Distributor maybe?

[mikester_91]

Alright, could a worn out distributor rotor with like 130,000 miles on it be stopping my car from starting. Cuz the mechanics said it needed a new distributor so i was gonna replace the cap and rotor first to see if that did anything, but i haven't changed the rotor yet. and every now and then my car won't start. So i'll have to wait like 10 minutes and it will start right up. I had thought that if the distributor was messed up it wouldn't start or run at all. So could it be just the rotor?

[sofast]

Do a complete tune-up. Plugs-wires-dist.cap-rotor. Im guessing it hasnt been done in a while so do it anyway. And if you have a reliable mechanic and he says the distributor is bad, then change it. Yes the distributor can act goofy like that and still operate. If you need a distributor let me know. I have a working distributor.

[mikester_91]

Yeah i already put plugs, wires, fuel filter, dist. cap when ibought the car about 6k ago. But, the screw that holds the distributor in is stripped out so i gotta wait and get another screw from the dealer, and then drill the other one out before i can put a new rotor in. It sux. U got a dist. for an h23? how much? how many miles?

[sofast]

Sorry I thought you had a 3rd gen Prelude. Im sure you wont have a hard time finding one though.

[bobinohio84]

Ask for a rotor with that screw. Many times they sell them together depending on the manufacturer.

[cordoba]

I think your problem is the ignitor. Mine failed at 160,000 miles and when the distributor warmed up, the car would just all of a sudden die, no warning. Got stuck twice on the road before I figured out the problem. Wait 15minutes and it would fire right up again.

If the car runs fine when its running. ie. idles smooth, power is there, then most likely it's not the distributor. I replaced my distributor about two years before my ignitor failed, but it was showing signs of failure. (the car never stalled though). The bearings inside the distributor were wearing causing pink dust to coat the entire inside of the cap. When you buy a new distributor, it does not include the ignitor which is inside so you have to swap your ignitor from the old one to the new one.

I would look there first.

[bobinohio84]

I got an ignitor for a 92 honda civic ifn u need one. But not a prelude one. Sorry.

[mikester_91]

Mine never dies, but about once a week i'll come out and it won't start. Then, i'll come back about 10 minutes later and it will start. It doesn't idle very good a lot of the time tho.

[mikester_91]

Oh, also the distributor's making a really loud clicking noise.

[cordoba]

that'd be your distributor then. Do you notice the inside of the cap getting coated in a pinkish powder?

[mikester_91]

Nah, i've never noticed that.

[joellthomas]

Originally Posted by mikester_91

Mine never dies, but about once a week i'll come out and it won't start. Then, i'll come back about 10 minutes later and it will start. It doesn't idle very good a lot of the time tho.

This sounds like your main / fuel pump relay. Some do this when the inside of the car is hot. It's located up under the dash, left of the steering colume on the 4th gen.

[joellthomas]

Originally Posted by mikester_91

Oh, also the distributor's making a really loud clicking noise.

The clicking noise may be in the distributor, the bearing fail in these after high miles.

[mikester_91]

It's not the relay. I can hear it click on when i turn the key.

[mikester_91]

Also, when the car sits for awhile, like when i'm at school for say 7 hours, it takes longer to start compared to leaving it for an hour.