PnutButterCup

Default 95 Civic with Starting issues
1995 Civic EX 1.6L 258k miles. No codes thrown.

Mid summer I had a low idle issue where the car would stall while stopped at lights, putting it in Neutral would save it from stalling. Had a mechanic at work take a quick look and all he did was tighten the throttle cable which I knew was most likely covering up the problem. Every thing seemed fine except now of course the idle was too high. Car has run fine, no problems other than that. At the same time I had a few occasions where the car would take several times to start so I replaced the fuel filter as I had that problem about 6 yrs prior. Then a couple months ago at first cold start the car would stumble a bit. I put that to a coolant leak I had which I fixed a couple weeks later once I tracked down exactly where it was coming from...ie air in the system. A friend and I drained the coolant and bled the system. Problem seemed to go away but came back. It wasn't at every cold start....just sometimes. Two days before Christmas after a day of heavy rain when I went to leave work the car wouldn't start....turned over fine just wouldn't start. The issue of no start I had that I mentioned before always happened after it had rained or snowed and the car sat all day or night. That's the time we replaced the fuel filter and I never had that issue again. I'd also in the past replaced the Main Fuel Relay due to stumbling and shutting off. Having remembered that when this no start issue happened I swapped out an extra relay I had but it didn't help.

We checked the plugs...had spark but it was a tad weak, had fuel pressure but at times the pump didn't prime. Ended up having it towed and the shop which is rare as I usually can figure out what's going on. They told me all the plugs were fouled and new plugs and it started right up...except for #2 which is seized. I pick up the car and went to the store for something, came out and was backing the car up and it shut off but wasn't stumbling. All seemed ok tho after that till two weeks later and the stumbling came back at first start then it took a couple times to get it started. When I got to work I shut the car off and wanted to see if the car was going to not start again like before so I started it up again, it stumbled and shut off. Tried again and it just cranked....exactly like before. I called the shop and told them they didn't fix it. they said I had a head gasket leak and coolant was getting into #3....told me to take out the plug and dry it off and it'll start. BS.....I have no symptoms of that as I've checked in the past.....no coolant in oil, no smoke, no loss of power...etc. Anyway the car sat for about 7 hours and went I went to leave I figured it wouldnt start. I turned the key to on, heard the pump prime and it started right up with no stumbling. Everything seemed fine but off and on I Have that stumbling again. Also the idle flucuates as per like the IACV which I've not cleaned yet figuring that's not the trouble. Once the idle smooths the stumbling stops. On New years day I took my car to a friend's who was replacing the upper control arm. When I was about to leave and checking the work he did we had the car running for maybe 1 minute and then the car shut off, tried to start it and just cranked. There was no stumbling prior to shut off. It was like someone just flipped a switch. Opened the hood and he said the intake hose was a little loose but oddly he sprayed starter fluid in there....I say odd is unless he knew I had a fuel problem I wasn't sure why he'd do that. Anyway the car started right up.... Yes I know that's a sign of a fuel issue if it starts but having not needed that any other time I didnt think it was a factor.

I'd been hesitant to go anywhere but to work afraid it will do the no start but this Saturday I figured I'd be brave and try. I went to the grocery store....was in and out in like 10 minutes. Came out, turned the key to on and didn't hear the pump prime....car stumbled and shut off. Tried again same deal. Tried again and it just cranked. I sat for 5 minutes, tried again and heard the pump prime and the car started fine with no stumbling. I'm still having this issue...sometimes it stumbles at first start, or warm start sometimes not. To me it seems electrical but not sure. The pump is only 3 yrs old btw so I'm not sure that's really the issue. I talked to a mechanic about it recommended by a friend and he said it's beyond his knowledge?? I've already spent a good deal of money on this car recently and don't want to keep replacing parts that aren't the issue so I thought I'd post here to see if anyone has any advice.

I might add that the distributor seems fine as I have spark but not sure if the coil could have an issue that would cause the off and on problems? The distributor was replaced about 2010 or so. New wires as of a few weeks ago I might add. Also the first mechanics saying about the head gasket leak....after talking to a mechanic friend I had when I lived in Virginia that I totally trust he agreed with me...that if it was that the problem would be there all the time not just sporadic. The local mechanic recommended by a friend said the same thing. He said he felt it was electrical as well since the car is not throwing any codes

I'm wondering if the low idle issues I had in the summer is related to what's going on now....low fuel pressure from the pump not working properly but why is it not constant? Also the car runs fine so this is what has me stumped. If it was the pump wouldn't it shut off while driving? I've researched and researched for the last few weeks and can't find anything definitive.

TIA

delsolintegra

Could be the ECU is going bad, specifically the capacitors in the ECU that effect the fuel pump priming circuit. This is common in 93 - 95 civics at this time.
Always listen for the fuel pump to prime when you first turn the ignition key.
If you don't hear the buzz of the fuel pump for about 2 seconds at the keys first position that's usually the sign. Also right after a rain it's the worst because moisture and humidity effect the capacitors that are now over 20 years old.

Swapping in a known good ECU from another 93-95 civic automatic will tell you if that's the problem. Junkyards sell them for about $100.

This problem can be intermittent for a while before the ECU totally fails.

PnutButterCup

Thanks for the reply. I forgot about the ECU that may be an issue but had recalled that from the past with my car. I think I swapped it out shortly after I bought it in 2007 but I've had so many little issues with it that I've forgotten if I did for sure. I'll check out the junkyard not too far from me and see what they have. Thanks again !

Former User

Cliffs Notes?

PnutButterCup

Too many notes. Ever since I had this car any issues I have seem to be related to starting. When my Trans Am had issues they were easy to figure out......:/ This one when you have one thing that's going on it could be 5 million possible causes

Former User

Briefly describe the current problem. What kind of starting problem?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Being concise is good. Information is good. The narrative, while well written, turns your problem into an epic tragedy. Basically, you just wrote the Iliad, but we only need Harry Potter (one book, not all 6).

When the car does not start, does the CEL come on for ~2 seconds, and then turn back off?

PnutButterCup

Yes CEL light comes on for 2 seconds and shuts off. I checked that when this started. The problem in short so you all don't have to read chapters 1-6.....

Some of the times it does these things but not ALL

Car stumbles a bit when first started which may be followed or combined with any or all or some of these.

1. irratic idle that levels off after 20 seconds or so
2. Shuts off
3. Wont start and just cranks.

Former User

Better.

Have you cleaned the FITV and IACV, and replaced the PCV valve?

Last ignition system tune up?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

Buy/borrow/rent a fuel pressure testing gauge. Follow this procedure.



Also, with the key turned to ON(II), engine not running, tell us what your fuel pressure is.

PnutButterCup

Last tune up was quite a bit ago.....unfortunately I had really bad circumstances I had to leave from and rather abruptly and no longer had access to tools anymore . I pretty much did all the work on the car with my ex b/f. About 5-6 yrs ago I'd guesstimate for the ignition tune up.

I had not cleaned the IACV or FITV yet as this issue had gone away and recently came back. I will however which was my plan this weekend. As it seems in the past the "simple" fixes never seem to be in my favor.

I will have to rent/borrow a gauge to do the pressure test....again no more access to tools

Thanks for the help !

Former User

Also replace the plugs (NGK), plug wires (Honda), distributor cap (Honda), and rotor (Honda).

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

As an alternative, you can also use NGK plug wires.

delsolintegra

Take off the distributor cap and look at the contact points under the cap. If they look like white powder and the rotor contact is burnt and worn down that's a big part of the starting problem. Honda's need a good high energy starting circuit.