dascivic96

Hey all, got a strange problem. I recently purchased a 1995 honda civic xl four door. The previous owner had it slammed on terrible suspension. Rode like a boat on cement. And swapped in a used d15b because the original went out on him. When I picked it up the motor sounded and felt good, just some suspension issues and a power steering leak, other than that seemed okay maybe just needed a tune up.

Anyways I drove the car home about 2 hours with no issues besides swerving around every pothole

Got it home it say for a few weeks I would drive it every couple days just to keep it from sitting. I bought some suspension for it and after about a month began to install it got it all on fine. Now here is where my problem begins. The negative battery ground was on one of the coilover nuts coming through the strut tower. So to install the new suspension of course I had to remove that nut which disconnected the battery. I finished the job late due to having to find eg front forks because had teg coilvers and da front forks that wouldn't fit with my suspension. So I put everything back together but didn't have time to test because was late.

Next day I come to finally feel my new suspension. Crank the car up it idles a little high like normal when cold. Back out of my driveway and get out with car running to close my garage and it dies. First time it ever did that.

Get back in it started fine and start driving down the road to the gas station to get gas, half way there it does while coasting.. Pull over start it up fine and it made it to the gas station.

Get gas and start it back up it barely fires and dies right away. I pushed it to a parking spot and waited a few minutes. Fired it back up has to rev it high to keep it on, after a minute I was able to drive home like normal. Tried starting it later and now it was a no start issue. Only cranking.

I began checking cap rotor plugs and wires. The cap was black and burnt on the connection for one cylinder, and one of my plug wires was bent and toast. So I decided id do a little tune up.

Today I replaced cap rotor plugs plug wires and fuel filter, thinking this would help i went to start it and still am getting just cranking. Checked the plugs and there is gas on all four. I've checked my firing order which I believe is right. What could this be? Car ran fine minus a little rough idles due to needing tune up parts. But right after I disconnected the battery all this began.

Only thing I think that still might not be right is the plug wires don't feel like there getting a complete seal and clicking onto the plugs. They defiantly are the same length and making contact tho.

Any ideas? Sorry for the long story.

Any help appreciated. Thanks guys.

dascivic96

Oh and I almost forgot, part of the reason I also noticed this was after disconnecting the battery when I did drive it, it wouldn't rev past 4500. It would fall flat on it's face and feel like it was hitting rev limiter at 4500 rpms. This was before I replaced anything but after I disconnected the battery.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Is the CEL on? Does it work? When you reconnected that ground, did you make sure the mating surface was metal on metal, clean, and free of corrosion?

dascivic96

The cel does work, and no I am not getting a cel. The connection looked clean and its defiantly tight, the new but that came with my suspension howerver was a lock but, where the old one wasn't. The new one has a little bit of nylon for the locking as where the old one was a pure metal nut. This made me wonder if that was giving it a bad connection but I also tried to start the car while getting the battery jumped because my battery began to die after cranking a few times and even than it still wouldn't start. So wouldn't that rule out the nut? Since even with power from another vehicle jumping it it still wouldn't start?

Also happened only once the first time I tried to start it after replacing all the tune up parts, the fuel pump primed and made a were moaning noise and even continued to after I pulled the key out for like 10 more seconds.. What could that have been? I'm getting fuel I believe because there is fuel on the new plugs.

Thanks for the quick response. I appreciate the help.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

A bad ground could have caused other electrical damage. Buy/borrow/rent a HEI spark tester and use it - there will be instructions on the box, and it's extremely straight forward. Tell us what color the spark is with the tester.

Former User

Please summarize the tech problem in your thread title - edited.

Nitronaught

+1 check your spark. Bought a set of wires 1 time and they liked to pop off autmatically on their own...

I'm having a tendency to think fuel, not spark...... But first check and make sure your getting spark. Pull 1 plug and put the wore on it, put the side of the plug against the block, IMPORTANT,,,, HOLD IT WITH INSULATED PLIERS AND AVOID OTHER ELECTONICS... Have a buddy make sure the car is in park/nuetral and crank it over... SHould see some sparks... No sparks then you know it's electrical for certain.

Fuel,,, Do you have any engine starting fluid? remove your air filter put a shot of that down the intake and crank it over, does it fire then? If so I would say there's a fuel system issue, either a junked up filter, bad fuel, weak fuel pump...

dascivic96

Okay so I was not able to check for spark completely because my battery died I got to one plug I checked with the plug wires I bought new from o'reily, which really don't seem like there clicking into the plug and got no spark, but the battery was low at this time. And than I tried once more with one of the old plug wires which do feel like they are clicking nicely onto the spark plug and had someone crank It over but it died almost immediately. Both with no spark. But I think this may be due to the battery being low and dying? What do you think? I also before this replaced the negative battery cable. And moved it to a new ground that has good contact.

As well as cleaned all the the grounds under the hood and and tried starting it once with no luck.

I can't test for spark more till I charge the battery or get a new one, hopefully tomorrow.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

The battery could be failing to send power, or your ICM or coil in your distributor could have been damaged. Electrical systems are sensitive - one small problem or mistake in one part can cause a seemly unrelated system to fail miserably.

Replacing the battery can be avoided at this point. Find a friend to help you out, and borrow their battery for the test. If you still don't get spark with their battery, then something in your distributor is fried, and you'll need a multimeter to properly diagnose it.

dascivic96

Okay I will try to get a battery to use tomorrow to do the test. And incase I need to use it I do have a multimeter. I will follow up tomorrow after performing the test.

Thank you for all your replies.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

I don't have the related pages in the FSM handy, but I'm fairly sure RonJ has the distributor testing pages. Hopefully he can drop in and post them.

dascivic96

That would be handy if possible. I have yet to check the main relay. I will do so, but wouldn't I be getting no spark and no fuel if that was the case?

Former User

See FAQs sticky for the diagrams.

dascivic96

I have an update. I was able to borrow a friends battery today to check for spark. I checked each plug with the new wires. And nothing. No spark. So I tried my old wire. Still nothing. First thing I did was remove the igniter and ignition coil to be tested.

One of the screws holding a ground on the coil was stripped and while trying to remove that screw I broke that part of the coil where the ground goes. So regardless now I need a new coil.

But anyways I took down both parts to autozone to be tested. The coil was hard to test because the broken tab but he managed to get it to work and it failed. Wasn't in specs.

The igniter failed immediately. Usually there machine has several lights and it'll light up whether it passes or fails and than determine if the whole part failed or passes I believe. It was tested 3 or 4 times and the second he started the test all the lights were showing red and showed fail.. So I am hoping this is my problem. I'm sure it's whats causing no spark.

What do you guys think?

Thanks again.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Looks like a pretty solid answer to me, and is just what I was expecting.

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a new distributor will have youon yourway

dascivic96

That's what I'm hoping. I might try to grab a used one first or borrow one to make sure before I buy a whole new one. As soon as I get one on I will have another update for you.

Thanks for all the replies guys.