Hip

Car started squealing on cold starts. Figured it was a belt. Checked belts for wear and tension and all seemed fine. I suspected the alt was making the noise. I started the car 2 days ago and backed up about 5 feet and it shut off. Wouldn't restart so I pulled the alt and took it to advance. They tested it and said it was shot. Got a new alt and installed it and still can't get it started. Had them test the new alt before i took it home.
Tester says battery is ok.
I hear the fuel pump.
I checked fuses under hood and dash and all are good.
Checked spark plugs.
I'm going to check timing alignment next, maybe something is off from installing the alt? Just wondering if anyone has any tips on what to check from my symptoms. It sounds like it wants to start. Tried to jumpstart. Didn't work. Battery light stays on while trying. No CEL's up. Maybe timing is off but maybe something else is fried? Any help is very appreciated! Thanks
97 civic LX - manual

robertjegan

I bought my car from someone who just swapped it the day I bought it. They forgot to hook up the ground. It ran but like hell. Just something I can think of.

Hip

Thanks for the reply.
I did check all my ground connections.
Also pulled cover off and looked at timing belt. it's good.
After the rain, I'm going to check alignment on T belt.
Tried to jump it again cuz it sounds so close to starting.
No good.
Still won't kick over.

Former User

You need to check for spark at all four plugs. Click spark link in my signature.

Hip

Checked all 4. No spark on any of them. Took the cap off the distributor and I could see the rotor spin.

Hip

I went out and got a new dist cap and rotor because it needed one either way. I also got a multimeter. It says 10 at the secondary on the coil and 0 at the primary. Guessing I need a coil. One is in the mail on the way, so I'll update when i get it in.
Thanks for the help.

Hip

Update: still not starting.
Installed new coil
fired for 1 second and shut down.
No power at primary of coil now.
Starting at the begining.
Tested continuity on ignition switch.
All good.
Rechecked all fuses.
Battery good.
Testing relays and starter selinoid friday.

awjuhl

does the check engine light turn on for a bulb check when you turn the key on with all the other idiot lights?

canadaek

you probably need a new ignitor did you ground the plugs when you tested for spark or try with the cap off the easy to fry

Hip

CEL turns on then off after about 2 secs.
Could be the ignitor, but I'm pretty sure the prob is before that. I did an ICM input test and I have no juice there. Starter spins, so it's gotta be between there and the distrib. I think.

Former User

Unplug the distributor connector and measure voltage to body ground at the Blk/Yel wire terminal in the wire harness-side connector.

Hip

Checked the connector. Got a big 0. Yesterday i checked the top left on alt plug and 0 there also. That's the one the manual said to check. I'm going to confirm that it's the right color wire and test the starter selinoid now.

Former User

I know your title says 97 Civic. But if you have a 98-00 Civic, then you should check whether dash fuse 9 is blown.

Also describe how you are measuring voltage at the Blk/Yel wire terminal in the distributor connector. If there's really no voltage, then test the Blk/Yel wire for continuity between the ignition switch and distributor plug.

Hip

RonJ - Thanks for getting back to me.
First I'm sure I'm right that it's a 97, but I re-pulled every single fuse to be sure anyway.
To check voltage, I stuck my pos side of multimeter in the connector where the BLK/YEL wire is and the neg to ground. got 0. I'm not totally sure I was doing it right though. I did it w multimeter on 10A setting. Tried the 1000DCV setting and got nothing but when i turned the dial down to 200 then 20 just to see what happened, it melted the solder inside my neg lead. Cheap harborfreight multimeter. Guess i'm going for another one.
Starter has power to it because sparks flew when i tried to take the wires off w/o disconnecting the battery first.
I disconnected battery,
disconnected all 3 wires to solenoid on starter and did the starter solenoid test in the manual. (before i wrecked my meter!)
Continuity between S and M (pull-in coil) checks out but not between S and armature housing for ground (hold-in coil). Solenoid is shot right? Gotta replace the whole starter then I believe.
I'm going to try to test the other thing you said about first. I want to know for sure before throwing more parts in. Thanks for all the help.

Former User

Post a picture of your multimeter. What did you use as ground in the voltage test?

Hip

Not sure how to post pics. Hopefully that works.
Also I just put everything back together in the car and turned the key.
She fired for 1 sec, sputtered and shut down.
When I turn it, it sputters like it wants to start now.
not sure if that's better or worse.

Hip

I forgot.
I used the main ground by the battery when i tested the voltage on the connector.

Hip

maybe this will work for the pic:
1
or this:
2
I can not post attachments, so maybe one of those will work.

canadaek

if its rolling over why are you testing the starter ??? i though it just didn't have any spark ? any anti-theft or car starter on it ?

Former User

Multimeter -- Plug the red wire probe into the middle hole and the black wire probe into the bottom com hole. Then turn the meter dial to the 20 DCV setting and do your voltage measurements. Compare use of the negative battery post versus the engine as ground in the voltage tests.

Hip

ok. Checked the distrib connector again with settings you said. Now I get 11.9 at both the post and engine for ground. Checked plugs and now I have a yellow spark at all four.

Canadaek - no antitheft, no remote start. I was checking the starter cuz I'm all confused and it seemed like I was getting power to the starter but not beyond. Now I have spark to all four but not kicking over.
Only had a few minutes to work on it today. Sunday I'll check resistance on my new coil again and verify I'm getting fuel in now.
Thanks again for the help!

Former User

Spark should be bright white not yellow. Weak spark is generally the sign of a bad coil, though also test the igniter unit.

Hip

manual says my ranges for the coil are:
A and B = 0.63 -0.77
A and 2ndary = 12.8 - 19.2

The old coil = 1.9 and 11.9
New coil = 1.7 and 19.9

Neither is within ranges.
Did I fry the new one?
It's a tec distrib
I noticed a hairline crack on the black rectangle box above the ICM.
Could that be what's shorted and maybe wrecked my new coil?
I think it's called a TDC/CKP/CYP sensor.

Former User

The range for the primary reading is Ohms whereas the secondary reading is kOhms. You also need to subtract the internal resistance of the meter from the primary reading. If either of the coil readings is out of spec, then replace the coil.