I have a 1997 honda civic that runs great, other than this problem. Periodically it just will not start after running it i.e.- at a gas station. It will turn over, but not fire. I have already replaced the entire distributor and fuel filter. Also, when it is in neutral or park it will idle back & forth 2 to 3 grand. Is the brain going out? Any help would be great. Thanks.

Several things may be going on here. It has the hallmark of a bad Ignition Control Module (ICM), coil, or distributor housing. Here's how to replace the ICM and coil:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-t...tml#post265896

A faulty ICM or air in the cooling system can cause the idle to fluctuate. This link should help:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-t...tml#post842969

If the problem persists, my guess is that you do not have a genuine Honda distributor housing. I would, then, replace it. Over 50% of new aftermarket distributors have not worked at AMHD.

I replaced the entire distributor housing- it came with a new ICM and coil. Had to use the old rotor & cap. It runs better, but next day had the same problem.

Was it a genuine Honda distributor? That's what I'm getting at.

It's easy enough to eliminate air from the equation. If the ICM and coil are new, the most likely explanation, in my mind, is that there's a problem with the aftermarket distributor housing. For some reason, aftermarket manufacturers have a hard time getting the internal sensors (CKP, TDC, and CYL) right. They are a source of constant problems on this site.

No, it was not a honda part, got it from the auto parts store. Do you think it may have come with bad parts?

Yes. I've seen it too many times on this site. People have a hard time, at first, believing it could be the problem, since the distributor is "new and shiny." This is one component for safety and reliability where I say only go OEM. Aftermarket ICMs and coils have been fine, however.