Is this just a spark plug issue?
05-10-2007, 04:47 AM
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Is this just a spark plug issue?
I figured I would re-post this as a seperate topic.
Continued from this post.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ok, so here's the deal. Went and had another look at the car tonight.
The spark plug boots for cylinders one through three were completely soaked in oil. So of course the spark plugs were dripping wet when I removed them. Cylinder 4 was perfectly clean an dry, and had a good healthy gray color on the plug.
Did a quick compression test on all four cylinders. I didn't sit there and crank till the gauge stopped because I didn't want to kill the battery, but each cylinder was able to get to at least 180psi (highest was 210psi, but that one I cranked just to see how high it would go, I think it was cyl #3).
Cranked the engine some more with all spark plugs in. Pulled out #4 plug since it was the only dry one and it smelled like gas. Fuel pump good. Held the plug against the engine (to ground it) and no spark.
So I'm thinking the reason it died all of a sudden on the lady is maybe a bad coil (just had to replace one in a '91 Accord I bought), but definitely something spark related. It still needs a new valve cover gasket to fix all that oil, and it's obvious it's leaking from the outer edges of the gasket down the head. It could probably use a good head cleaning if I decided to get it. One nice thing about the car though is that except for some faded paint on the roof, the rest of the paint is still really shiny and the interior is near perfect.
What do you guys think? Agree that it's probably just a no spark issue? I'm thinking of offering a low ball number since the car isn't running. I think I'll start asking at $400. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Continued from this post.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ok, so here's the deal. Went and had another look at the car tonight.
The spark plug boots for cylinders one through three were completely soaked in oil. So of course the spark plugs were dripping wet when I removed them. Cylinder 4 was perfectly clean an dry, and had a good healthy gray color on the plug.
Did a quick compression test on all four cylinders. I didn't sit there and crank till the gauge stopped because I didn't want to kill the battery, but each cylinder was able to get to at least 180psi (highest was 210psi, but that one I cranked just to see how high it would go, I think it was cyl #3).
Cranked the engine some more with all spark plugs in. Pulled out #4 plug since it was the only dry one and it smelled like gas. Fuel pump good. Held the plug against the engine (to ground it) and no spark.
So I'm thinking the reason it died all of a sudden on the lady is maybe a bad coil (just had to replace one in a '91 Accord I bought), but definitely something spark related. It still needs a new valve cover gasket to fix all that oil, and it's obvious it's leaking from the outer edges of the gasket down the head. It could probably use a good head cleaning if I decided to get it. One nice thing about the car though is that except for some faded paint on the roof, the rest of the paint is still really shiny and the interior is near perfect.
What do you guys think? Agree that it's probably just a no spark issue? I'm thinking of offering a low ball number since the car isn't running. I think I'll start asking at $400. </TD></TR></TABLE>
05-10-2007, 05:27 AM
#2
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Is this just a spark plug issue? (Flatland2D)
personally, i've never seen a spark plug not fire unless it was physically broken, or soo carbond up that theres no gap left. If none of the plugs are firing, check your wires as well before you blame the coil. Wires that are arcing and losing all their voltage before they reach the plug can cause the plugs not to fire, or be too weak to jump the gap.
If you have access to an Ohmmeter(multimeter) check the resistance in the wires. if they are 25,000 Ohms or more, replace the wires and try again.
Get a Volt meter and check the coil for power when the key is in the run position. This should be easier since your car has en external coil, so unplug the harness and probe the pins. If you have no power to the coil, you have a wiring issue.
If you have power to the coil, replace the plugs and wires, or swap them with KNOWN good wires and plugs ad try again. If there is still no spark, replace the coil.
If you have access to an Ohmmeter(multimeter) check the resistance in the wires. if they are 25,000 Ohms or more, replace the wires and try again.
Get a Volt meter and check the coil for power when the key is in the run position. This should be easier since your car has en external coil, so unplug the harness and probe the pins. If you have no power to the coil, you have a wiring issue.
If you have power to the coil, replace the plugs and wires, or swap them with KNOWN good wires and plugs ad try again. If there is still no spark, replace the coil.
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