ehLAaay

my '92 Civic CX stock D15Z1 manual trans won't start (again, this is the 2nd time)
my car wouldn't start on me last weekend so i took my car to my mechanic on Thursday he told me i needed a new fuel pump cause the old one wasn't sending enough fuel to the engine, so i got an aftermarket fuel pump the $50-60 ones you find on ebay, and i double checked with the sender if it would work on my car and they said it will, i picked up my car yesterday and it worked better than ever, it wouldn't lag to accelerate like before, so i drive it thinking it's not going to die on me again and then 8 hours later it did, as i'm going home on the freeway my car just completely shuts off (dies) as i'm driving, i see the battery light turn on, so i figure my battery is dead (i took the battery to Pep Boys on Monday and they said i needed a new one soon) and so as i'm still rolling on the freeway i start my car up again and power is back on (it died on me twice while i was on the freeway and both times i got it to start) so i park the car at my house and then i went to buy a battery today (brand new) i install the battery and my car still doesn't want to start, any ideas on what could be the problem? btw i have 1/2 tank full of fuel left

ehLAaay

"bump" for help, tips, and thoughts on what could be wrong

split_second650

ive had my car die on the freeway before, CEL came on and i checked the code .. sed i had a misfire in cylinders 1,2, and 4 .. turns out i put in bad gas .. check your gas but if its good then i assume ur fuel system is up to par .. maybe its a spark problem .. regardless if u have a new battery .. could be a bad rotor or what not ... try taking the spark plug out and attaching it to the spark plug wire and holding it close to a metal bolt .. if u have good spark ull see a spark if not then thats the problem .. and it also depends wut color the spark is, lets u know the condition of the ignition system

eh9deux

Check your alternator/alternator belt.

Former User

1) Does the fuel pump prime?
2) Is there bright white spark at the plugs?
3) Any CEL codes?

ehLAaay

i looked up fuel pump prime on google and are you talking about the humming sound when you put the key in start? i hear a hum but i'm not sure if it's the fuel pump priming or if it's electricity flowing through the car

i didn't get a CEL light when it died so it could be nothing wrong with the engine or it's just not lighting up, i'd like to say my alternator is fine because i got it to start and the belt turns but i could be wrong about my alternator being bad, my mechanic checked all the spark plugs and i saw for myself the white spark for each plug, my friend started it up by pumping the gas pedal a couple times and i drove it around the block but it died again, when i accelerate the car dies, my friend said that my fuel filter might be clogged, i'm flooding something (forgot what he said about this part), or something is restricting the flow from the tank to the engine, anyway in idle the car stays on even for prolonged periods as long as i don't touch the gas pedal, also, my catback rattles when the car is on and could it be that it's blocking the exhaust from exiting and choking the engine? i checked the flange? the piece where the mufler bolts on to the pipe that leads to the engine and there was water gathering on the mufler side of the pipe that connects to the flange, thank you for responding i don't know much about cars i'm just learning as i go

ehLAaay

i put octane rating 87 in my car, about two weeks ago i used 91 cause i had a smog test but i let my gas tank go empty before i started using 87 again

also speaking of fuel/gas, i was peeking around the engine bay when i had the car on in idle i smelled gas right around the hose that the fuel/gas flows through to the engine, is that normal? there were no leaks or holes in the tubes, at least none that i can see or feel

split_second650

yeah it humms when u have it in the key on engine off mode .. i think its called accessory mode(?) ..

as for the mechanic saying it could be the fuel system, it goes fuel tank+fuel pump (which has a fuel sock attached to it)>fuel line>fuel filter>fuel rail>fuel pressure regulator>fuel injectors>intake manifold port .. the fuel follows in that order .. then a second hose from the fuel pressure regulator (i think its called a fuel return line,but dont quote me on it) returns fuel all the way back to the fuel tank .. check anywhere on the system .. it would be easier to get a hold of a factory service manual (fsm) and if u have a fuel pressure gauge to check to see if the car is running the right pressure for the system

the water thats gathering inside ur exhaust system could jes be from condensation, but ull never know unless u unbolt the exhaust and see wut it really is .. pm me if u need more help .. ill go more into detail about the fuel pressure test

andyz

My main relay clicks nicely and never threw a single CEL, but in hot weather I always have at least several times when I can't start and have to tap the relay under the dash to get it going and keep tapping until it stays going.

Former User

If you are saying that the engine starts and idles but dies if you try to accelerate:

1) Turn the key from off to ON(II). Does the CEL turn on and then off after 2 seconds?

2) The fuel filter could be clogged. Have the fuel pressure measured.

3) Have the mechanical timing checked. The timing belt may has skipped a tooth or two.

ehLAaay

1. yeah when i have the key at On (II) the CEL turns on but goes away 2 seconds later like you said
2. i'll have my mechanic check the entire fuel system
3. the timing might have gotten screwed up when i got my smog, i read in the FSM the timing should be at 16 for the D15Z1's and when i bought it, it was at 10BTDC (found this out when i first failed the test), then when i went to get it smogged i brought it to a mechanic down the street (not my mechanic) and he set it to 14BTDC, and i'll get my mechanic to check the belt also

not that i don't trust my mechanic but if i bring my Civic to a Honda dealer even though i don't have a warranty they will diagnose and fix the problem right? only difference is it would be more expensive to have repairs done by them right?

Former User

You are talking about the ignition timing. I am talking about the mechanical timing of the cam and crank maintained by the timing belt:

ehLAaay

oops, thanks i'll check that

SERG1975

THE VERY SAME THING HAPPENED /IS HAPPENING TO MY EF9. LONG STORY SHORT , LAST YEAR I REPLACED FUEL FILTER,MAP SENSOR,CLEANED EIAC VALVE,NEW IGNITION COIL,NEW MAIN RELAY, NEW FUEL PUMP, NEW PLUGS,NEW WIRES AND ADDED FUEL GAUGE AND IT RAN FOR 2 DAYS, AND THEN SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, IT SAT FOR 8 MONTHS, BATTERY DIED, THIS PAST SATURDAY I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY, AND BAM STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT DIES WHILE IN IDLE, NO MORE CLICKS ON RELAY,HAD WARANTY ON RELAY, SO EXCHANGED IT ON SUNDAY, AND STILL NO CLICKS, NOW NO MORE PRIME FROM PUMP, NO CODES ,NO CEL..... NOW IM LOOKING FOR A ECU REPLACEMENT??? ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME??

Former User

Please turn off the caps lock button.

Does the CEL work?

Have you checked the distributor cap and rotor? Is the mechanical timing off by a tooth?

ehLAaay

got it fixed, turns out, the aftermarket fuel pump i bought was installed incorrectly, and pretty much broke when i was driving it, i ended up buying an OEM pump and problem solved, sucks though because i spent $180 for the OEM pump including installation, and i bought a $100 battery when the problem wasn't even my battery, it's ok though cause i would have had to replace the battery in a month or two anyway, when Pep Boys checks your battery and tells you "it needs to be replaced" just wait till it dies lol, now i have a question, what causes Fuel pumps to go bad or break?