MilitantPotato

I've a 96 accord that will very randomly not start when it's bellow 40F. Fuel pump primes, CEL turns off after two seconds, and cylinders get soaked with gas after a no start.
I've checked for spark and it has one, but maybe looked a little weak.
Newish plugs (correct NGK model and gap) and wires and cap (look great, no visible arching, light tan with no deposits.) No CEL while running.

It will sometimes seem to chug once if I cycle the key (until the thing is completely flooded.) On days it does start, it runs perfectly with no issues restarting or drivability issues.
One time I managed to get it started after it cranked for a while, and it chugged heavily, mis-fired, and generally ran like garbage for 20 seconds then cleaned right up. Ran great after and fired up again 8 hours later.

I've changed the ECT since much googling said that can cause random cold no starts with flooding, but that did nothing.
No noticeable vacuum leak.
No backflow from the fuel pressure regulator, grounds seem solid.
No fluid in the chambers before attempting a start, battery is 2 years old and can crank for days. Coolant doesn't disappear either.

It has fired right up in 10F weather, but seems to only do this when it's around 30-40F. Humidity MAY play a part.

Would a dying coil or ICM cause this? I'd think there'd be more symptoms during the summer or once the engine warmed up? I recently drove 100 miles round trip and it ran and started perfectly.

MilitantPotato

Well I dumped water on the wires and cap and replicated the issue. Found a bit on the underside of the wire leading to the distributor that a mouse had nibbled. Such a tiny thing I never saw it.
I also found a little oil in the distributor cap, and much more on the outside, also signs of arching on the inside of the cap. Once the spawn are awake I'll replace the wires, cap and rotor since there's also some corrosion on those and check for more damaged insulation.

qwazzy

Since you mentioned that you see oil in your distributor, you may want to look closely at the seal in it as well as the o-ring between the distributor and the engine block. I would change both since that hot oil will eventually leak onto your hoses and rupture them.

MilitantPotato

Will do. I'll have to save that for another day. Good news is she fired right up after soaking everything this time. Hopefully the spark jumping was all it was.