Okay, so about a month ago my 93 Civic DX hatchback stalled while I was driving it. It did it a few more times, at seemingly random times, and each time the engine light would come on. Sometimes I could start it again, and sometimes I would have to let it sit for a while.

I took it to a shop and they replaced the ignition coil with another used one. This fixed the problem for maybe 150KM, and then it did it again, so I replaced the ignition coil, rotor, and distributor cap with brand new parts, and this fixed it for over 500km, but then it just did the same thing again. I was driving and it stalled, and the engine light came on.

It seems like the ignition coil is what is failing, since when I replace it it fixes the problem for a while-is there something else that could be wearing out the coil or causing this problem?

 

What code was thrown? Stalling is more often an igniter unit problem than a coil problem.

 

Failure of the coil or the igniter will not make the light come on. It would just die.

You have to check the code. If the main relay is bad the light will come on while trying to start (it should be out) but there will be no code stored. But it is very unusual for a main relay to cause stalling while driving, almost always it is a failure to start but once started it is OK.

Also next time it stalls check if the oil and battery lights on the dash come on (they should be on anytime the key is on but the engine is not running). If they don't it could be the key switch.

 

A bad igniter unit commonly throws CEL code 15.

 

It threw a code 15. If it isn't the coil, why would it work for so long after I replaced it? Could a bad igniter damage the coil?

 

Poking around in the distributor may have bumped the igniter to a better state than it was (I wouldn't rate 500 km as a long time). But it looks like you need a new igniter. An intermittent igniter should not damage the coil. Besides your original coil should still be good.

Make sure the plastic plate between the rotor section and the igniter section is in there. If it's been left out you'll have a lot of trouble.

 

Is there any way to test the igniter?

 

Some auto parts stores will test the igniter unit for you. Call some stores.

 

When you are talking about the igniter, are you referring to the ICM? ECM? I'm looking in the haynes manual and they don't talk about an 'igniter', but they talk about an ignition system.

 

Not ECM. That's the car computer.

Igniter unit is the same as the ICM. It's inside the distributor: