well, it's not the ignition switch saga..
 

Troubleshooting:

After reading and posting exstensively on these boards....It sound like it could be either the ICM, Coil, bad distributor (least likely) or namely the ignition switch.

Fist thing I did was order and replace the ignition switch. Car still wouldn't start. I then replaced all plugs, cap and rotor. Still wouldn't start. Today, via my manual I checked resistance(ohms) on my coil. Coil looked good. Then I tried checking the voltage on my ICM. it didn't seem to be reading anything. (I will mention that I wasn't exactly sure what setting to check this on my multimeter as the book says to check for voltage from the battery. I tried all the settings and didn't seem to get any reading. (FYI I checked from the yellow/black).

I do have the DIY from deserthonda that explains how to see if it's the ingitor (is this the ICM) or the coil, but it's just me and I have nobody to crank the engine over while useing the voltage light.

SHE FINALLY TURNED OVER, HOWEVER:

So after plugging everything back together, I gave the car another turn and she started. However, she seemed to be idling at 500 and if I gave her gas (this is all while parked) she would sometimes stumble and then just die. While I had her running I went back and shook the wire connecter that connects the switch to the distributor and nothing happened.

I am at a loss here. I'm hoping it's just the ICM, but I having difficulty figuring it out. And if it is the ICM, why would the car start? Help HELP HELP...

thanks

ICM=ignitor

On your volt meter, set the meter to DC V and on the 20 scale. Test the volt meter by touching red lead to + battery terminal and black lead to the - terminal. You should get ~12V.

Unplug the 2-pin connector that goes to the coil, then turn the key to the II position. Put red meter lead on the blk/yel wire and touch the black meter lead on the engine block. You should have close to the voltage you had when you tested the battery.

I don't see any evidence that you've ruled out low/missing fuel pressure as your problem. Suggest attempting to start w/ a good shot of throttle body cleaner. If this seems to improve starting (it will only run very briefly), then fuel delivery may be the problem. This time of year (hot weather), the suspicion always turns to Main Fuel Relay (MFR).

When you turn keyswitch to On you should hear a click, fuel pump should run, then 2-3 secs later another click, and fuel pump goes off. If you're not hearing those sounds (quiet environment req'd to check), then fuel pressure is missing. The MFR failures can be tricky and simulate ignition problems.

good luck

Since it's just me, I can only really test the voltage with the key "on". I am getting voltage to both the coil and the ICM. However today I wasn't able to start the car. I think I'm not getting spark.... or... when I am itermittingly getting spark(which is why it sometimes starts). The maual says if I both the coil and ICM are getting voltage but the there still isn't a spark. Then replace the ICM. do you guys concur with this??




Thanks TH, however I can hear the fuel pump turn on / and off every time.

No, you should have voltage on blk/yel for both ignitor and coil, and both coil and ignitor or only one could be faulty.

For F22B1 (vtec) engine, manual says to disconnect Blk/Yel and Blu wires from coil, and test resistance; primary 0.4-0.6 ohms; pratically a short for all but very precise VOM's. Secondary is usual problem and should be 22-34 K(1000) ohms.

There is a detailed ignitor test sequence in the Honda Shop Manual. Available for download on our Online Manuals DIY post.

good luck

Hearing the fuel pump turn on means that the main fuel relay is working. It does not rule out a failing fuel pump. You should verify that your problem is due to lack of spark or lack of fuel.

so I finally got someone to crank the ingition while I checked things under the hood.

first. I am not getting a spark.

Second. I pulled the two plugs from the coil (in the distributor) and put a voltage light to the negative terminal as per the DIY write up found here. I think/am assuming the negative terminal is the right most terminal of the two. Anyway. I did not get any light from the voltage light. According to the write up this means I need an ICM

is this correct?

The ICM is just a switch controlled by the ECU. The ICM will ground the coil to charge. It removes ground to release the spark.

Are you using a 12V test light?

If so, remove the two wires on the coil and connect the 12V test light to each wire. One wire should be blk/yel and the other blu. The light should be off when there is no key in the ignition. When trying to start the car, the light should flash. If the light flashes consistently, then the coil is bad.

Not to keep kickin a dead horse here...

But I just NEED to be clear here.

When you say the NEG side of the coil, you mean the NEG POST(the right one) on the coil as there are two posts... correct??