Rage232

Hey Everyone,

I have a 1998 Civic LX that will not start - it died while driving. It is completely stock with the d16y7 - ~108K on it.

What happend:
Drove home from work (20 miles), stopped to get gas, after getting gas, pulled out from a stop sign, barely accelerating since light was red, stopped at redlight - motor simply stopped. I don't recall any type of back firing or sputtering at all, it just died and wouldn't start. Got it towed home and started tinkering...
Checked for spark, it seemed pretty weak, but was there - so i sprayed starter fluid in the intake and it won't start. Let it sit for a few days - doesn't start.

So checked spark again, was weak. - Installed new plugs, wires, distributer cap. Checked spark - looks much better, nice and strong. Turn key, hear fuel pump kick on - it won't start. Take plugs out - they smell like gas. Did a ghetto compression test (hand over spark plug hole - it has compression in all 4).

So I verified I got spark, gas and compression. My next guess is that it jumped a tooth on the timing belt - I will hopefully be able to verify that this week.

Anyone have any other suggestions to check while I'm at it? I figure if the timing is off, I'm gonna replace the belt, water pump and pulleys... If the timing marks all lign up - I'm lost...

mikekh10a

iTrader: (2)

when was the last time your main relay was replaced?

Gsrsi

Maybe you bought bad gas

Kohen

my car ran when the timing belt jumped 4 teeth. it just ran shitty. hardly any power and low idle.

any symptoms at all before this all happened?

SolScifen

what does it do when you try to start it?

Rage232

I don't believe the main relay was ever touched. *EDIT - where is it located?
The car was running great - I mean as good as a 106hp automatic can... haha

I thought it might be bad gas, but I've stopped back at the place and they haven't heard anyone else complain. Plus I sprayd started fluid directly in the intake manifold and it wouldn't fire - figure'd that at the very least start it for a couple seconds.

When I try to start it, it turns over and you can hear compression out of the exhaust, but it's not like it fires, like it's only moving the pistons via the starter I guess? hard to explain. Would feel like your not getting any gas I guess.

As for the main relay - if this was bad - wouldn't it cause me not to get any spark? I figured if I had spark, compression and gas - it should fire up regardless of anything else really?

Thanks for all the quick replys - I have a feeling I came to the right place

pityocamptes

Did you pull the valve cover and top timing cover to check the timing marks and or belt? You checked for spark, and you know your getting fuel?

Rage232

I haven't had a chance to check my timing marks yet, but i did pull the valve cover and made sure the belt was on. i can smell the fuel on brand new plugs so i know it's getting there and since the fuel is on the plug and not being burned, it leads me to think that it's not sparking at the right time, b/c i have verified spark. i'm leaning more towards incorrect timing and/or bad fuel... just gonna suck tearing down this far to check timing - not sure i can check the bottom end marks w/out pullin the motor

Texas4door

Sounds like you might have a bad coil, OR you're getting too much fuel...your Fuel pressure regulator could be having issues in that case...
I say bad coil...or worst-case scenario-the timing belt broke, especially if it's got 108k miles on it and never had the belt changed....

Dead CIVIC

iTrader: (1)

i say bad coil... but why the spark?

Rage232

Just a quick update - I took of the timing belt cover to see that the belt shows no signs of wear... there isn't the smallest chip in an existing tooth let alone a missing one (yes, i cranked the motor by hand and checked the entire belt). I don't want to remove the alternator, power steering, etc... to check timing. think i'm gonna go with a used dizzy first... you guys saying bad coil - that is inside the dizzy correct??

Humphrizzle

damnit.. i need to read the entire post first

Civic2Fast

Had the exact same problem... instantly went to the coil... coil was fine, ended up changing the ignitor and I haven't had an issue since... BTW the car I had this issue was a 97 LX with the Y7... but 9 times out of 10 your issue is caused by the coil

HondaGuy951

iTrader: (2)

same happened to me. it was the coil. it is inside the distributor. swap that out and see what happens. also check all your grounds just in case.

Rage232

So with the help of my old man (kind of embarrased since i'm alomst 30 - at least he was a mechanic for 20 years ) - We checked timing and it was spot on. My dad wasn't convinced it was the distributor since we had spark, but I told him about the responses on here where people had the same issue and he said ok - lets change it. Bought a new one - fired right up

Thank you guys!! haven't had this much fun since I had my custom turbo'd d16y8 - 154whp on 4lbs lol

Dead CIVIC

iTrader: (1)

Good solve. HT always helps!

Civic2Fast

Glad you're back on the road my friend!!