Advice needed on my weird tach signal/car cutting out
 

I finally bit the bullet and I've just replaced my distributor with a rebuit one. I had to change it cause the TDC signal had failed, and as we all know, (I guess) it is essentially the only sensor inside our distributors that can't be easily popped out and replaced since it is integral...

With my new distributor, I set it by ear (no timing light). After driving around the block, the tach seems to jump around 4000-7000 rpm and the car lurches and jumps a bit.

So, I bit another bullet and bought my first timing light. I was only off by one notch... 2 degrees I believe.

Still, the car lurches and tach bounces.

Tonight my main fuel relay required bitch slapping to start the car...

Do ya'll think that these problems now stem from the main fuel relay? That the main fuel relay was dying and now is simply more noticeable? After all, it feeds (power?) to the ecu right?

Has anyone tried this remedy?

honda main relay fix

absolutely!! I've fixed my own relay (daytime running light relay on my 1990 Civic) and it works sweet now!! :nods:

as for your tach problem, what I'd do is try another KNOWN WORKING dizzy in your car... and if the problem goes away, I guess you should look into another dizzy.

You need a new ignitor. That is the signal to the tach. Alomst all dist problems stem from there.

fixed it.
 

Thanks for the advice.

I set the timing right with a light and the car runs great now. The tach is simply getting pinched on the white face plate plastic crap that I stuck on a few years ago, and that accentuated the problem when the timing was off, and still does occasionally stick.

The main relay had indeed two soldier joints that came loose ever-so-slightly. I just added more new solder and they look nice and shinny and the problem is sloved! :)

OMG, my relay had the same thing, TWO dry solder joints!!!

I tihnk I've seen probably 10 hondas in the last year with crappy main relays.. cracked solder joints..

If you do open up your relay, make sure you touch up all the solder joints, not just the ones that seemed cracked.. Never know, other's might crack then you'll be thinking can't be the relay, just fixed that!