I have '92 Civic VX h/b 1.5 manual (engine D15Z1) 174K miles
My problem is: Will run fine, then idle REAL low, almost
stalling. The Check Engine lite comes on...i've coded it, i'm getting 9
& 48. called dealer code 9 isn't a free standing sensor, its a
component IN the distributor. Can I , should I try replacing the rotor in the
dist. to see if that helps?? I don't think its that, as the previous (and first owner) just replaced that about 1.5yrs ago.

I'm thinking it may be my 02 sensor,(code 48?) and thru searching here, have found some sources for acceptable (by no means good) prices on the 5 pin part L1H1.

also...does My engine have an idle adjust screw? and if so, where is
it? I'm a mechanically challenged female. Any help (in ENGLISH, not
engine-ese) would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also getting really HORRIBLE mpgs....like 30mpg avg on tank, and I
do 75% hwy driving. My '94 DX h/b 1.5 manual w/ 212K miles gets about
36-41 mpg on avg per tank...and is what i'm using as 'comparison' for
mpgs vs. the '92.

The previous owner has kept meticulous service records, done ALL scheduled maintenance as outlined. I haven't checked the sooty-ness of the plugs, and hopefully they're the right ones for the VX (i'll check to see)

I've also noticed it EXTREMELY powers down going up hill in comparison to my '94 DX.

The prev. owner still has the window sticker in all his paperwork and it states it's a vtec-e engine, but the engine itself does not have the words vtec on it.

Thanks for all or any answers

I believe Code 9 is your top dead center sensor. If shot, your engine basically will be confused when to fire the ignition which would explain the idle/power/,mileage issues you are having. UNfortunatley, I think you have to replace the distributer to fix this, but am not sure about that. I would check the dealer to see if you can just replace the sensor. It is possible that having the timing out this far could through the mixture so far out that the O2 sensor code could get thrown, so I would fix the distributer issue first, reste the ECU, and see if you still get an O2 sensor check engine light.

if you need to replace the o2 sensor, get one on ebay. search L1H1 and get the one for like $175. Much better than the stealership.

likewise, you can get a used distributor fairly cheap on ebay too. Just make sure it's an obd1 vtec distributor. I'll have to check to see what that code is before I comment more on your distributor problems.

As for the idle screw, there is one and you can adjust it.

If you open your hood, you'll see a long black plastic tube that leads from the airbox to the throttle body (air intake hose). On the throttle body there is a wheel that is pulled by a wire. The wire is attached to your gas pedal. Have someone push it in and out to see what is moving.

Anyway, where the wheel rests (when the gas is not being pushed) it will land on a screw. The screw is probably upside down, so it might be hard to get to and see, but it's there. if it's not there, there will be a hole where a screw once was. that's your idle adjust screw.

I personally think that a new o2 sensor will do wonders for you. You should notice a big increase in MPG, and it's probably also affecting your idle. the d15z1 is heavily reliant on the o2 sensor.

Wow. Thanks for the replies guys.

My mechanic (shade tree honda/volvo guy) doesn't seem to think the code 9 is causing my LOW IDLE to the point of almost stalling. I have a receipt from a Honda dlrshp where the entire dist. was replaced about 1.5-2 yrs ago, and then after that the cap & rotor again. The 1st owner kept meticulous spreadsheet repairs & all receipts!! I just can't see where that whole unit would be shot again already??? I am soooo happy about finding my 3rd civic, and the one I wanted to boot.

Now to just get the mpg's where i know they can be, and get the darn CEL to go off......

I'm thinking i'll go ahead & r&R the o2 sensor, and see what happens from there.

If you have a code 9 you need to replace the distributor, If you shop around on honda-tech they are not too expesive, I sold one for 45 bucks once,

I bought one for $10 once on ebay.

I got the one I sold for free attached to a free cylinder head! And I sold the cover to frank! I still have a d15b7 head if anyone wants it,

I win though...

anybody? anybody? I just checked ebay at distributor king store, and he doesn't have any listed. thats the site with multiple thumbs up given at honda-tech.

anybody got one laying around in the corner of their garage?? if only....

I found this one on ebay...i tend to doubt listings as to fitment (that and it's all greek to me)...can anyone shed light on if this one will fit???

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Distr...QQcmdZViewItem

Looks like the TD42U is the one to fit a VX. The link below is for ones you can get on autopartswarehouse.com. As you can see, the Ebay one is a good price. It also looks complete, meaning it comes with the ignitor, cap and rotor.

