98 Accord Ignitor Module - Will it fix the stalling?

[JeffKeryk]

I just put an ignitor module in my friend's 98 Accord LX 4 banger with 125K.
This was my folks car; since new I gave it to Cindy (single Mom) when my Dad passed.
It has been dying outta nowhere; I thought it was the ignition switch.
A mechanic felt it was the module, which is cheap and easy to replace.
I did try jiggling and pulling on the key with no effect... Hopefully the module does the trick.
Otherwise this car is perfect. It just rung great and asks for nothing.

She is driving from Silicon Valley home to Woodland (near Sac), so let's see what happens.
The Ebay module looked exactly the same.

 

[Davejam]

I had a 98 civic that needed to have the ignition switch replaced.
Would die suddenly at cruising speed but come right back on. I think the contacts just get corroded or out of line from wear.
That's my 2 cents.

 

[Lubener]

I think you made a good educated guess. With those intermittent problems, I break out the heat gun and a can of circuit cooler to the module to see if I can get it to act up in the driveway.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I had a 98 civic that needed to have the ignition switch replaced.
Would die suddenly at cruising speed but come right back on. I think the contacts just get corroded or out of line from wear.
That's my 2 cents.

This is fairly common. I juggled and pulled the key back and forth.
If the module swap fails, I will replace the switch.

 

[mk378]

If it can restart immediately, more likely the switch. If you have to wait a few minutes before it will restart (during that time, it will crank but not start), more likely the module.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I never personally experienced the problem... I thought it was the switch.
Cindy drove around San Jose and took her cousin to SJ International Airport and then drove to Woodland (just west of Sac).
So, call it 150 miles, in terrible traffic, the car ran flawlessly.
For reference, the car died 4 times yesterday.

I'll be dipped... Sometimes you get lucky.

 

[Bettez88]

My 95 accord needed an igniter. It would die when it reached operating temp then restart.

 

[wolfox03SS]

Sounds to me it needs a little more sleuthing as others noted above. If it dies and restarts a moment later? Suspect the ignition switch. It's common on these makes.

If it's not restarting until it cools for a while, suspect the coil pack(s) and/or the ignitor driver. Whichever is cheaper and fixes it. If you have a trusted friend with same car, you can play "swaptronics" until you nail it.

 

[mk378]

If you have a trusted friend with same car, you can play "swaptronics"

I've found that is a great way to end up with two broken cars. No thanks, friend.

 

[wolfox03SS]

I've found that is a great way to end up with two broken cars. No thanks, friend.

Eeeeeaaaahhhh... you got me there. That's unfortunately true.

Just be careful handling transistorized bits and computer/body modules and only bother the plugs and wires after a battery disconnect.

Nothing of relatively recent vintage with semi-conductors or flash memory takes well to outright abuse. Reasonable steps of course reduce the risk. But agreed, 110% @mk378 .

 

[JeffKeryk]

FYI - In my post #6 you will see that the ignitor solved the problem.
Thanks to all who posted.

This car runs like new. Strong! It is amazing.

 

[Number_35]

I've found that is a great way to end up with two broken cars. No thanks, friend.

With some misgivings, I helped out a friend with the same van some years ago - we transplanted the distributor from my van into his, which cured his erratic idle and poor drivability issues. (The vans were both '97 Mazda MPVs, with the ignitor internal to the distributor. The distributor swap was the easiest way to check.)

Anyway, no problem when we reinstalled my distributor back into my van.

Unfortunately, by the time my van started exhibiting similar symptoms, my friend had retired his van, so I had to gamble on it being the ignitor; fortunately, it was.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Kinda like replacing the points and condensor in our pre-HEI days... No biggie.

 

[wolfox03SS]

I foggily remember those days. Think early-mid 80's GM.

Turn the screws. Lift the distributor cap. Your coil pack came off with the lid. Reach into the distributor and pop the rotary button off. Peer inside at the reluctor wheel, condenser.

Your driver/ transistor is glued and screwed under all that on the metal base of the assembly with thermal paste.

They didn't change a thing even up to mid-90's batch fuel injected Vortec models.

*sniff* I have to stop now, I'm getting too nostalgic.

Oh crap...I just dropped the cap, where did all of my ignition wires go now to which plugs? Arrrrgh! Curse you again, GM! CURSE YOU!