Code 9

[Obsessive]

OK here's the back ground: Whilst changing the Cam belt we discovered that the distributor was dodgy, so got a replacement (Thanks Mike).
The old Distributor had not been lined up correctly after a "repair" so the rotor was about 20 degrees off line! And the timing had been played with. I assume to make the car run!!!! :explode:

Anyway Everything is back together, the Muppetry of the previous mechanic undone, and the Beat now runs sweet. :)

I now have a problem with the engine check light. Code 9 comes up and won't clear. (Was not there prior to the job)

Here's the email from my mechanic friend which covers the rest:



"Hi, ok here is what we have:

we are getting a code 9. (Clyl 1 position sensor)

what we did pull fuse's for cpu to clear it

put in diagnostic wire and turn on ignition without starting car. we still get code 9

so its either not clearing the cpu memory and the code still exists in the memory

or

when you put power back to it, its going around and checking its sensors and it seer's something wrong with that sensor and displays the code.

so somehow without the engine being started (so it can learn that error) its still displaying the error code when ignition is turned on.

the car is running great even with error, so its not throw the engine into limp mode as we would expect with an error like that.

one other thing we were thinking of as we are sitting here. the distributor we put in is slightly different than the one we took out, newer looks likes the wires on the distributor plug is slightly different colours.

the rotor also appears to be slightly different in looks I.E.see picture

we are going to check wiring first thing tomorrow to make triple sure we did not miss anything."



Any Suggestions?

[old'uns]

SteveM's your man for differences....

looked at this?
http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=3169&highlight=code

as a layman, i'd have thought all the 3 cyl dizzy's were the same more or less?

[Obsessive]

SteveM's your man for differences....

looked at this?
http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=3169&highlight=code

as a layman, i'd have thought all the 3 cyl dizzy's were the same more or less?

I'd make the same assumption about the dizzy, the photos there to show how the old one had the rotor out of line!

Given that it is a new code I'm guessing that it's not the ECU, but I'm quite comfortable replacing the caps if it comes down to that.

[TADO]

hey julian!
glad it made it safe and behaving itself! awesome news.
when we rebuilt ours it fire up code 9 the first time we started it. the sensor connector plug just needed pushing firmly together. ours is zip-tied up snugly now - after that it was fine. obviously i cant speak for yours but it might be worth checking :)

[Steve_M]

What method are you using to install the distributor??

Please refer to this thread about installing procedure when fitted.

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=2349&highlight=distributor

Code 9 - Distributor alignment and igniton timing are the main causes, if all sensors are ok.

I would also try your old distributor back in to see if it ok then.

[Steve_M]

Also information here about setting the timing.

http://www.manser42.freeserve.co.uk/page4.html

[TADO]

great info as always steve - thank you!

[Obsessive]

What method are you using to install the distributor??

Please refer to this thread about installing procedure when fitted.

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=2349&highlight=distributor

Code 9 - Distributor alignment and igniton timing are the main causes, if all sensors are ok.

I would also try your old distributor back in to see if it ok then.

Thanks Steve,

That all looks about right, I still have a code 9 however!

[Obsessive]

The New Dizzy is slightly different to the original (1991), could this have any effect? I'll find out the part numbers if it helps!

[Obsessive]

OK, this is the email I have from my mechanic friend who is doing the service:


part number TD-21Q stamped on both of them
serial number obviously different, your old one got number 1619 and new one reads something 23xx or 26xx, so it is quite newer. with rotor looks quite different as you can see from my previous pictures. I'm puzzled why car reads "false positive" I disconnected all connectors, cleaned, and connected them again to full click, still got the code. And its coming from distributor. I will ask Andrew from Honda tomorrow if they have any changes in distributors on record. I would expect to car running funny with this code but no, it is all sweet, just cant get used to 3 cylinder basically motocycle engine in it! :) it idles spot on, nice and no hesitation, smooth, revs too. All i can think of is that small maybe changes in distributor.
I can now understand why old dist was set like that, that was little notch on housing they though it was the mark and aligned to it.
I understand the UK dist was never touched (rebuild, pull apart)? because the rotors ended up in quite different places, comparing between them.
I will talk to honda tomorrow all about that.

I also have some thoughts in back of my mind, people who rebuilded your old dist must have some sort of problem with that sensor signal too, it must throw code at them too but what they did to convince ECU its all ok now (at the price of wrong idle and rough run)... i wonder if they shut the signal up while rebuilding it to just get it running.... but i can't get to second pick up coil and sensor in your old one as i need to pull main gear off the shaft, i need bearing puller for that.
i checked resistance of both coils on old and new, both got me 945 Ohms (depends on temperature, old one was obviously cold-945 Ohms, and new one was hot... on cold it shows 913 Ohms both coils.)

[Steve_M]

There is one supersession on the distributor part number.

30100-P36-006 changed to 016, so there may be some change is shape, but basic design is the same.

Distributor type is still TD-21Q and maker is TEC

[ANOBOBOLOUS]

I read something earlier this year, maybe on a japanese message board, about the beats rotor arm design being changed. Think I found it when my new rotor arm turned up not looking like the one in the parts manual.

for what it's worth my new one is definately the disc type!

[Steve_M]

Rotor arm it self as well had a changed part number.

30103-PZ2-006 and 30103-P65-006 even thou there is no direct supersession on that part.

PZ2 goes up to engine number 6031506

P65 after that, and for all 110 chassis type.

I cant see a differant rotor arm causing Code 9 thou.

would be easy enough to check its shaft position alignment with the contact point on both the old and new ones.

I would definately get the old distributor back in and aligned correctly to see if code is still present to rule things out.

It could be that the gear on the camshaft has shifted (they are an interferance fit) and can move and even split if the distributor has partially seized at some time.

But then if that was the case I woud think you would hav a problem actually setting the timing with the distributor correctly installed.

[Obsessive]

Thanks Steve,

I'm going to have to start referring to you at the Beat Technical Guru!
I'll update this post once there is some progress.

[Obsessive]

Details in this post below:

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=3234