MFH87CivicSi

Ive got an 87 civic - i believe its not getting fuel - the pump doesn't prime, I am sure because when I turn the key over while my ear is near the pump location i hear no buzz/whine/hum from it doing its thing. I changed the main relay, the filter, the pump and it was doing the same thing - cranking but not starting - before i changed all this.

cbstd

Damn! There is a lot of that going around. No really.

My '87 Si cranks but does not fire also. I am thinking my problem is an ignition issue, but it is too cold and wet outside to mess with the car right now.

As for your issue, if you can not hear the fuel pump working... then it ain't. I would check to make sure your grounds are good.

Scott

78CITYTURBO

Have you check your ecu, alternator and distributor?

1grex

So is there power at the pump connector when attempting to start? Is there fuel in the tank? Have you checked for fuel pressure? Do yo have spark?

MFH87CivicSi

I have not checked the ecu, the atlernator shouldnt have anything to do with getting power at the pump, should it? and no I havn't goten to the distributor yet. For some reason I get power everywhere, lights, dash, etc., car cranks but I do not hear the pump prime.

MFH87CivicSi

I'm trying to figure out if there is power at the pump - I have a 12v tester and when i attempt to use it on the clip end of the harness leading to the pump i get no signal. now idk maybe I'm not finding a good enough ground.

I emptied the tank via the hose leading to the pump and when it was all said and done i got maybe 4 gallons out. I put about 3 back in...ill definetly put more in but will that make the pump work to where ill hear it work as well?

I do not have the tool to check fuel pressure, ill look into how much they cost - to be honest ive never owned a honda or worked on one, had a nissan, similar in a way never ran into something like this. i dont know where to start for checkin the fuel pressure, any tips?

78CITYTURBO

To check the fuel pressure, just unscrew, loosen the fuel hose going into the fuel filter a little, covered the loose part of the hose,connector with a thick clothe, kinda wrap it so the fuel won't shoot everywhere then go in the car and crank get. If the clothe is really wet, you are getting fuel, if not then you main relay or the fuel pump is gone. I did this to check the fuel pressure on my car which had a bad alternator, fuel pump, and a bad ecu. I changed out the bad, nasty fuel filter too. Good luck.

MFH87CivicSi

Good call, thank you - I went out today to check for spark, I'm all by myself and some things are hard to get to so i got some help and when my helper was there i plugged in the pump, cranked the car and it fired up.

Now it doesn't hold a steady idle which i suspect is the air intake temperature sensor which can lead to faulty idle other things can cause bad idle, we all know them, the timing and various other Emission parts, and other sensors - So ill replace the air intake sensor and re-post how she runs.

MFH87CivicSi

The screws that hold the Air temp. sensor must be a permanent part of the vehicle - screws started striping upon removal - so I tried an impact screw and their stripping even more. Anyone have any ideas on how to get pesky screws out?

MFH87CivicSi

Well got the screws out, impact screw driver works okay - but didn't work in my situation. So I got a standard screw driver and hammer - took the screw driver at a few different angles to the head of the screw on the left side and it came right out with no effort with a phillips.

The right side screw was pretty mangled, I took a flat head and hammer to the top of it at straight angles, made some groves and than angled the standard driver almost 45% to the groves on one side of the screw and tapped it with the hammer. It came right out but I need to get some screws from the auto parts store so I'll repost how she runs shortly.

But for anyone dealing with some mangled screws, if the philips even begins to strip, stop, use an impact screw driver... When all else fails, use a dremel or take a standard to it, make some grooves than at an angle take the standard driver to it with a hammer...

P.S. (I did use a "wd-40" type product I picked up at the auto parts store, called "PB Blaster" or just "Blaster", not sure if that helped at all, but the screws were "soaking" in it since yesterday)

MFH87CivicSi

Well new sensor went right in nice and easy - car was idling alot better when I knwoticed not just now but generally since I changed the cap and rotor a heavy clicking sound coming from the distributor cap area. So It may seem I have goten the wrong parts from the get go as well. I'll be picking up correct cap and rotor tomorrow and I'll post how she runs.

Right now upon start up the vehicle would just lug out and die - when gas applied it lags and bogs down - wont go over 2k rpms either. I can't say if this is related to having the wrong cap and rotor; So we'll see what happens tomorrow. If the vehicle starts, holds idle and runs smooth I'll post a follow up.

78CITYTURBO

Did you clean out the air control valve real good? Yeah, little parts such plug wires, dist. cap, rotor button, coil, dirty fuel filter can make idle bouncing. Maybe a loose part/loose plug wire causing the ticking noise. Good luck.

MFH87CivicSi

not sure where the ACV is - Im having troubles finding the PCV valve; After all i've done the honda will start everytime but will not continue running - It is as if it has fuel to start but cannot continue delivering fuel to keep it running. I have no clue and my next option is to have someone diagnose it because I havn't a clue... It used to crank but not start and now it starts but does not stay running. Could it be alternator?

MFH87CivicSi

Case closed!

78CITYTURBO

So, what was the problem?

MFH87CivicSi

Fuel pump relay