Hey everybody, A month ago, my van stalled pulling out of the driveway. I started it right back up, drove onto the road, and it stalled again. I haven't been able to start it since. Fuel pump is working- I can hear it tick when I turn the ignition to first click. I replaced all 3 spark plugs + cap and rotor (but not the entire distributor assembly). Still no spark when I tested it. Should I replace the entire distributor at this point? A new one on Yokohama motors is currently $528, specified for HA3/HA4 E07A engine (should work with my HH4, right?) https://yokohamamotors.net/product1283.html There are also used distributors autoparts.beforward for much cheaper, but for different year models. Based on my service manual, will anything from 1989-1997 work? Thanks in advance for any advice or pointers.
Don’t order the full distributor! Order the distributor igniter first, a $28 dollar part that you can source locally on eBay. I had the same symptoms that you describe and ordered this part, not really expecting much, and it fixed my stalling problems. Also, good news is it’s two screws and you can replace it without removing the distributor. One screw from the top, the second screw from the bottom. Good luck and keep us posted! EDIT - I wanted to add that I am suggesting this part because you suspect that distributor to be the issue and it is more cost effective to replace this first before the distributor. From a troubleshooting perspective, if you provided more details we may be able to suggest additional things to check - for example the air vent solenoid on the carb is a common fail part on these. More details on issue from you will equal more detailed troubleshooting techniques from us. Thanks! https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Igniti...p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0
Wow, thank you so much natenewthread!!! I just ordered the part and will keep you posted. The distributor igniter is supposed to arrive here on the 22nd- I'm going to be so pumped if that's the issue! I first tested for spark with one of the new spark plugs and got nothing. Then I tested before and after the distributor with a multimeter and found nothing after the distributor, which is why I figured that was the problem. My van didn't really have any symptoms before stalling and dying that day. Once or twice it started and idled way down almost to a stall on particularly cold mornings, but it never completely stalled out until the story I mentioned before. I'll have to check into the air vent solenoid as well.
Nice, keep us posted. I have other things you can try if that doesn’t solve it. If it DOES solve it, we always like to hear the success stories and it helps others as well.
how did you test befor the distributor with a mutimeter? check the coil, in the cable coming to the distributor with spark checking light or by holding it close to a ground point,. most likely it is the igniter. My ignition key is lose, sometimes I lose power to everything just driving around, but mostly at start up, it dies just after starting, I just wiggle it a bit. and it is fine for the day. really should replace it, some day it is going to strand me somplace. I would jump the coil power lead right from the battery just to be sure you have power all the time.
I tested the wire leading directly to the distributor (from the ignition coil) and read voltage when the key was turned, so assumed the coil was ok. I just got the igniter in the mail and installed it.........to no avail - DANG! I'll check the looseness of the ignition when the key is in there but as I recall it's pretty solid.
I am not a fan of trying parts till you find the bad one.. we need to rule out the coil, you should pull it and test it. that is where this all should have begun. I need to ask, what is your level of mechanic skills? after ruling out the coil, next would have been the igniter, (we know its good, now new) and then the HALL sensor. part #12 , sends a signal to the igniter. hall sensor,if you don't know how it works. google it. we need to make sure it's powered. they rarely fail. but it is possible. you will need to remove the distiburtor, getting a dist back in right, is not hard just make sure it isn't 180 out of line. The actys dist only goes in one way, the drive key is offset so it only goes in ONE way just make notice of its postition when you take it out. it is possible to bench test all of the system if you want to connect it all together and spin the dist by hand. I'll post the wiring diagram. have to scan it first, for now, get the coil tested and ruled out.
Now looking at wiring digram, I am reminded that there is a signal from dist to the fuel cut relay, and tach, from coil primary side. you mentioned that the fuel pump is ticking, meaning running, so there must be a signal to it. that is only possible if all part in dist are working. (if I am missing something, sombody tell me, Iam getting old and do miss the obvious sometimes) I think the secoundary side of coil is bad, no spark. Get the coil tested.