They are easy to put on (three bolts and a few electrical connectors), and they only go on one way (the slot in the cam is offset a little so you can't put it in 180 degrees out), but you'd need a timing light to set the timing correctly. If you've never done this before, I'd recommend saving the $ to have someone put this in and buy a timing light for $25 if you don't have one. I'd also get new plug wires and new plugs while I was at it.



http://replacement.autopartswarehous...ibutor&dp=true

You can also search for d16z6 distributor as it is the same as the z1 dizzy. Where do you live? A member may be willing to lend a torquing hand?

South Eastern Iowa. A bit west & south of Iowa City.

MrMad
Thanks for the reply!!! is good to know....and sounds like something I could actually DIY

I would volunteer to help as I'm going to be near Davenport in a few weeks, but I honestly don't have the time to do much of anything.

I might be able to sell you a distributor though. I'm probably going to put it on ebay this week.

PM sent

the idle adjustment screw is not the screw that matt said, that screw is the butterfly stop screw, and shouldn't need to be adjusted, the idle speed screw is an adjustment screw on the top corner of the throttle body, facing the passenger side of the car, it takes a flat bladed screw driver, and is a brass screw most likely with a dot of yellow paint on it to keep it from moving on it's own.
first thing I would do tho, is a tune up on it, make sure the spark plugs are good, and corret, that your cap and rotor are in decent shape, check things like your air cleaner too.
if all that stuff checks out, then I would be tempted to replace the o2 sensor as they seem to be reaching the end of there life on alot of these cars, a side note, oil driped on your o2 sensor can harm it, so if there are signs that that has happened then it might not be in the best of shape.
Do you have a shop/repair manual for your car? they are a good investment.

You're right Ryland. I keep forgetting that my engine is a JDM engine, and as a result the idle adjustment screw is on the bottom instead of it's normal location.

OK guys. I'm back again. I bought Matt's dizzy, but haven't installed/timed it yet.

I first reset the ECU and got rid of CEL codes. I drove it for 10 miles, and it never coded again. But NOW the engine almost seems as if it's stuttering in low gears, that it didn't do before I reset the ECU. You think the prior code 48 (O2 sensor) still holds true from the way its driving now? Or do you think it could be I need to get the timing of not only the dizzy (the one that was in there before when coding 9) checked, but also the timing belts timing checked also? The last owner did the timing belt replacement.

My idle is still low, but not feeling as if it wants to die, like it was before. I think I can figure out the idle set screw adjustment from yalls prior replies.

AND now I can feel it bogging down & letting loose in 5th. Is that the lean burn of the VX I've been reading about kicking in? I've never owned a VX with this engine, so I don't know if that's normal or not.

One last thing...I have the big tech manual for this, and I can't seem to find the Nippondenso spark plugs it states this engine needs. Can anyone give me a direct replacement part/make, so I know I get the right ones? I've read on here the wrong ones can really affect it's performance.

Thanks! & sorry for all the questions.

__________________
'92 Civic VX h/b 173K
'92 Civic DX Sedan 143K
'94 Civic DX h/b 214K

one thing I've done with mistory problems with my VX is take it to the honda dealer, and ask for the mecanic who has been there the longest, the one I delt with seemed to like dealing with a car that wasn't compleatly computerized yet, and with a person who wasn't an idiot, so he didn't have them bill me for any time spent test driving my car, and he also told me about a few problems that were starting to show them selves.

Since the codes you previously got were due to ignition problems, I'd say it's likely your problems are likely ignition related and not injector related.

I would get the timing checked with a timing light. If the TDC sensor is acting up, you'd probably get erratic readings on where the "mark" is. If it is running the way you describe, i.e. getting bad mileage, poor power, low idle, etc, checking the timing is one of the first (and cheapest) things to check for troubleshooting. You can take it somewhere or get yourself a timing light. A good tip here is to get out fingernail polish (or paint) and repaint the marks on the crank pulley. They're hard to see when they're all dirty and grungy.

Your cap and rotor (the old ones) may only a year and a half old, but depending on conditions, they could degrade (the inside terminals corrode). Plug wires can go bad as well, causing misfires, which will usually cause rough idle. I've actually found bad plug wires by turning the lights out in the garage at night with the hood open and the car running, and the bad wire was glowing a dull blue where the insulation was breaking down.

If the car were mine, I'd check the timing 1st. If that doesn't fix it, I'd put in a new rotor, cap, wires, and plugs.

As the timing belt stretches, you are making adjustments with the distributer. The thing to worry about on the timing belt is how many miles are on it. You don't want to run it beyond the recommended replacement.

Also, since the distributer you got is used, if you do put it on I would highly recommend replacing the O-ring on the end of it. They're only about $4 at the dealer (get the Honda one, you know it's the right size) and will prevent future oil leaks.