smh0101

Hey guys, first things first, I am new to this forum and to Honda's. However I am in no way new to cars and mechanics. If this were a Subaru I would probably have the car running again.

Here's the issue. The car was driven about 20miles to work by my bf and when he pulled up to the security gate the engine died. It started but stumbled and he barely got it to a parking spot. Turned the engine off and now it will turn over like normal but won't start again.

Automatically my first thought was "You need three things for the engine to run, Compression, Spark, Fuel"

Well the compression is fine I'm sure, the engine has the usual resistance when turning it over.

So I pulled the spark plug wires out to check and see if there were any issues there.... There was about an inch and a half of oil in the bottom of the spark plug wells. Great, so I went and bought new spark plugs, came back and cleaned the oil out and replaced the plugs. Still no start. (Sidenote: I also bought new valve cover gaskets so I can replace them as soon as I'm able to get the car home, I really don't feel like doing a valve cover gasket job in the airports employee parking lot)

Well my next thought was maybe the distributer it going out or somehow there still isn't any spark. I pulled each plug wire out and put spark plugs back on them and cranked the motor... It has spark. So thats definitely not the issue.

And just so everyone knows it has a half tank of gas so thats not the issue

I could also smell some gas when I started cranking it the first time so I assumed that fuel wasn't the issue but now I'm back to thinking it may be. I can here the fuel pump prime when I turn the key on start. Could the fuel pump on these be bad even if you here it turn on? Usually on a Subaru if the fuel pump goes out you can't here anything. I also sprayed some starter fluid in the intake as it was being turned over and it sounds like it wanted to start (meaning I could hear it start to catch but then just keep cranking). Which leads me to think fuel issue.

Are there any sensors to check that could go out and cause this? I'm assuming the crank and cam are fine since there is spark. It doesn't look like these use a Mass Air Flow Sensor since I didn't see one on the intake piping. Assuming they use a MAP sensor then?


Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

Btw the car is a 95 Accord LX with around 280k miles on it. No clue if this is the original engine. No mods whatsoever.

smh0101

Hey guys any thoughts?

ej7attack

you try to start it with throttle wide open?

smh0101

Yep I have.

ej7attack

so it doesn't seem like its an air issue then, more like fuel from what you were thinking.
not enough, so...........
verify your getting enough fuel pressure after the fuel filter.
verify injectors working.
280k that's high mileage! injectors could be nice and dirty if never cleaned and the fuel filter.
hope this helps somewhat.

smh0101

Thanks man... What is the best way to check fuel pressure on these?

holmesnmanny

Turn the ignition on. Then turn it off. Remove the 17mm bolt on the fuel rail while having a rag ready and see if it sprays fuel when you take the bolt off. If not, then either your fuel pump or main relay is bad.

Test your main relay here

www.techauto.awardspace.com

tim73

If main relay works ok, and youre sure of fuel. Id use a spark plug tester on all cylinders. If that also works, then id replace the spark plug well orings(These are seperate from teh valve cover gasket)

holmesnmanny

he said he tested spark on each wire

ej7attack

did you say you replaced the spark plug wires too or did you just get new spark plugs.
I have seen a condition like yours before in a civic that the hard plastic part on the plug wires where cracked an arching out around the well instead of plugs causing very weak spark. maybe?

smh0101

Hey guys thanks for the reply's.

I only replaces the spark plugs, the wires seemed fine. Might be worth a try.

I pulled the plugs out to look at them again. They definitely smell like gas so I'm pretty sure its getting fuel I'll check the way you said tonight.

I also did a compression test.

Results:

Cylinder 1 - 160 (Closest to drivers side/timing belt)
Cylinder 2 - 90
Cylinder 3 - 155
Cylinder 4 - 160


So I know it has compression. A little worried about Cylinder number 2 though... is it possible that the timing belt jumped a tooth? Would only that cylinder be off it it had? Could the valves be bent?

tim73

I said use a spark plug tester. They, not only prove ignition, but they are much better for testing for weak spark, as you can easy vary the gap. But thanks for pointing that out to me