I "tested" my understand of the wiring this morning. I was . I am wrong. the fuel relay is powered all the time the keys is on. So it runing is not a sign the coil is being trigger. Your Hall sensor could be bad.
OK, thanks very much for all the input and additional diagrams Bart! My level of mechanical skills is novice, so any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. I looked into Hall effect sensors and how they work- like you said, it seems unlikely that would be the issue but worth further investigation. I'll probably pull off the whole distributor this week and try to get down to it.
Josh68, I do not have english manuals. I scan with phone, google translate. timmy, back when I first bought my acty I had weak spark, and took the distributor out to test stuff, I found a broken magnet inside, which is part of the hall sensor mechanism, I had to buy a whole distributor to get that part. it was only $45 and 36 shipping back then. yahoo auction.
I am having the same problem, my acty cranks but no start, when you try harder on the keys it just make pop sounds from the engine and exhaust. How Did you guys solved this?
MR DADDY: poping is a sign you have spark, I'd look for fuel problems, try spraying fuel into carb (take the plume off) while someone else turns it over, caution it might back fire, spray small amounts, till you know it won't BF, have fire extinguisher handy. if it start to run I'd look at the idle cut valve. (opens with key on, send fuel to idle and low side jets.) #11 yellow wire. should have 12v with key on. by "try harder" do you mean your pumping the thottle? because that will pump some fuel into the intake, by the accelerator pump, which could give you a pop. it will not start until the idle cut opens. you can hear the valve click. I should meation that you have to remove the cover to get at it. I don't have my cover on, it doesn't get cold here.
I would also like to say i am stumped right now with a similar issue and hope this helps anyone...(can you describe where to put the start fluid i am not following when you say "take the plume off") So far i started it, drove down the street, then it died, then it would not start but occasionally but then die right away, and would bog down if i applied throttle. Now it will not start at all. (almost as if i used up all the fuel that was there.) I have replaced the ignition control module, the fuel pump, spark plugs, and the fuel cut relay (located under passanger side dash) ive checked the fuses. & tried with the airbox cover removed; I am not sure where to go next....It seems so simple but just cant find the cause... 1994 honda acty HA4 tho.. wonder if its similar
the plume is the large "hose" between the air box and carburator. (in pic, far right B-1) when it is removed you can spray fuel right into throat of the carburator. best way to find out if it is fuel or spark missing. you might not have fuel making it to the carb, pull the fuel line off the carb and put it into a jar, have some one turn on the key. BE CAREFULL could check to see if float is sticking, not moving freely. have you removed your carb and looked inside, (take the bowl off) just to know what condition it is in? are the part all doing what they are suppost to do? and good cleaning is alway good. fuel can be getting to carb but not into it.
