[sl93ex]

I was on the interstate on-ramp in my 93 Civic, when it popped and died. It would crank but wouldn't fire. I immediately thought "fuel pump". I popped the bleed screw and sprayed fuel all over myself and the hot engine.
Then I thought "no spark". I had one of those Accel see through caps, so I had my 7 yr old daughter watch for spark while I cranked (I would have done it the other way but she couldn't press down the clutch). She said she saw spark.
Unable to do any more testing by the side of the road I called for a tow ($70)
Once I get it home, testing continues. Now I'm thinking compression... so I buy a compression tester ($30). Good compression on all cylinders.
I go back to ignition and I hook up a test light to #1.. good strong spark.
I go back to fuel pressure.. I change the filter ($30).. the relay ($20).. the fuel pump ($120, but I took that back for refund).
Finally I'm thinking the ECM. So I change the notoriously fickle main relay to the ECM ($80) I borrow a good ECM from a friend...

So... Everyone remember that see through Accel cap and rotor? I decided to swap distributors, and when I pulled the cap, the rotor came off with it. Turns out the rotor broke away from the mounting ring and was only firing on #1 (And yeah, I only checked for spark at #1)

Now for the last 20 years I've always tossed my old cap and rotor in the trunk when I change them out, just incase I get a bad one...

So to recap.. $250, several days of not having my primary vehicle, much cursing and angst.

The part to fix the problem was in my trunk and took less than 5 minutes to complete.

Here's MY sign...