PossibleDX

The Car: 1997 Honda Civic Ex Coupe 5 Speed

Modifications: Short Ram Intake

Problem: New Distributor, A loud pop then no start


So my fiance was driving up to Frederick to visit some friends, when her Civic started to sputter, then stopped sputtering, then 10 minutes later started sputtering again, and then stopped again for about 5 minutes. Then when accelerating up a hill, it started to sputter again and did not stop, at this point she was almost at her friends so I said to just park it there rather than attempt to drive it 40 minutes back home. She said it had sputtered here and there a few times in the past couple weeks but went away with accelerating. I get there and start it, still sputtering, I start pulling plug wires to see what might be going on. I pull the number 1 wire, engine shutters, shove it back in, pull number 2, no change in sputter, pull wire 3, engine shutters, pull wire 4, motor dies. Try to restart it, wont start. I had my lady jump in and turn it over. No spark from the wires to the plugs, no spark from distributor to wires. Took the cap off, the rotor in the distributor is turning. check all the fuses and wiring harnesses, everything is good and connected. It's getting fuel, plugs are wet, all cylinders have good compression. Motor has 225,000 miles on it, so I figure its the distributor. Get a brand new distributor, install it as close as can be to the timing position as the old one, double check my work, get in turn the key, and POP! There was a loud pop that startled all 3 of us. But no start. It turns over, it now has spark, I checked all the fuses again, it's still getting fuel. I hear the fuel pump whine for about 2 seconds as normal but no start. The loud pop sounded like it came from the timing belt area so naturally, I assumed the belt broke, but still getting spark, rotor in distributor still spinning, so I'm not sure where to go from here....any ideas on what else I should check?

B_Swapped93

check mechanical timing sounds like it jumped, you can simply drop a 12'' 3/8th drive extension down the #1 spark plug tube and watch it go to it's highest point. that poping noise was probably just back fire from it trying to start/stumbling nothing to worry about really unless your belt did snap/shear.

PossibleDX

Thank you, I will be checking soon. I don't have a garage to work in and we just got some snow, so Ill be posting again soon.

95Sedan

did you put the distributor on facing the right way or 180* incorrect?

another as said above maybe it jumped time, needs a new belt or other.

PossibleDX

Yea, that's probably the cause of it. After all, the bicycle helmet I have to wear all day, every day was slipping down over my eyes while I was replacing it, and I had trouble focusing, what with all the pretty colors and blades of grass flooding my senses. Plus I had to make poopies in my adult diaper, which complicated things.

No, its installed properly. I believe the belt jumped a tooth a while ago because it has been running like **** for a little while. It has been bogging down on acceleration and trying to set the correct timing at the distributor caused it to run worse. I think this has been coming for quite some time. I just wanted to confirm my suspicions before I replace the timing belt on my drive way with 6" of snow on the ground.

crazyhouse2011

Theres no reason to be an *******, kiddo, he was simply suggesting highly possible simple mistakes that anyone could have made. Anyway, better check that timing belt, and at 225k i would even suggest just replacing it.