brucepick

Compression test - how do I kill spark and fuel?

'97 D16Y5, SOHC VTEC-E engine.

Has a 4-wire distributor and I don't see the coil.
I see a 9-wire connector coming off the dizzy, right next to the connector that looks like it runs the VTEC solenoid. Do I pop that big connector to disable the ignition spark? I tried to pull it, no go. Push the little tab? Pull on it? Pry up on connector top half with flat blade?? Don't even know if that's a good way to kill spark.

Or do I kill the spark by pulling the 15A fuse that kills off the computer memory and CEL's? I hate doing that, means I have to reprogram the stereo.... Is there another way? How about reconnect the removed spark plug wire into a removed plug and ground that plug's threads, hanging in the engine bay somewhere?

How to disable the fuel? I can pull the 4 injector connectors. OK to do that? Or is the fuel pump fuse under the dash?? I don't see it under the hood.

Thanks!

yellowjdmcrx

unplug the main relay under the dash

wmac

i pull the 15A fuse (ecu) and unplug the distributor when i do a compression test.

brucepick

Doing that kills off both spark and fuel?

Former User

Yes, but it's easier to remove 15A fuse 44 under the hood.

brucepick

Thanks, guys.

Sorry to say, I got kinda lousy test results.
The good news is they were pretty even, the bad news is they were low, just below or at the minimum spec of 135 psi. 'Standard' is 184 psi, with max 28 psi variation between cylinders.

Dry, the cylinders were between 125-135 psi.
Wet, between 155-180. I wrote it all down and tossed the paper in the car, I'm done for the night.

Hey, it drives great, I just have to keep topping up the oil!
Takes about a qt per 1000 miles.
I've already given it two GUNK engine flushes and three clean + rinse cycles of Auto-RX. Now running Mobil 1 High Mileage, till this most recent oil change was using various dino oils.

Thanks for your good advice - pulling the #44 fuse did the trick.

Former User

Is the engine leaking any oil?

Is there blue smoke in the exhaust?

What were the individual cylinder compressions both wet and dry?

brucepick

My very very bad.
I just redid the compression test.

First time, forgot to hold the throttle open.

Now:
200-190-187-180, dry.
Last cylinder, wet, 215.

Sorry for posting it wrong earlier.

Not bad for 179K miles.

Hybrid96EK

I can't believe all these responses on how to kill spark and fuel. Come on guys. Way too much work involved in all those steps. Simply unplug the distributor.. both connections if its OBD-1, or just the larger plug for OBD-2. This will kill spark AND fuel since the injectors fire off the sensors inside the dist and will no longer get signal. Cool? Now go put all your fuses and relays back.

Speed Kills

I was chuckling to myself about the very same thing.


OP, holding the throttle open does tend to help that sort of thing. Now you know for next time!

Former User

How is unplugging the distributor in any way superior to pulling one fuse out of the under hood fuse box?

Lasky

agreed, pulling one fuse from right near the battery is just as easy if not easier than unplugging the distributor (those plugs can be a bitch sometimes)

brucepick

So - what d'ya think?

Oil burning + good compresson test = bad valve seals?
Is it possible but less likely that the problem is the oil control rings?

I don't see smoke in the morning when I start up.

I think I know why. If you have Haynes for the '96-2000 Civic and related cars, see picture 12.3 on pg. 2C-14 in . Also picture 10.14 on the previous page. The valve guide is basically a tubular post maybe 1/2" or 3/4" high. And, the guide is mounted on a raised area. So unless the pool of oil is deeper than that no oil will leak down in overnight. It leaks in when running because there's oil splashing all over including at the top of the valve seal where the stem comes out.

Of course if all drain holes are plugged with crud the head will be a bathtub of oil regardless of how tall the valve guides are. But I've had the valve cover off before and I saw that it's pretty clean as far as visible oil passages.

Hybrid96EK

How is it superior? Well, for me I don't need a pair of needlenose pliers. Its something you can simply pop the hood and unplug. I maintain my car, so the distributor plug is not a bitch for me to undo. Having to round up some pliers, pull the cover and then yank the fuse is more work. I don't care who you are. Then you need to make sure you don't loose the fuse. Some of the cars have micro fuses, making things even more of a challenge. You do things however you like, I simply offered my advice on an alternative. I don't need your "" BS.

Hybrid96EK

Yes, the guide is a post. Its sealed by the stem seals. If your stem seals were bad, you would get an oil accumulation when the car was shut off and sat overnight. You would see smoke on initial startup as well as under de-acceleration when vac will tend to pull oil past the failed seals. I think your problem lies somewhere else from what you have described. Have you checked the PCV system?

Former User

Well, clearly you posted more than just an alternative method. You additionally criticized two other suggested methods, unplugging the main relay or removing the ECU fuse. While I would agree that unplugging the main relay may not be the simplest choice, I still disagree that your suggested alternative of removing the distributor plug is superior to removing the ECU fuse. The average person will almost surely struggle with removal of the distributor plug yet will rarely encounter a problem with the simple removal of a fuse. Note also that the white plastic fuse-removing tool can be found in the dash fuse box if by chance you don't have a pair of needle nosed pliers in your garage. In addition, if you happen to lose the ECU fuse, spare fuses can be found in the dash fuse box.

Hybrid96EK

Cool.

brucepick

OK guys, whew! I do appreciate that you gave two ways (more??) of killing spark/fuel.

I pulled the #44 fuse in the engine compartment fuse box. Because the &*()#$#*(&$ connector at the dizzy didn't want to come apart. Yes, I needed needle nose pliers but I have them handy.

Now, can someone tell me - when I do want to pull that dizzy connector - do I pull out or push in on the little plastic springy tab? Because I'm going to want to push/pull properly before I pry it apart with a flat blade.

brucepick

Yes, replaced the PCV and it's hose last summer.

Another poster on another board says his SOHC D16-- drank oil at about the same rate and it was bad valve guides. Ugh. Not an easy fix at all.

Hybrid96EK

Push the tab on the connector down with your thumb and then pull the two connectors apart. Before you reassemble it, put some dielectric grease on the connector contacts and this will help to keep things from siezing up again as well as seal out moisture.

v8killaz

lol
now you knwo to pull th fuse

i just take out the plugs
i know u still get feul but it barely makes a difference, very little probaly unnoticable

to check if ur rings are bad put a teasspoon of oil in the cykinder and redo the test, if the numbers rise alot higher tha ur rings are bad if good it may be ur seals or cylinder itself

Kista20

good luck man, I have a 97 hx w/ 183k miles and doesn't go through any oil between changes. Are you sure you are not leaking it somewhere? The most common places a leak could occur is the distributor o-ring, rear main seal, head gasket and also the oil pan gasket. Is your oil filter on tight and not leaking? I'm just trying to throw some other ideas out there. If I was going through that much oil I sure wouldn't be using synthetic till after the problem got solved. How does the dipstick look? does it look like oil and not milky? also how does the coolant look?

Have a friend follow you and get them to look for blue smoke comming out the tailpipe. The oil has to be going somewhere if your going through that much of it.

Hybrid96EK

...and leaving the coil in the dist energized by simply removing the plugs CAN and eventually WILL kill the coil... But hey, what do I know?

Former User

This is absolutely true because the ECU is still active to tell the igniter unit/ICM to discharge the coil, but this high voltage in the coil has nowhere to ground except in some unwanted place inside the distributor.

v8killaz

hmm never though of that, even if done for like 10 seconds
if so ill prob start unplugging the dizzy

obdII has 1 plug pretty easy plug too