM and coil, but haven't done a resistance check on any due to having voltage at the coil or ICM during several of the tests performed. Last night I even started to doubt my re-installation of the wires to the ICM, which the service manual I'm using doesn't have a real good schematic showing exact placement, but I had made a drawing pror to pulling the wires the first time. I don't have that with me right now, but could provide a verbal description later, if you think I possibly screwed up the wiring.

When I first got the car and made the intial test run, I stopped at Autozone and had the codes checked, but there wasn't any and the ECU has never dropped a code in the whole time I've had my with it. I don't have a code checker, but would see if I could borrow one or something if you think it would help.

The spark test (screwdriver in plug wire shorted) performed last night after the ICM & coil installation showed a weak yellow spark for about 4 revolutions and then quit. If you reset the ignition switch and tried again, you would get the same weak spark again for 4 revolutions and once again quit.

I willing to perform any test necessary before having buy an additional part that was unnecessary. Thanks again for your help!

 

As suggested I took the new ICM back to Oreillys to be tested to ensure it was good. We tested it 3 times with all tests showing the unit was good.

The wiring to the ICM & Coil is as follows:
-Yel/grn wire coming into distributor is connected to first connector on ICM.
- Blk/yel wire coming into distributor is connected to second connector on ICM and to the positive side of the coil.
- Yel/blk wire from negative side of coil is connected to third connector on ICM bent up at 45 degrees.

I plan on checking the ECU with a code reader tonight to see if it is holding any historic faults. If you have any other ideas or things to try let me know, gasoline and a match are looking more and more favorable.

 

Okie,,,,,,,,a couple of things,, first off sorry that took so long to reply but the e-mail you sent me,, it is the professional e-mail for our business,, sorry to say, but i do not use it to reply to forum e-mails ,, ..
As for your issue,, i know that you used non-factory parts but i doubt that parts would be bad out of the box, ( there is always that possibility ) ,,You have already done most of the diagnose needed that i would have done to solve the issue,, coil. igniter, ign switch,

http://www.techautorepairs.com/ignition.html

try the link above ,,

does car have an alarm system by any chance??

 

Thanks Desert for the reply!

It's funny the link you sent is the exact same information I've been following for trouble shooting. I'm going to check the codes tonight as PA had suggested and get back with that info.

I don't think it has an alarm system or at least I know the radio doesn't as many times as I've disconnected the negative from the battery.

It's got me stumped!

 

Well, no codes stored on the ECU. If it makes any difference the vehicle is an Ultra Low Emission. I'm going to try re-installing the new "checked" ICM and install the original coil in place of the new coil purchased. I'm at a loss, any help would be greatly appreciated.....