95 Civic EX - distributor order/exhaust manifold

MGAN9311

MEMBER
1995 HONDA CIVIC

I have a 95 Honda Civic Ex 1.6 230,000 miles and I recently gave myself a tune up and forgot to check the order of the wires to the distributor cap. My repair manual says 1-4, in that order starting clockwise from the point of the distributor spring. Then I found, in another chapter, the manual stated from 1-4 clockwise starting for the letter or number on the cap.I tried both ways and my car still wouldn't start. I literally had to play around with it until I got it right and my car started. Can someone tell me what the real order is? Or does it vary? Just for future reference.

Also, my exhaust manifold is cracked. Would this cause lower gas mileage and where can I get the part for a reasonable price? Thanks.

5 Replies

LOSONE

MECHANIC
1,616 POSTS

The firing order is 1342.
#1 cylinder on the engine is at the front, next is #2 and so on.
#1 on the distributor cap should be at the nine o'clock position, when looking down at the top of the cap. The direction of rotation is clockwise

You don't want to know how much a dealer price is. Go to a salvage yard and get a $50.00 one. Get Honda factory gaskets--you'll save yur self a lot of time.

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Monday, April 3rd, 2006 AT 1:21 PM

MGAN9311

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Thanks. I appreciate the info. How long do you think it would take to replace the manifold?

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Monday, April 3rd, 2006 AT 9:31 PM

LOSONE

MECHANIC
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If no bolts are frozen about 2 hours--if bolts are broken then /?

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Tuesday, April 4th, 2006 AT 8:03 AM

MGAN9311

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Thanks. Ya, yet's hope those bolts aren't seized like my O2 sensor was! It had to be drilled out and re-threaded about 5 years ago. I am wondering if this caused the crack or at least weakened it enough that the crack occured during freezing temperatures. You can tell its been there a while. The edges of the crack look like they are a bit rusted.

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Tuesday, April 4th, 2006 AT 8:39 AM

BENZ_GUY

MEMBER
28 POSTS

If you want to get back to the basics of making sure you have everything correct follow these instructions.

A few ways to do this. With both ways, make a point to watch which direction the bottom "crankshaft pulley" is rotating when the starter in engaged.
1) Install compression tester in Cyl #1 (usually the one closest the pulley on 4cyl engines) and have someone tap the key until you see the pressure starting to come up. This will put you on the compression stroke of #1 cyl. Put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and continue rotating the engine (in the same rotation you witnessed earlier) until the TDC mark "0" lines up with the timing pointer on the block.

Then pop open the distributor cap. You should be pointing toward plug wire #1. If not, pull all the plug wires out of the cap and install plug wire #1 right where the distributor is pointing to. Then follow losone’s information on the rest of the firing order based upon the rotation of the rotor inside the dist. Cap.

2nd way to do it (if you don't have a compression tester)
Pop off the valve cover and put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and continue rotating the engine (in the normal rotation) until you see the intake valve(s) open and close (easy way to tell the difference between intake and exhaust valves is to see which side is connected to the muffler and which side is connected to the intake, wahh laa exhaust side=exhaust valve / intake side = intake valve - it's really easy to tell)

Now once you see the intake valve open and close keep turning the crank pulley until the TDC mark "0" lines up with the timing pointer on the block. You should now be on "top dead Center" on the compression stroke.

Then pop open the distributor cap. You should be pointing toward plug wire #1. If not, pull all the plug wires out of the cap and install plug wire #1 right where the distributor is pointing to. Then follow losone’s information on the rest of the firing order based upon the rotation of the rotor inside the dist. Cap.

Hope this helps