Not your average 'Car Won't Start' Thread
07-11-2008, 12:46 PM
#1
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 3,494
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not your average 'Car Won't Start' Thread
I started another thread in the Tech forum asking how to solve a problem that I thought was causing my starting issue, however it's been 'solved' and the car still won't start.
Please read the entire thread before posting. Anyone with input at that point please contribute.
I've spent plenty of time searching both here and other forums and websites and have tried almost everything I've thought to check. The car cranks, it has fuel, it has fuel pressure, it has spark, the main relay is good, brand new distributor (0 miles), new plugs, new wires.
first post:
second:
third
It was running, however the car had a stalling issue and was throwing a code 15, Ignition Output Signal. I replaced the cap, rotor, and wires, which is when I discovered the oil in the spark plug tubes.
Today the new distributor came in from Distributor King, which we got to fix the code 15. I also picked up some new spark plugs. I installed everything, reset the computer, and still nothing. I pull the plugs out and they're damp with oil.
I know the car is getting spark, and it's getting fuel. A friend suggested that the car may have lost compression due to the oil in the chamber. I'm going to run a compression test later.
I also just tried disconnecting the fuel pump and turning the engine over a few times in an attempt to 'flush' the system out. I still have to try to start it.
This is getting frustrating
Going to try that now.
What I tried yesterday didn't work. Today I checked the main relay just for giggles. All is well in there. Checked out a few grounds as well. Checked voltage at the distributor with the ignition on, it's steady.
The plugs aren't really coming up with much oil anymore after cranking, leading me to believe that most of the oil is out of the chamber or it's settled.
I did a compression check today, it yielded (cyl. 1-4) 155-175-170-175. Not bad.
This thing really has me stumped
still stuck 
Please read the entire thread before posting. Anyone with input at that point please contribute.
I've spent plenty of time searching both here and other forums and websites and have tried almost everything I've thought to check. The car cranks, it has fuel, it has fuel pressure, it has spark, the main relay is good, brand new distributor (0 miles), new plugs, new wires.
first post:
Originally Posted by pwrofdrm
1992 Honda Accord EX
Went through and replaced the valve cover and spark plug gaskets because the spark plug tubes were full of oil.
After removing as much oil as I could from the tubes with the plugs installed, which was most of it, I took the plugs out and dried the tubes completely. Although the tops of the plugs were drenched, the igniter's were dry and brown how they should be.
So while I was at it I replaced the spark plugs and plug wires with new units.
Now the car won't start! Firing order is correct. If I try to start it, then take out the plugs, they come up drenched with oil. This leads me to believe that an amount of oil was leaked into the combustion chamber when I removed the plugs with oil still in the spark plug tubes.
So, does anyone have any tricks as to how I can go about evacuating the oil from the combustion chamber?
Any help or input appreciated, thx.
Went through and replaced the valve cover and spark plug gaskets because the spark plug tubes were full of oil.
After removing as much oil as I could from the tubes with the plugs installed, which was most of it, I took the plugs out and dried the tubes completely. Although the tops of the plugs were drenched, the igniter's were dry and brown how they should be.
So while I was at it I replaced the spark plugs and plug wires with new units.
Now the car won't start! Firing order is correct. If I try to start it, then take out the plugs, they come up drenched with oil. This leads me to believe that an amount of oil was leaked into the combustion chamber when I removed the plugs with oil still in the spark plug tubes.
So, does anyone have any tricks as to how I can go about evacuating the oil from the combustion chamber?
Any help or input appreciated, thx.
Originally Posted by pwrofdrm
I tried putting paper towels over the spark plug tubes and turning it over but nothing came out onto the towel.
I've also cranked the car over many times.
Most recently I tried spraying starter fluid in the combustion chamber as well as the throttle body, thinking if I could get the car started it would burn the oil out by itself...no luck.
I checked for spark to see if maybe the new cables were bad and that's not the case either.
I've also cranked the car over many times.
Most recently I tried spraying starter fluid in the combustion chamber as well as the throttle body, thinking if I could get the car started it would burn the oil out by itself...no luck.
