It's supposed to be a cold start problem, and it's obviously a spark problem, not fuel. Now to find the culprit. Ugh. When spark is intermittant like this, testing components the conventional way with an ohmeter usually yields misleading results... plus i have no book on this car anyway. So, cold start problem... semi-gone now. How do I simulate? Let's put the coil in the freezer!
This really does work sometimes.

So that had no effect. I had it in there about 30min while i did research, and re-installed. Same deal.... no spark, spark-start, 1sec. Substitute coil wire. Same. Heat coil up with hair dryer. No change.

Andrew stopped by so I could rewire his tails in a way I liked better. Still temporary until i can figure out the cause. I did figure out his rear lamp relay is bad. I don't think it's the main problem, and a new one is over $200. It might be the main problem, but for now, I checked out a few things, disabled his airbag light, threw a bag of ice on the Geo distributor, and got some lunch.

We stopped by the parts store(s) and picked up a bearing for the Honda, a Haynes manual for the Camry, and some misc. wiring parts. After lunch I ran a fused wire from the front lights on the camry to the rear. Now it has a fuse. I feel better. I feel dumb i didn't wire it that way the other day, and had to ask him to come back so i could stop worrying. Now the lights all work properly, though not technically correct. I'll study the wire schematic of the lighting in the Camry over the next few days.

So I've got this bag of ice on the Geo distributor. It's prob'ly about 3:00 now. It's been on there a good hour. No spark, spark-start. 1second.
Dammit.
Think. Internet research to no avail.

Take steering knuckle off Honda. Bearing is fine. WTF was causing the knock-knock-knock? It's the dang CV joint!
gif animation (sorry, best i can do with the tools i have)

So I go up to the parts store Again. Return bearing. Pick up axle shaft. Pick up dist cap&rotorbutton for Geo (doubt it's the problem, but when i end up replacing the distributor, it must have a new cap, and it's a cheap check). Take off old cap, ice down dist with cap off.

Replace CV shaft in Honda. Gear it up with the front end lifted, and... the knock is gone. Hoorayyy!
Wheels on, car down.

Geo. New cap on.
No spark, spark-start. 1 second.
Remove distributor.

Sean's home.
Eat some chicken meat candy.

Put Geo ign control module and pick-up-coil in freezer.
View image
mess with Geo transmission plug... too tight to get off.
proper tool rounds. Improper tool shaves.
Damn this thing is overtightened BADLY.
Get plug off, fill trans. I need to find a new plug.
Re-install dist parts, set air gap
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Reinstall dist.

No change... maybe took just over a second this time.
Could this maybe be a 'sitting more than 12hrs' problem rather than 'cold'? I don't know yet.
The module looks like crap. I think it's bad. It's pretty attached to the pick-up-coil at this stage in it's life, and you can pick them both up with a new distributor cheaper than the parts seperately... still an expensive 'replace-to-check'. I need to find Robena's # and call tomorrow.
This kind of diagnosis might fare better with a few hundred dollars worth of Oscilloscope education, a chart showing proper wave for this vehicle, and a working Oscilloscope with proper test leads. Any good places around here that can do that for less than a 'replace-to-check'?

Test drive Honda. Better. Not all better. Still some vibration and creaking while braking... which now i can isolate to the rear.
It's that damn wheel that doesn't fit. I bet. I put on the space saver spare. Pic didn't come out because it's dark out. Test drive stops smoothly, no noise. It's still not plumb perfect, but for 17yrs and still a bunch of old parts, very smooth and quiet. Any better and one really has to weigh the cost vs. effectiveness. I'd put it up against a 5yr old car easily.

I'll try to find another wheel. If i dont find one before G needs her car back, she'll have to drive with the space-saver until she finds a wheel. If that wrong-wheel goes back on the car, she's fired.