Simple

I have a CX engine in my 4 door civic. I was told the motor cranked, but wouldnt start before i got the car.

Well i get the car, and it wont even crank. The starter stalls out and clicks because the flywheel will not turn. So i look into it. there is absolutely NO oil in the motor. OK, i go to fill it up, and the oil plug is stripped and leaking. I replaced the oil pan and gasket. and filled it up with oil. I then just turned the crank pulley to get some oil flowing around the engine.

When i try to start the car... it will crank a few times, then the starter will stall out and click agian and agian because the flywheel isnt turning. I smell a lot of fuel, so i took the spark plugs out to clear the access fuel, check over the plugs, they're practically new, then try to clear out the cylindars and the thing cranks just fine.

When i put the plugs back in, it will only crank a few times, then do the stalling out bullshit. I've tried replacing the starter. Same thing happends

Why would the motor crank when the spark plugs arent in, and wont when they are? and what can i do to fix this?

pb16b

did you try starting it with jumper cables? the reason why it'll crank with the spark plugs out is because the cylinders don't hold compression and the air just escapes out through the spark plug holes... and when the plugs are in, the pistons actually have to compress the air in the cylinders making the starter work harder. try cranking it with jumper cables... if that solves your cranking problem, now you have to solve the starting problem.

Simple

nope, i had a jumpbox hooked up to it the whole time. Yes i realise that the cyl.'s hold compression when the spark plugs are in, but wondering what the problem is if it will only crank about 3 times before it stops when they are in.

ABK

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Simple &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">nope, i had a jumpbox hooked up to it the whole time. Yes i realise that the cyl.'s hold compression when the spark plugs are in, but wondering what the problem is if it will only crank about 3 times before it stops when they are in.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Because as we said there is no compression it's easier to turn the motor. Try to get you battery tested or reground the starter. That's prolly your problem.

I'll cut ya!

if it just clicks then theres not enough juice. Those starter packs only provide a minimal charge. If the car has a completely dead battery then it has to recharge for a bit.

Simple

well by jump box i mean a battery charger set on "start" starter ground fine.

Marktwo

Sounds like you have a blown headgasket. My car had the same problem, I would try to start it and just let it crank, and it would catch and immediately stall. I smelled A LOT of fuel as well. A Honda mechanic looked at it and told me the headgasket was blown. That would be my best guess.

Mark

I'll cut ya!

Let it charge for a few hours, i guarantee that clicking will stop.

egcivic

jus as everyone said, it sounds like ur not gettin enough juice to ur starter...
i had the same problem with the clicking. let it charge....

pb16b

i'm only going off what you said... "car cranks fine with the plugs out" that tells me that you don't have piston-valve issues and that your timing belt is ok. but it doesn't crank with the plugs in... race cars use monstrous starters because normal starters won't crank gi-nourmous compression pistons. your car should still crank if your headgasket's blown. i've seen an engine still crank with a snapped con-rod.

DOHCtorTHRUST

firing order? check that

ABK

Even if you are using a jumper box you need to charge you battery up a little bit. If it's unable to get charged it won't start (not enough juice). Trust me on that one, I spent endless hours trying to figure out why the car wouldn't crank tested everything and replaced fusable links (chevy), tried to jump it, turns out to be a dead battery.