why doesn't it start!!!
 

ok here is the deal. i have a 97 civic with a b16 in it, running an obd1 p28 chipped. the civic ran just fine for 4 whole months it was great, until one day it started acting like it ran out of gas. it eventually started for me to get home and it has not started since. now let me tell you the list of everything i changed
1 two brand new distributors
2 four brand new spark plugs
3 two new sets of spark plug cables
4 fuel filter
5 three different fuel pressure regulators one is adjustable
6 fuel pressure gauge reads from 37-60 psi
7 gsr fuel pump
so that is everything that i have changed or tried. the car is currently at the shop and the "honda guy" doesn't seem to know shit "the p28 is an obd0 ecu why are you using it?" "the p06 comes from a 92 integra" some minor quotes he throw out that i wanted to punch him in the face for. "why am i using an obd convertion harness just use an obd2 si ecu" so i have learned that he is an ass and doesn't know shit about hondas. now here is something i don't understand, if we turn the key and spary some starter fluid in the TB boom it starts but only last as long as the starter fluid does. now we know it is not timing because one it starts the compression is at 220 all across. i have changed everything i can think of just not the injectors. now is it possible for the timing of the firing order to get totally screwed up? could the spark plugs be firing before or after the gas is injected? i am lost and the "honda guy" must be just as lost i don't know what to do or think of next please help me out because the only other thing is getting it towed 67 miles to a guy who does swaps and wiring but i am running out of money please let me know what you guys think!

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

bump

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

i would start with injectors. sounds like its not getting fuel, and you know you have pressure.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (IHateJDM)
 

took the rail off and turned the key and boom thy are sparying

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

if it ran on starter fluid, then your firing order isn't off, timing is correct (or at least close enough), and you are getting spark. you have compression. the only other thing needed for an engine to run is fuel. if the injectors are spraying, the i don't know. maybe you got some bad gas?

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (IHateJDM)
 

thought about that too but why would the car run for 4 months and out of no where do this to me? i have no clue what else to look at the injectors are faily new maybe 30k on them it was running just fine, i don't know what to look for next what could be wrong with my wiring for it to do that?

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

the fact that it was running well then just died is why i think that you might have bad gasoline. some shady places water it down, especially with oil prices up like they are.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

try to swap out the main relay. you said when you took the rail of and all the injectors spray right? did you all of them spray one at a time?

Well it definitely sounds like a fuel problem. If the injectors are running then it would be pretty safe to say everything up to the point is okay.

Does it even try to start?

I still think it's the injectors, but if it's not, then the only thing I can think of is the valves. If the exhaust valve isn't properly seated, the fuel may be pushed back out....but then you shouldn't be able to run at all...

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (2lua)
 

main relays i forgot to tell you i changed that too , i don't think it is the valve because the engine was running for 4 months and i didn't touch the valves. so i don't know what else it could be, should i change my engine harness to a new obd2a harness?

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

anyone else?

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civiclxb16 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">anyone else?</TD></TR></TABLE>


shieet...... only thing i can think of next is maybe the wiring or ecu.

I would try another ECU. Starting problems can often be solved without a shop.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

does check engine light, oil light, and battery light turn on? if so, since your motor actually starts when you added some starter fluid, try checking for some loose ground wires in the engine bay.. there's about 4 of them i think..

I believe i had the same problem before.. the car i bought ran good for a couple of months and out of nowhere it just died out but i could push start it.. i found the tranny ground loose and until now its been workin fine...

try checkin your grounds.. hope that helps..

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (silvervtecrx)
 

to reply to all those questions, i have two chipped ecus i have a p28 and a chipped p06 and we tried them on a teg and they started just fine!

What harness are you running, and how did you mod it to run the B16? Have you examined your conversion harness to check for broken connections? Did you leave anything unconnected?

Re: (klungemonger)
 

the convertion kit worked on my boys ek with the same two ecus so the harness is just fine the harness i am running is my stock harness that the shop chopped up

Re: (civiclxb16)
 

i sent you a pm about the b16 head...and is there any CEL? I would also try any obd2a ecu minus the jumper harness and see if it starts, i have a jumper and I wont even sell it cuz it caused me alot of problems.

then pull the codes with that ecu... obviously disreguarding the secondary O2 code and work off that it may give you an idea.

Re: (b18cKoupe)
 

just got the pm, replied, i tried an obd2a ecu and still nothing i have no clue what it could be man, i am so lost right now

Re: (civiclxb16)
 

possibly ignitor chip gets burnt out u might have a short sumwheres... if not that
id say timing.. or injectors... its prossible its ur tps or map sensors

Re: (skunkwerks_coupe)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by skunkwerks_coupe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">possibly ignitor chip gets burnt out u might have a short sumwheres... if not that
id say timing.. or injectors... its prossible its ur tps or map sensors</TD></TR></TABLE>

impossible on the ignitor 2 different dizzies, timing is on point not even a tooth, injectors i didn't change yet and i didn't change the map or the tps you think it could be the map? how can i tell if the map is bad?

