Lobster Charles

put it into second then lost power, so i put it into first and it stalled. now it wont start.
any ideas whats wrong

fhukingviet

do you hear fuel pump chimming in and is there spark from distributor

Lobster Charles

theres no chimming i think and i hear some clicking

performs

i still think its the fuel pump man.. some times they just go out randomly like that showing no sign of it about to happen.

DRAMA

it's either fuel or spark.

unhook the fuel return line from the fuel rail and see if any fuel is coming out. then you know it's getting to the motor.

take out the #1 cylinder spark plug, leaving it plugged into the plug wire, and see if you can get an electric arc when trying to start the car. then you'll know if you're ignition is working properly.

from there, you can trouble-shoot

Jimster480

start where DRAMA suggested you to. If you are getting no fuel check Fuse 13 (i think) or w/e your fuse is for yor fuel pump. if not then check fuses for distributor.

twiztidz

I am having a similar issue with my CRX. I was driving and I felt my car lose power. I moved over to the slow lane and shoulder. It would not start and had to get it towed. I checked the fuel pump by cranking it over and i hear mine. I will try these tips they gave you to see if it works on mine. Worst case it might be the map sensor. My friends went out and it did the similiar thing as mine is doing.

Jimster480

do you have any CEL's? because if the map goes it should throw a code.

twiztidz

I am not sure how to run the ecu code. there is someway you hook some cable or something up to it i heard. sorry im lost on that issue. if you know how could you let me know please. i dont feel like forking out a bunch of $$$$ to find out it is an easy fix.

civicgsr

I'm not keen on the idea of letting the fuel just spray as a test.

You may want to get a fuel pressure gauge to be safe.

Do you smell gas when the engine cranks? (clear indication that the problem is in the distributor). No gas? Then it could be the fuel pump or the main PGFI relay.

These civics are starting to get old and are developing a lot of these problems. If the PGFI (is that right? Or PGM-FI) is bad, you will get no spark, no fuel, nothing. It powers up the fuel pump, supplies power to the ECU for the injectors as well as the distributor.

I had a problem with my hatch for several years where it would stall out and not start. I swapped engines, ECUs' and distributors (not for the stalling problem) and would still have this very random problem. Finally, one day, the car stalled and never did start. I cranked for a while and then realized that I was not hearing the fuel pump. I checked for pressure and verifed that I had no fuel. I couldn't blame the fuel pump as I had the same problem with my stock pump and Walbro. When I checked the Helm wiring diagram, everything pointed back to that main relay.

Fortunately, I have piles of spare parts and had another one in my basement. Problem solved. A good friend of mine had the problem and resolved it with a new relay.

The relay is farily inexpensive at less than $30 if you use a wholesaler.

Good Luck!
Alex

obeyphysics

I had the same issue as well. I checked and replaced EVERYTHING that has to do with either fuel, spark, and even the air intake. (I figured why the hell not try ya know?) Start with the fuel pump and work your way forwards to the fuel filter, injectors, fuel rail. If you smell fuel when you crank it then atleast you know you're getting fuel to the motor but it may not be enough so then check the fuel pressure. Check the dizzy, ignitor, cap, rotor, plugs, and wires. If you yank each plug out, crank the car and each plug produces a blue arc your plugs are good. Maybe check the maf sensor? Or try checking the starter, smack the starter with a good sized box wrench and see if it cranks over then and if it does you need a new starter. Check the fuses too cause those a**holes cause alot to go wrong. Buy a helms it'll do alot more for you than diagnose your current problem it also shows you how to pull codes (don't they?) good luck man and welcome to hondas

civicgsr

All great advice, but still, check that main relay. It's cheap compared to a distributor or fuel pump.

redegboosted1

Might sound dumb but check the battery . Make sure the connections are nice and tight on them . Also theres a plug that came off of my 95 one day on the side of the engine i have no idea what cable that is but i plugged it back up and it cranked up perfect . im trying to think the name of it

Swansen

I just got the same thing as everyone else here. I have a new distributor but i don't have spark. I have fuel, as i can hear the pump as well there is a nice mist, so injectors seem to be working as well. haven't checked fuel pressure, but i don't think thats my problem. I was driving, first gear was REALLY sluggish, then into third it started to miss, i was close to my garage so i turned back and got it to start back up when it stalled, now it just cranks. I had a check light on, so maybe i'll be able to use my friends Scanner to check and see what it wad for. Anyone know what the opage should be for the Map sensor?? (resistance, its the only way i know of testing any sensor really..but thats really all there is.. but on most vehicles, the map sensor will only make a vehicle run poorly, not keep it from starting, and if you unplug it and it runs fine, then you know your map is failing) I honestly don't see why it would be any different here.

So, if the main relay is failing it won't necessarily kill all of its functions? or does it just control fuel and not ignition?

Jimster480

it controls fuel and ignition.

Swansen

thanks, and i found this http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-tr...art-28327.html shows how to test ECM.


---edit--
Also, to test the main relay, you need to check for continuity, for a guide on how to test continuity, look here.
http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/homem...nuitytest2.php
So if you rule out the (EFI?)main relay and the ECM, then the next step is to check and see if the distributor has power. I'm not sure what the voltage should be, but you can just check it with a test light, if it has power, and you've ruled out the relay and ECM, then the distributor is possibly at fault.

Swansen

Well, i have 4.99v to MAP, so ECU is fine, Main Relay tested out fine as well, and i have 12v to the distributor as well as grounds and fuses checking out as well. So unless the Map has failed... its the igniter or coil, i didn't test resistance on the coil, buts its one of those two.. i guess thats what i get for ordering cheap parts.. on that STAY AWAY FROM AM-autoparts.

twiztidz

Ok i am getting spark and fuel. i got the code 16 when i looked at the ecu. which i think means bad injector. when i did check my spark i notice the two middle spark plug area head a little oil in there. not sure if that is bad but i think it is.

Jimster480

oil in the spark plug? are you sure it wasnt gas? there shouldnt be any oil in your cylinders.

twiztidz

it was oil. thick and darkish fluid. i smelled gas too. so now im stumped. i would like to fix the issue but worst case senerio i can finally have an excuse to buy a d16z6 and get more power and better gas mileage.

fast_4_door

could be something as simple as the the rotor inside of the cap could have come undone off the shaft. pop open the dizzy cap and see if the rotor is intact or not.

twiztidz

well i was getting spark with all of the plug wires?

fast_4_door

i was referring to lobster charles who originally started this post. not to you twiztidz. sorry man.