Yes, I know I'm going to get referred to the Honda forums elsewhere, but I find that the info I get here is usually free of the idiotic answers that I must sift through on the Honda forums, soooooo........
I just picked up a 1992 Prelude that has a JDM H22a VTEC engine - and older swap that was running fine for several years. As I was going to look at the car, it quit running while the previous owner was returning from the store. he pushed it into a parking space which is where I bought the car. It already had a fuel pressure gauge plumbed in, which shows 40psi. Loosening one of the spark plug wires at the distributor, I cannot see nor hear spark jumping the gap. The cap appears to be a cheap clear cap, and is cracking a little.... but I don't think that's the problem because there was no warning to the P.O. before it quit. Also, the timing belt is not broken, so that can be ruled out. Any thoughts? I suspect the ignitor or coil. Are either or both internal in the distributor? Any other thoughts?
Mike
Did you take the cap off and check the rotor?
Not yet: I had no tools with me. Heading back over there shortly.
screw holding the rotor might have come loose.
Since it's run fine for years, this might not help. But I believe the JDM H22 has a different distributor (internal coil) from the USDM H22, which has an external coil. I'm in the process of swapping my H23 Prelude to an H22, and I know the USDM distributor will work when "retro"fitted to the JDM engine--it's easier to deal with the USDM wiring harness this way.
But I'd take a look at how the PO or the tech who did the swap wired the distributor. Here's a guide that I found that explains how to wire a JDM distributor to a USDM harness...if the car is like this, maybe this guide can help you cross-reference or something. I guess at least this way you'll now which distributor you're working with.
http://www.importintelligence.com/hoprh22ustoj.html
Also, if it does have a JDM distributor and needs a new one, I have an OEM one I'd be willing to part with for a small fee (with a GRM discount of course 
)
Sorry I can't be more help!
And wouldn't you know it, I just got back from Florida Saturday :( It does have the JDM distributor, internal coil OBD1 design. The distributor cap was garbage, and the rotor looks pretty bad too. I actually found a JDM style cap and rotor set at O'Reily's and bought it. I put on the cap, but the rotor button screw is frozen in place and will take some work to get off. Replacing the cap did not get the car to start. The rotor still looks decent, but maybe there's a disruption in the current through the rotor. I'm going to replace that tomorrow or Wednesday (schedule permitting), but right now I suspect the coil. If the screw is completely frozen, I might really be interested in the distributor. PM price and whether or not it also has the igniter.
Mike
kb58
HalfDork
8/6/12 2:17 p.m.
I think you need to start further upstream. If I recall, those cars have a main relay that tends to fail, removing power from most everything. You said the fuel pump was working but since it's probably aftermarket, it may not run off the same power as before. Check the relay, since it powers the ECU...
The main relay is a culprit in a lot of Honda problems--that is a good point, check that as well.
06HHR
New Reader
8/6/12 5:53 p.m.
In reply to Double_Wishbone: +1 on the Main Relay, had one fail on a 92 Prelude S i had.
I am pretty sure the main relay kills the fuel, not the spark. But I have been wrong before.
Does the tach bounce while cranking? If not, the igniter is may be suspect...
later, matt
The ignitor and coil are my main suspects. Even if the fuel pump was aftermarket, it would still be wired through that relay. I've replaced that relay on several Honda's and it was my first suspicion, but with the fuel pump engaging I ruled it out..... and in any case I'm pretty certain it doesn't control spark. Unfortunately, a death in the family has this on hold for a few days. I'll be back at it over the weekend when I get back from Arkansas.
Mike
It's easy to tell an external coil from an internal one, if the car has an external coil there will be 1 more high-voltage lead coming out of the distributor than there are cylinders, and then you can trace that one back to the coil.