If it runs with starting fluid but shuts off when that's used up I would think it's not ignition related, seems fuel system related. You said the injectors are spraying for sure? Wondering if it's fuel pump or relay...
Strange stuff man, we have an identical setup in my friends hatch (98 hatch with '00 B16, conversion harness & chipped P28) using his stock harness I modified, it's been running problem free for 15 months so far...

Re: (klungemonger)
 

If the map and tps are crossed, it won't run, so check that. That doesn't really explain why it runs on starter fluid though.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

I would drain the fuel and try putting new stuff in. It doesn't make any sense that the injectors would be firing and the car starts fine on starter fluid. Maybe you got bad gas or someone poured shit in your gas tank?

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (Honda Hick)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Honda Hick &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would drain the fuel and try putting new stuff in. It doesn't make any sense that the injectors would be firing and the car starts fine on starter fluid. Maybe you got bad gas or someone poured shit in your gas tank?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i would doubt that because i live in the woods..lol i mean woods and i lock my civie everyday and i have an alarm on it, now that is something could my alarm be causeing a short and not lettingi t start? i never thought about that my light isn't blinking and it doesn't go off so that means it is disabled when i get in the car. when i get it back on tuesday i am going to put in my gsr fuel pump and i have to hunt for some obd2a injectors, and i am really wondering about my grounds now to should i buy a ground kit?

You might just clean and check all your grounds rather than throw more money at them...
Do you have a multi-meter, you an check to see if injectors are getting signal, etc...
Maybe also just for kicks pull the spark plugs 1 at a time, make sure they're dry, regap them and test for spark by cranking over...

Re: (klungemonger)
 

i had one of those lights from the shop that plugged right in the injector plugs itself and they were blinking like they were firing, spark plugs where regapped and tested for spark the guy at the shop "honda guy" shocked the shit out of himself i was thinking about it and when the fuel return line is pinched doesn't that build up pressure for the fuel pump to build up? i think if i change the fuel pump it just might start i mean i got one already and i didn't pay for it so it can't hurt!

Yeah, changing the pump is easy and pretty quick so why not...

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

Accord user here. I may be wrong, but there is a computer under your steering wheel that tells the ECU how much fuel/spark/etc to use. My dad had the same problem and switched it and it worked. PM me and ill get some more info for oyu https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emsmile.gif

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (bodiez)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bodiez &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Accord user here. I may be wrong, but there is a computer under your steering wheel that tells the ECU how much fuel/spark/etc to use. My dad had the same problem and switched it and it worked. PM me and ill get some more info for oyu https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emsmile.gif</TD></TR></TABLE>

If the ecu itself doesn't control fuel or spark, what exactly makes it an "engine control unit"? It would control nothing and just be a simple monitoring device. Fuel and ignition changes are made by installing a basic chip or tuning system right into the ecu to alter the way it controls functions.
Perhaps the device your dad changed is the body controller, which is on the back of the underdash fuse panel. It controls other main functions of the vehicle not related to ecu.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (klungemonger)
 

I'm really not sure. I just know that it was a separate part from what would normally be thought as a part to swap. Ill get the exact part name when he calls from business.

Re: why doesn't it start!!! (civiclxb16)
 

anyone else?

check all your connections.... and make sure your alarm isnt screwed up... take it off if possible... and make sure that all your sensors are good... how does it run when its running on starter fluid? smooth or like hell...

Re: (Dude29662)
 

check grounds, hondas love grounds, have u hit anything recently might be possible u kinked a fuel line under the car (if they are there i have never examined where the fuel lines run after they leave the engine bay) but if ur injectors are spraying it leave me to think its a ground

also if u have remote start this was fucking my buddies del sol up (and still is unless he fixed it) his wire for the remote start is loosing its connection and it just randomly wont start until he fucks with it and then it starts and runs fine, his del sol went about 1-2 years before this became a problem out of nowhere. somthing i def would look into if u have a remote start

Re: (Dude29662)
 

it is smooth until it runs out of fluid

did you try putting new gas in and what happened with the fuel pump, did u change it, any dif.

Re: (pearlcfcivic)
 

fuel pump relay?

Re: (FdOoUoRr)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FdOoUoRr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">fuel pump relay?</TD></TR></TABLE>

is that why yours didnt start for like a year? LOL J/J but yeah fuel pump relay is a possibility

Re: (LSturboEH2)
 

try hotwiring your car, i use to have an alarm and it really messed me up, i had to take it out. my car wouldnt start sometimes, and that ended up being why https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emsmile.gif

Re: (n0pinitr0us)
 

something simalar happened to me but it was an injector sticking open. flooded the shit out of it