# Honda Help: Weak (orange) Spark! WTF
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [May 3, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207 "2009-05-03T13:11:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/1 "2009-05-03T13:11:19Z")
So I am not getting a good spark in this Civic I am working on, the car will not fire up. The battery is fully charged, the dizzy is good( replaced it with a know working one) timing is good never touched, its getting fuel( pump is priming, so the main relay seems ok), no CEL lights, all grounds are hooked up and clean, plug wires are good, starter is good( changed it with a working one), no fucking clue why it wont get a good spark( white or blue spark). Any ideas???
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/2 "2009-05-03T13:49:20Z")
Another thing, I have never got shocked before pulling a dizzy of the head but I did today. Scared the shit out of me, it was arcing of the head when it touched the side of the valve cover and shocked the shit out of me. I am not sure if that is normal or not. The key was in the on position, probably why?
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### Author:  [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/3 "2009-05-03T14:00:19Z")
> [@JDMSIR](#):
>
> The key was in the on position, probably why?
bright, like lightbulb. :sario:
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/4 "2009-05-03T14:16:23Z")
↑ Never before have I got shocked, done it 100 times. Just thought it was weird.
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### Author:  [@LXIFLYBY](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LXIFLYBY)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/5 "2009-05-03T20:27:00Z")
never grab the top of the distributor with the key on, engine running or not. what year/model civic?
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### Author:  [@turbociv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/turbociv)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/6 "2009-05-03T20:37:59Z")
you shouldnt get shocked. Are your grounds connected on the tstat housing?
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/7 "2009-05-03T20:42:07Z")
> [@LXIFLYBY](#):
>
> never grab the top of the distributor with the key on, engine running or not. what year/model civic?
1994 civic CX but I just swapped a 97 d16y7 in there.
> [@turbociv](#):
>
> you shouldnt get shocked. Are your grounds connected on the tstat housing?
All grounds are hooked up and clean. Like I said I never got shocked before, done a bunch and never got shocked, and it was a little zap it was a good jolt.
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/8 "2009-05-04T18:01:16Z")
Gonna try again with the car tomorrow, I did mess with it yesterday for a few mins and it still has weak spark, and its rotating slowly when I crank it. The battery is fully charged and good, I also took the battery out of my car and it does the sane thing, it actually starts to die withing a min of cranking. It should take longer then that to die. The starter also gets super hot. I replaced the starter with a know working one and it does the same thing. Any ideas?
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### Author:  [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/9 "2009-05-04T18:18:32Z")
What about the coil???
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### Author:  [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/10 "2009-05-04T18:21:12Z")
When you were pulling the dizzy your wiring probably hit a ground, it happened one my friends car with the fuel lines out, and open wire. sparks shot and fuel was squirting everywhere because it made the fuel pump prime and almost started a fire lol
as for your problem, no clue. sorry cannot help
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### Author:  [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/11 "2009-05-04T18:29:57Z")
i found:
May be your ICM
Check your alternator
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### Author:  [@psychopjv](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/psychopjv)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/12 "2009-05-04T18:32:36Z")
if it’s killing a battery that fast and barely cranking you have a bad connection somewhere.
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/13 "2009-05-04T18:34:48Z")
> [@Viper966](#):
>
> What about the coil???
Coil is good, I took a know good dizzy from a running car and its the same weak spark.
> [@deebo](#):
>
> When you were pulling the dizzy your wiring probably hit a ground, it happened one my friends car with the fuel lines out, and open wire. sparks shot and fuel was squirting everywhere because it made the fuel pump prime and almost started a fire lol
>
> as for your problem, no clue. sorry cannot help
Ahahaha, WTF. Its not hitting any grounds, it was hitting the hole where the dizzy goes in.
> [@deebo](#):
>
> i found:
> May be your ICM
> Check your alternator
Could be alt. related, I had to heat the bolt up to get it off the old block I swapped. Might have heated it up to much and burned something in the alt:shrug:
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### Author:  [@deebo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/deebo)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/14 "2009-05-04T18:36:22Z")
if you need an alternator, i have one off my gsr. i’m not quite sure if it works tho, you can borrow it
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/15 "2009-05-04T18:48:11Z")
> [@deebo](#):
>
> if you need an alternator, i have one off my gsr. i’m not quite sure if it works tho, you can borrow it
Thanks, I might take you up on that, although it might put out more then it needs for the civic but im not sure.
Im gonna test some wires tomorrow and see what the hell is going on.
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### Author:  [@Viper966](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Viper966)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/16 "2009-05-04T19:29:13Z")
> [@JDMSIR](#):
>
> Coil is good, I took a know good dizzy from a running car and its the same weak spark.
>
> Ahahaha, WTF. Its not hitting any grounds, it was hitting the hole where the dizzy goes in.
>
> Could be alt. related, I had to heat the bolt up to get it off the old block I swapped. Might have heated it up to much and burned something in the alt:shrug:
a coil is built into the dizzy? Not sure but the coil is seperate fromthe distributor, at least that is how it is on any distributor cars I’ve worked on
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### Author:  [@JDMSIR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JDMSIR)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/honda-help-weak-orange-spark-wtf/67207/17 "2009-05-04T20:41:20Z")
No its built in on Hondas.