fluctuating idle, checked spark plugs, then car stalled and now won't start.

[stopher]

I was in a hurry trying to get to my auntie's place so I started the car up and left right away. After the first 100 ft, I felt some weird vibration coming from the engine. The tach was showing it was fluctuating between about 1400-1700rpm. So then I pulled it over leaving the engine on wanting to check if all cylinders were actually firing. A few year back, one of the plugs wasn't working causing a fluctuation in the rpm. So that's why I checked to see if all cylinders were firing by removing each spark plug wire from each hole, one at a time. It then stalls and so I try starting it again and it wouldn't start. Kept trying to start it for about 3 minutes at 15 second intervals. Still no go. Someone please help

Oh yeah, car has a d16z6

[EZFrank]

You need to see if you are getting spark when you crank the engine pull one of the wire and have someone crank it see what happens. good luck let us know what goes on.

[stopher]

turns out there was no spark. took off the cap and noticed there was a lot of oil. took off the whole distributor and it was leaking. don't know how it leaked because the o-ring seems fine.

[stopher]

distributor also seemed snug

[Christ]

unlikely that the dizzy was leaking.. check for seal around that portion of the valve cover... more likely that.. also check around the vtec solenoid for leaks and excess "wetness" that shouldn't be there... best bet is to wash the engine down w/ degreaser and watch it for a week or so.. have you had to put oil in it recently?

There really is NO reason the oil should have been UNDER the dizzy cap tho... unless the seal/bearing thingy on the dizzy center shaft is crapping out... then I suppose oil could have worked it's way through there.. or someone is fucking w you... either way, clean the engine, and start watching for leaks.

[stopher]

have been checking for leaks. only seem to have one. piece of crap car but i still love it a lot. anyways, is it possible to f up the distributor by taking out each spark plug wire? i hope i didn't break it... cause right after i checked the last wire, that's when it stalled...

sadness

[stopher]

alright... so i changed the distributor and it takes a while to start but i got around to it. but when it turned on, a bunch of smoke comes out the tailpipe and then a while after i let off the throttle to help start it, and then rpms get super wacky. it jumped around within 200 rpms. it was really funky... when it was fluctuating before it died down, it wasn't this bad. but now the rpms are jumping around like fleas. what the heck is up

edit:
hmmm.... i'm guessing the ignition control module needs to sync with the engine.

[EZFrank]

Try resetting the computer my nephews civic was jumping around like that and he reset his computer by pulling the fuse out for like a couple minuts and it was fine after that. Good luck

[Christ]

dun remember which fuse it is off hand, for you, for me its' the hazard fuse (88-91) but yeah, check the connections on whatever you replaced, and make sure they're clean and good, then remove the fuse to reset the ECU, or just unplug the ECU's main harness for a good 3 mins (or the battery), then replace and start the car again.

[stopher]

all i got to say is thank you.

anyways... there was a loose connection. it looked like it was connected but wasn't. probably only touching at the tips. i also took out both the hazard and ecu fuses for 5 minutes to reset it. for about 2 minutes it was a little jumpy trying to find the timing i guess but drove it for about 50 minutes after and it drives just like it did before.

thank you again.

[EZFrank]

Glad to hear you found the problem.

[Christ]

which connector was loose? that was just a guess, but it's usually a pretty good thing to check anyway.. i"d have more likely guessed it was the ECU itself trying to "acquaint" itself w/ the new parts... sometimes, they don't "shake hands" when they meet.