Greatings Mr Stevens and ActMak This is how my acty problem really started... My acty is an M-HA3 1991 MT/AC. It was driving normal then it will be like about to stall... but if I give it more gas it will drive just normal. It went like this for about a month... I thought it might be loose belts. About a week a go I was driving unloaded then I heard a pop coming from the engine, and it shut down. I restarted it with one click and kept running, but when I am loaded it sometimes shut down itself on occasions but I'll restart it with with just one click.. Then I knew if it will be about to stall again, I will just keep my foot on the gas pedal a little harder and it wouldn't stall. Then one day I was loaded and it stalled again, this time it will not start again, I checked timing belt is FINE... Fuses are fine.. I checked the fuel lines found some water in the bottom of fuel filter and little bit on the tank... I cleaned the tank and changed the fuel filter but it still cranks, make pops pops pops... no start. Fuel pump clicking, Spark plugs wet from over cranking Dash board show battery and oil, but oil will disappear when cranking. No smoke
Thanks Mr Stevens.. As for the sparks i am not a mechanic novice, but sure I tested all three of them and they spark white to yellow flashes, is it normal. Here is video I uploaded of the test.. Spark https://youtube.com/BMbJLFRMR-M
I'd like to hear the popping myself, can you post video of that? if you have wet plugs, we can be fairly sure you have fuel, looks like you have spark, although white and yellow spark is not great. should be a good snap and blue. May be you got some bad fuel? pull the plume and spray NEW fuel in while cranking, video if you cam, lets see, hear, what happens. there is a possibility that timing is off, do you have a timing light? at some point, after trying easier things, I would pull distributor, to see if it damaged in any way, like is the drive gear good, did it skip a tooth? is the mounting bolt tight, did it turn a little? poping is sometimes caused by extremely advanced timing. ... Re-reading what you said.. driving along and it starts pop. are you saying it is backfiring? because if the distributor came lose and moved while driving the timing would change. it is okay to twist the distributor while cranking, move one way, then the other, too find a spot it likes , too far retarded, it will back fire. too far advaced, makes it easy to start but little power. there is a system (vaccum) that advances the timing while starting. it changes over to normal (proportional) once the engine warms up. if you choose to do this, you will notice that cranking become hard when you move the distributor too far back. and cranking becomes easy when you go to far forward. you need a timing light to set it correctly. or if you done it many times you can just tell when it's right. Poping while trying to start really does feel like you jumped a tooth on the distributor drive. with the timing that far off, it sparks a plug while the intake valve is still open a little , with the plume off, you will see fire, ignited gas, coming out of the carbutor from the inlet side. Be Carefull. you put video on Youtube and posted the URL link . . I'm going to have to try that>
I just remembered that he drive gear for the distributor is not on the distrbutor, there is just a offset coupler, it only mounts one way. the drive gear is internal, and unlikely it is damaged. I'd still twist the distributor , just to see what happens. I think your just came loose.
Mr Stevens, thanks for your time.. The fuel seems fine, and I have another truck running with same fuel. Also I managed to open the cup-like top at the carb and managed to see fuel jetting when I push the throttle by hand. Here you can see https://youtube.com/shorts/7HHfQ2DzfSw?feature=share As for the pops seems to me coming from the carb and exhaust. And they are sometimes loud, here a video shows https://youtube.com/shorts/4mGg4QxZrPg?feature=share but this time they weren't so. When It pops it pushes the fuel back to the air horses Here is a video I uploaded, also some links are YOUTUBE SHORTS, the video doesn't appear here after I post, it just remain as a link. You can't here well on the above video, here is after I removed the air horse. My question is are those pops a Misfire?! Lastly here; I tried to push the throttle by hand in the carb repeatedly while fuel was jetting inside the carb then I cranked it, it looked like it did try to start twice. Here is video https://youtube.com/shorts/pbrO2V-vFzQ?feature=share
I will try to look at the distributor and timing Here is video I retested the spark plugs Again on daylight
[QUOTE=" ... Re-reading what you said.. driving along and it starts pop. are you saying it is backfiring? >[/QUOTE] Before... It was like... it be about to stalling and I will give it gas before it shutoff, it will keep running normal .....but It has popped once while driving, (one loud pop from the engine) and it shut off completely, but I restarted it right up, ...on occasions it will stall, I will restart again without a problem... it went like this for two weeks, I drive it for maybe 5kms everyday and maybe 30km twice weekly... This one time it just stalled, then I restarted the minitruck it went maybe half a km and it stalled again... this time it just cranked no start and it's when it started to pop... It cranks and pops pops from carb and exhaust but to no start..
Thanks guys I finally Solved the crank no start problem on my M-HA3 1991 acty. The problem I think started at the vacuum hose, (which broke) in the distributor. That lead to the accumulation of moisture and dirty inside. ...in turn points were deposited with carbon dust and moisture, that lead to crank no start, although it gave some sparks. See pic for a broken hose.
