Superorb

Here's the problem. The car will not start up. It will crank, fuel is getting to the rail. All of a sudden it did this. Car has never had a starting problem. It is a 96 EX Coupe. It's like the fuel pump fuse has been pulled, but fuel is getting to the rail. I took the cap off and scraped the corrosion off the four poles, didn't help. How do I check for spark so I can rule that out? Any ideas?

96-EJ6 B18C

Pull #1 plug wire and plug out, install the plug back in to the wire, TOUCH THE GROUND STRAP OF THE PLUG TO AN ACCORN NUT ON THE VALVECOVER, DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING EXCEPT BOOT OF THE PLUG WIRE WHILE CRANKING, have a friend crank the car, look in the plug gap for a nice bright white/blue spark.

Timing belt might be broken or jumped timing very badly, I'd check that out too.

Superorb

Did that and no spark. I also did it on my car and no spark, and there's nothing wrong with my car.

I put the plug in the wire, held it touching the bolt, a cm, half cm, I even stuck a screwdriver in the plug wire and held that a cm from the bolt. I held it to the valve cover bolt as well. This was all on my car and her car. Nothing on both cars. The plug is brand new, NGK.

What am I doing wrong where it won't work on either car? The car isn't cranking any faster than normal which would indicate a timing belt failure. Is the 96 EX head an interference head, would I be able to hear the valves getting banged around if the belt was broken?

Superorb

Well, on hers I had to touch the spack plug itself to the VC bolt. It sparked, once. So, I'm getting her a new set of plugs. The rotor also spins so the timing belt isn't busted.

bigislandc2

yeah it is interferance vlaves might have hit but i dont think so. car might be fine

bigislandc2

plugs wires and cap and rotr would be a good idea

2wheelhunter

mite sound a lil dangerous but i learned this when i worked in a garage.. take off the air intake at the throttle body, have one person spray carb cleaner in the open thottle body and have another turn the engine over, keeping the throttle open, if you hear a boom, or get back fire, then u know u have good spark, just remember to stay back!!!, if no boom then try all new ignition stuff, plugs, wires and cap, rotor, etc.

also make sure ur fuel pump turns on when u have the key on the ON position, you can hear it if its quiet.

Superorb

Ok. Rotor turns when cranking, I got one spark also, so that's good. Fuel is getting to the rail. I got new plugs and gapped them to .044 and waiting on the rain to clear up to put them in.

Superorb

Rain held up long enough to put the new plugs in. Gapped to .044, anti-seize, and di-electric grease all used. I didn't use the grease on the cap, though. Her old plugs were NASTY!! Coroded and the center electrode was all rounded and shorter.

STILL does not start. Throttle body plate works fine, air filter is fine. Tomorrow I'm going to the junkyard and looking for another distributor. I'll just replace the whole thing. I don't have time for this, I have enough crap wrong with the susoension on my accord to worry about.

Neighborhood Superstar

could be a bad ignitor

Superorb

If I don't find a dizzy at the yard tomorrow I'll take the distributor off her car and test all the components.

Superorb

picked up a dizzy at the yard today and voila, fired right up. Timing's spot on too