onelostcoupe

So here's the car, automatic 1998 Civic EX coupe, used to have the D16Y8, now has the jdm D15B (swapped in by one of the previous owners) but I believe it's dressed like a Y8 and is running a Y8 ECU

Started and ran well before, started it this morning, idled it for about 2 or 3 minutes, and drove off

No more than 100 feet later the engine dies and will crank over without starting

I have checked fuel, the spark plugs are wet so I have that, I have checked to see if the cam is actually spinning which it is so that rules out a broken timing belt, as well as the motor having compression while cranking over (sounds like it).
So I believe I have little to no spark. I tried checking spark by pulling one of the boots off and it'll click/spark but weakly and it's orange. I put my dizzy off of my dad's 97 D16Y8 on it and it's still the same deal. I have 12v to the black/yellow wire going to the dizzy.

What could it be? I assume the ECU is getting all the information it needs if it's triggering the injectors to fire, compression seems good, I have fuel, I have power to the dizzy and have tried replacing it with a known good one but no luck.

Jimi Hondrix

Test the main relay:

onelostcoupe

ok I'll look into that when I get off work. Wouldn't I not be getting any power to the fuel pump though if the main relay was bad? The fuel pump primes, I can hear it, and the injectors are firing since the plugs are wet

onelostcoupe

So it's not the main relay. Swapped out my dad's 97 civic's main relay and his ran with my relay and mine still didn't run with his. I'm really out of ideas now

ESQuireMyke

Check distributor ignition timing! Wet plugs? Does it smell like fuel when trying to start? If so it's flooding at crank. Try checking your distributor timing. Your engine may be looking for a certain base timing of 16degrees why the Y8 Ecuador calls for 12 degrees or something like that. May want to search to double check the degree numbers. Hope that helps.

onelostcoupe

Well, now that I had a hand in diagnosing it (helper to crank the motor) I have found out that my compression is fucked. Spark was actually alright, fuel was there. But I finally found a compression gauge and I have anywhere from 10-50 psi per cylinder. I'm thinking I jumped a tooth on the timing belt. Fingers crossed the valves are ok and a new timing belt and tensioner will do it

Jimi Hondrix

Did you try starting it at WOT..fuel pedal to floor (in case of flooding)?

Test distributor's coil and igniter: Part 1 -How to Troubleshoot a No Start (1.6L Honda Civic)
Check mechanical timing as well as ignition timing....timing belt may have jumped tooth/teeth

onelostcoupe

Yup, tried starting with WOT, tried cranking with injectors unplugged to clear out the gas already in the cylinders, distributor is good, I even swapped out the dizzy with my dad's 97 civic. I found out that I have shitty compression so I'm assuming the timing belt jumped a tooth or two.

Jimi Hondrix

Compression low on all cylinders?
Jumped teeth: easy enough fix as long as there are no bent valves.

onelostcoupe

ok here's the final result.

Turns out it was 100% the timing belt jumping a few teeth. My JDM D15B engine looks like it had a D16Y8 timing belt and water pump installed on it by the previous owner. There was a ton of slack in the old timing belt but now with the new one off of a D15Z1 (VX) everything is tight and running great.

Jimi Hondrix

Good to hear. Glad you got it sorted out.