I checked for spark to see if maybe the new cables were bad and that's not the case either.
third
Originally Posted by pwrofdrm
It was running, however the car had a stalling issue and was throwing a code 15, Ignition Output Signal. I replaced the cap, rotor, and wires, which is when I discovered the oil in the spark plug tubes.
Today the new distributor came in from Distributor King, which we got to fix the code 15. I also picked up some new spark plugs. I installed everything, reset the computer, and still nothing. I pull the plugs out and they're damp with oil.
I know the car is getting spark, and it's getting fuel. A friend suggested that the car may have lost compression due to the oil in the chamber. I'm going to run a compression test later.
I also just tried disconnecting the fuel pump and turning the engine over a few times in an attempt to 'flush' the system out. I still have to try to start it.
This is getting frustrating
Originally Posted by pwrofdrm
Going to try that now.
What I tried yesterday didn't work. Today I checked the main relay just for giggles. All is well in there. Checked out a few grounds as well. Checked voltage at the distributor with the ignition on, it's steady.
The plugs aren't really coming up with much oil anymore after cranking, leading me to believe that most of the oil is out of the chamber or it's settled.
I did a compression check today, it yielded (cyl. 1-4) 155-175-170-175. Not bad.
This thing really has me stumped
07-11-2008, 03:29 PM
#2
Re: Not your average 'Car Won't Start' Thread (pwrofdrm)
Well man, I'm not an expert, and I may not help much...BUT....if I were you, I'd start from the beginning. Sometimes stuff like this happens and you get so caught up in it you miss something completely stupid. R&R the dist., check the rotor, make sure again and again your firing order it correct. Recheck or redo everything, no matter how dumb it may seem.
From all the cranking with the fuel being sprayed in, you may have washed the cyl walls with gas....that going along with the loss of compression you were talking about in your posts. Oil won't wash the cyls, gas will. From what I understand, Hondas are more susceptible to this than a lot of cars.
Keep us posted. Good luck.
From all the cranking with the fuel being sprayed in, you may have washed the cyl walls with gas....that going along with the loss of compression you were talking about in your posts. Oil won't wash the cyls, gas will. From what I understand, Hondas are more susceptible to this than a lot of cars.
Keep us posted. Good luck.
07-11-2008, 05:48 PM
#3
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA, USA
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Not your average 'Car Won't Start' Thread (pwrofdrm)
Are the plugs of the proper type and did you check the gap?
Some of your comments (oil in cylinder causing loss of compression???) don't make sense, which makes me think you're not 100% familiar with what you're doing. Therefore, I second the above post and suggest you double and triple check that you did things correctly (from start to finish!).
The oil leak onto the spark plugs is super common problem. Dealt with it several times myself. There just isn't enough oil left in those ports to make your engine not start. Your problem is something else.
Did you suck paper towel or something else in through the spark plug hole?
Some of your comments (oil in cylinder causing loss of compression???) don't make sense, which makes me think you're not 100% familiar with what you're doing. Therefore, I second the above post and suggest you double and triple check that you did things correctly (from start to finish!).
The oil leak onto the spark plugs is super common problem. Dealt with it several times myself. There just isn't enough oil left in those ports to make your engine not start. Your problem is something else.
Did you suck paper towel or something else in through the spark plug hole?
07-12-2008, 07:53 AM
#4
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 3,494
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Not your average 'Car Won't Start' Thread (afreeclimber)
Well the distributor is new and sealed from Distributor king, so I didn't take the cap off and check to make sure the rotor and what not is on correctly. I'll check that.
I don't think I got anything caught in the chambers when I was cleaning the tubes, that would have been tough to do.
Plug gap was checked, firing order was triple checked.
On another note, the car started yesterday. Just out of nowhere, I turned the key and it started. It's been running fine since.
I don't think I got anything caught in the chambers when I was cleaning the tubes, that would have been tough to do.
Plug gap was checked, firing order was triple checked.
On another note, the car started yesterday. Just out of nowhere, I turned the key and it started. It's been running fine since.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
9secg23eg
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
1
11-28-2009 10:19 PM
Fatty_1775
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
3
06-12-2007 10:40 PM
