splashy

I have a 93 del sol si auto trans. This car had a problem where it would sometimes start and sometimes it wouldn't start and now it just wont start at all. The car cranks hard like it want to, even sounded like it almost turned over a second once or twice. After reading I thought it could be the main relay, ecu, or ground wire on the thermostat housing. Luckily I have another del sol, nearly identical except its a 94 and I swapped the ecu, main relay, and used a wire brush to clean the ground wire connection. It still would NOT start, so I dont really know where to go from there. The only thing I can think of is the fuel pump itself but dont want to just start buying parts, is there a way to test it, are there any fuses it could be, I checked the ones under the hood, so just the under dash ones left to check. Any suggestions would be appreciated really need to get this car running again

delsolintegra

Check the spark plugs. Do they look wet after a bit of cranking?

If not, it could be the fuel filter is clogged or the fuel pump is bad.

Spray some starter fluid in the throttle body.

Does the engine fire? If it does than the problem is fuel related, not spark.

After some cranking, loosen the fuel line at the fuel filter. Does fuel come out in a spray like it's under pressure? If it comes out under pressure than the pump is probably working and the problem is a clogged filter.

Oh yeah, is there any gas in the tank? Make this number 1.

splashy

I forgot to mention, the fuel pump is NOT priming when I turn the key. Also the tach doesnt move when cranking and the oil, battery, and cel all stay on while cranking

delsolintegra

Check battery terminal connections.
Sometimes those lead terminal spacers prevent a good clean connection.

The distributor is not loose is it?

White_EG1

Does the CEL come when you try to prime the pump? And do you have any existing CEL's?

Was the other del sol you pulled the main relay from running?

splashy

I still need help on this, just was working at it today and I had the battery fully charged, car is cranking hard but making no attempt to start. After looking through similar threads I'm out of ideas, it seems the 3 main reasons for not starting are ecu, main relay, and ground wire on thermostat. What else can I try?
----Check engine light stays on the entire time, I tried jumping the service connector for the code and it did not blink at all, just stays on constantly
--- the fuel pump doesnt prime or turn on, but I can hear it run when I jump the 1 and 7 wires on the main relay connector
---checked all dash and hood fuses (visually) and didnt find any bad
---starter fluid in throttle body did not help
---I double checked the main relay, with yet another known good one
---I double checked switching the ecu which had no effect
---I double checked ground wire on thermostat and played with it so much the one wire broke off so I guess I can splice it back to one of the other 4 wires?

Any suggestions on what else to try???????????

delsolintegra

The ground wires on the thermostat housing are the ground wires for the whole ECU. If those wires are so weak that they broke from handling them that may be a problem. If the ECU was energized without a good ground it may have been burnt.

Can you try that ECU in another car to see if it will work?

I had to replace the ECU in my 93 del sol si auto because it would no longer prime the fuel pump. Junkyard $135.

splashy

I am hoping I didnt ruin the ecu because of that. I have another del sol I can go get both the original and replacement ecus and test them in, but It will take a day two. One thing I read in another thread was to disconnect the battery before switching out the ecus which I did NOT do. Is that a big deal, why do you have to disconnect the battery to install a new ecu? And what is the best way to fix t broken ground wire?

delsolintegra

I'm no expert on electronics but those ECU circuit boards are kind of old technology with old fashioned capacitors and transistors that may retain partial charges for a short period. I think disconnecting the battery ensures the components on the board totally discharge together and then will reenergize together in a "startup mode" that won't overly effect any single component, possibly causing a burn out.

Even static electricity can effect these circuit boards. Techs who solder on these boards have to wear wrist straps to dissipate static electricity.

These Civics are great cars but I don't think anyone imagined that the electronics would last 22 years especially in a wet, humid environment.

splashy

Tested both ecus and they both are good. Is there anything else I should try before striping it and scraping it. There were some extra wires under dash, not sure what is going on there, but I dont know what else to do. I bought the car thinking it would be an easy fix, and am now paying to store it. So if anyone needs green del sol parts let me know

delsolintegra

When you said you found some extra wires under the dash it made me think that maybe at one time it had a burglar alarm installed in it.

I once had a 94 del sol that had a alarm installed in it by the previous owner.
It developed a electrical short. It would constantly set off the horn and flash the headlights.

I thought I had it totally disabled and disconnected but it continued to drain my battery. I eventually pulled the alarm brain and a lot of inline fuses that were not factory and got it totally disabled.

If you see the sign of a button switch under the hood and a separate wire running to the battery area it may have had an alarm and maybe a demobilizer.

Are you in Florida?