[sarahb19]

My fiancé has a 1991 honda civic 1.6 L hatchback manual transmission.The car starts but has rough idle and once shifted into gear and given acceleration the engine dies.We have already replaced the fuel pump,fuses,spark plugs,fuel filter,and have checked the main relay and all the hoses and belts.what could be causing it to do this?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Replace the Ignition Control Module (ICM) and coil:

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

[sarahb19]

What exactly does the ICM do and is there a way to test it to make sure that it needs replaced?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Bench testing ICMs and coils is not reliable. I have seen many test okay that don't work at all. These are the two most problematic components on Hondas of this generation. I recommend replacing them every 120,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first.

The ICM acts like "electronic points." A microprocessor inside, which gets destroyed by heat and electron migration, opens and closes the coil's primary electrical field. This causes 12 voilts to be stepped-up to 40,000 volts in the secondary field of the coil. This symphony is directed by the ECM (computer). When the ICM starts to fail, it "fires" erratically and not when it's supposed to. I deal with performance problems, like your's, every day on this site.

[sarahb19]

So if we replace what you said than the car should not die out anymore when it is accelerated?because as of right now we can't get it to move anywhere

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Yes, if the Check Engine Light does not stay on, when the ignition switch is turned to ON (Position II). Do a search on this site and check out my track record on replacing Ignition Control Modules and coils. Then, you can decide if you want to spend your hard earned money on my recommendation.

[topladyj]

Do you have an accleration screw? Sometimes just an easy move of the screw one direction or the other will make it raise the idel and keep the car running.

TX GREESEMONKEY do you think it could be the screw?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

No. The car dies upon acceleration, which is not affected by idle rpm. If the car died while idling, then the idle rpm might have to be raised--provided nothing else was wrong.

I believe the problem above is classic ICM and/or coil failure, especially if the Check Engine Light comes on and goes off normally.

[sarahb19]

Where can I find the ICM and coil? and I just went out to start the car and it idle for a minute and shut off and I wasn't trying to accelerate... could it still be the ICM?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Absolutely. The ICM is located inside the distributor--remove the distributor cap and leak cover. Just follow the instructions I provided; then, you'll have your car running flawlessly in an hour. The coil is located outside the distributor cap, with a high tension wire from the coil going into the cap.

[sarahb19]

Okay I am going to have my fiancé do it when he gets home from work... thank you very much and I will let you know what happens with it

[TxGreaseMonkey]

It will work. Make sure he disconnects the negative battery cable, before working on the distributor. Also, make sure he coats the new ICM with a thin, even coat of silicone heat-transfer grease. It should be included with the new ICM--if not, ask them for it.

[TxGreaseMonkey]

. Here's what the ICM looks like and costs:

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year

. Here's what the coil looks like and costs:

AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year

[sarahb19]

Does the coil and module have to be replaced with a new one or can they just be cleaned?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

If you want to save money, try replacing the ICM first. Neither of these components can just be cleaned. The ICM contains a sophisticated microprocessor that gets destroyed by heat over time. Sometimes, they even melt. Coils also break down under load (usually, but not always, when they get hot). Bench testing doesn't really simulate well real life conditions.

I used to recommend that people have their ICMs tested on a Well's machine at AutoZone for free. However, too many were passing the test and still not working. I was trying to help people save money. I never saw one test bad on their machine that worked. You might feel more comfortable having them test your ICM.

[sarahb19]

Well my fiancé just went to autozone and he said that they tested the ICM and it was bad and that the coil is not good but not bad.they said the car will still run but not as good as it should.so we are just going to buy the ICM right now.thanks a lot for pointing us in the right direction because we had no idea what it was and I will definitely be asking you again if we have any more problems

[sarahb19]

Well bad news... he just put in a brand new ICM and cleaned the spark plugs because they were brand new yesterday but today looked kind of burned a little bit and the car started for about a minute and than died and now won't start... any suggestions?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

As I mentioned above, bench testing coils is almost useless--I would replace it. The plugs may not be firing clean, and are fouling, because the coil is so weak. There's no need to clean the plugs, since they will clean themselves up once the new coil is in and they start firing properly. You can confirm this by checking for spark. Remove a spark plug wire and attach it to a properly gapped spark plug (it can be an old plug), touch the plug to a convenient ground, and observe the spark, while someone cranks the engine. Look for a good, solid spark.

[sarahb19]

Well we replaced the ICM and the coil and its still not running and now its to the point that it won't even turn over... anything else we should be testing or replacing that'll make it run??

[TxGreaseMonkey]

If the starter won't turn over, remove and fully charge the battery--don't try to jump it, since the ECM, alternator, and sensors can be damaged by a voltage spike. AutoZone will charge batteries for free.

Perform the standard spark test; i.e. remove a spark plug wire and attach it to a properly gapped spark plug, touch the plug to a convenient ground, and observe the spark, while someone cranks the engine. Look for a good, solid spark.

If the Check Engine Light comes on for 2 seconds and goes out, after the ignition switch is turned to ON (Position II), the problem is distributor-related. Normally, if replacing the ICM and coil does not solve the problem, there's a problem with the distributor housing itself; i.e. one or more internal sensors (CKP, CYL, and TDC) are damaged. These sensors are not serviceable. It this case, install your new ICM and coil in a genuine Honda distributor housing. We have had many problems with new aftermarket distributor housings on this site.