Cap'N Chronic

A couple days ago my civic wouldn't start so I took my battery and starter into O'Rileys to get them tested. (I tried taking my alternator in too, but once I got it taken off I realized I couldn't get it out so I left it.)

My starter made some sparks when they tested it, but tested good. My battery on the other hand tested bad.

So I went and bought a new battery, and put everything back in.

When I was tightening down the power cable that goes to the alternator I forgot to unhook the battery and I accidentally touched the ratchet to the frame and it sparked.

Now my car still won't start. It turns over, but doesn't sound healthy at all..

I think I may have shorted something when I was messing with the alternator power cable.

Anyone have any idea what it could be? I'm going to post a video of trying to start it in a little bit.

Cap'N Chronic

This is what happens when I try to start it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_-q7zfljLA

Former User

Battery sounds low, probably from cranking. Charge the battery.

Does the fuel pump prime? Is there spark at the plugs?

Cap'N Chronic

The battery is brand new, just bought it today. But I'll throw it on the charger just to be sure.

I'm pretty sure the fuel pump is priming, does it make a humming noise? I have fuel pressure.

Haven't checked the plugs yet. Will do that tomorrow.

altitude_19

Yeah, fuel pump should make a whirring noise for 2 seconds when ignition is turned on. It does it every time, so if you're not sure, you can check a few times. Take off gas cap, turn on ignition, jump out really fast, stick your ear up to gas inlet. Easy.
Let us know if you need help checking spark. My coil just went bad. Pretty easy diagnosis.

Safety_Driver

Check the starter too.
Ask somebody to knock easily on the starter with a wooden or metal piece (small hammer or its handle) while you try to start.
It sounds to me like the starter cannot not catch tightly the fly wheel.

You might discharged the battery. Try to charge it again.

crebert1

You might have blown a fuse when you touched the ratchet to the frame. ive done it before on a prelude and it wouldn't start. i blew one of the fuses that was in the engine bay.

dinthanonh

maybe the ignition coil

Cap'N Chronic

Well I tested the spark by taking out each spark plug and putting it against the valve cover while trying to start it and there was no spark on any of the cylinders.

I went through and checked all the fuses inside the car and in the bay and all of them checked out. So I'm thinking my ignition coil might be bad. Going to go to a junkyard tomorrow and try and source a new one.

Also when I pulled the spark plug out of cylinder 4 it was completely covered in oil, and the other 3 plugs had oil on the threads. Is this a problem?

Former User

Check whether 15A dash fuse 9 is blown. Use a multimeter and test for voltage at both top tests with the key in ON(II).

sdots24

You blew the main fuse might be a 30a or larger. look up where the main fuse is.

Cap'N Chronic

The underdash fuse 9 checks out.

I did a check on the coil and ICM today and it passed all of them except for the internally grounded test. I put my voltmeter to Ohms and put the pos. needle on one of the coil's terminals and the neg. needle on a ground and it read 0.6. It did this for both of the coil's terminals so I'm pretty sure the coil is internally grounded.

Cap'N Chronic

Well I noticed my dizzy doesn't fit right on the head, as you can see from the pictures. Only one of the arms actually lines up to where you can bolt it down. From what I have been reading this is an OBD2 big plug dizzy, and I think I have an OBD1 motor.

Cap'N Chronic

Also a little update, I'm getting CEL codes for water temp sensor and intake air temp sensor, but I don't think these would have anything to do with my car not starting.

My fuel system seems to be running okay, I can hear the pump priming, the main relay clicks like its supposed to, I'm getting a reading of 41 psi at the fuel filter, and there is power going to all the injector pigtails.

I went out and bought new spark plug wires and plugs and its still not starting. I'm going to go and try and find a used OBD1 dizzy at a junkyard on monday and hopefully that should clear all the problems up.

altitude_19

Best of luck!

honda fossil

stuff like this alway happen when you mix and match

Cap'N Chronic

I know what you mean, frankenstein swaps are a pain in the ***.. I have a motor from an OBD1 integra, transmission from a EM1, body of an EK, OBD2 harness, and OBD1 computer.. it's a nightmare..

apexi_rsx

they ran the dizzy like that because your using a obd2 harness and if u used the obd 1 dizzy they would all line up but u would need to swap the internals over to keep the obd2 plug. and from the looks of it you have your ignition timing all the way retarded why? have you done a compression test; it seems like its got low compression and not enough to start. have u ever tried to spray a lil starting fluid through the intake to see if it fires at all? if so it means u have spark and no fuel. if it doesn't then your obviously getting no spark.

Safety_Driver

Would be better and easier if you started your post with this :-)

Cap'N Chronic

Well I went and bought a new dizzy today but it turns out I bought a OBD0 one off a 1990 B18A1 intregra.. not a OBD1 like I thought.. anyone know if this would work if I made a jumper harness for it?

Gandiji

Check your Main relay , this is a common problem with Honda, you might need to replace it

Gandiji

also check your Fuel filter you might not getting gas to the engine

yoshi.ae86

just a thought, you should maybe check the tension on the alternator belt. if it's to tight it might be holding it back from starting. it's unlikely, but its worth a try.

Cap'N Chronic

I loosened it up a bit but still no luck :/

b16jared

the oil on your sparkplugs usually come from the grommets on the valvecover gasketwhere the plug holes are at