I repaced my valve cover this morning. After baking the valve cover, I ran the car for 10 minutes and let it cool. Then I let the car run for 20 minutes and let it cool. The last on car heating was for 30 minutes. About 20 minutes deep into idling, the car jus shut off. No buck, no funny sounds. Just like it would sound if I removed the key.

The first thing I checked was the main relay, no click. I figured ****, gotta replace it. Pulled it out and it didn't smell burnt and I didn't see any messed up looking connections. I went and grabbed the one off my automatic '89 CRX DX. Popped it in, same thing. The only responsing I'm getting are the check engine light staying on, the oil light staying on and the ECU not blinking at all.

I checked every engine bay fuse and every under dash fuse, they were all good. I read at least 25 archived post about main relays under CRX/EF Civic. I honestly am not 100% sure the relay out of my '89 CRX is working cause I never got the damn car to start. I would have checked when I pulled it out but all the fuses have already been removed.

Since I don't have means on verifying the operation of the new or old relay, I moved along to spark. Pulled the spark plug wires and 3 of them had about an ounce oil in each of them. At this point I'm really pissed. I'm guessing the oil in there is from the valve cover not being tightened down all the way. I'm thinking that this could have caused the car to shut off but not to make the relay not click on the keys ON position and not make the ECU blink at all.

I've read the archived posts and I've tried figuring this out myself. Can anyone out here tell me if there is something I'm overlooking? I'm about to call a friend with a '91 CRX Si and see if he'll let me try to get mine started and see if my ECU at least blinks.


Modified by knwldge54 at 7:28 PM 10/10/2005

 

alternator/battery??

 

The radio and all the other things work. I even tried the wipers and headlights. They don't seem dim. Would that cause the relay to not click and the ECU to stay blank?

 

BUMP

 

Bad starter, or ignition switch?

Odd it would go out when you are running the car at idle, but wierder things have happened. Maybe the stagnant heat fried the starter.

If you dont get a click at all, could possibly be the battery or ignition switch also. As you said though, you need to 100% rule out the main relay.

 

Would trying to jump start it rule out the battery till I can get someone to loan me a main relay?

 

If you arent getting any sort of click or activity at the starter, you might not have enough of amps to either a) turn it over or b) have a fried starter c)bad ignition switch (last choice imo).. Jumping the car wont necessarily rule out a bad battery. The battery could possibly be too dead to even be jumped.

 

Well I have the valve cover off and I can't hear the starting trying and the cams rotating, the damn car just won't start.

 

what the hell are you doing?!?!?
why would you take the valve cover off and try to start?

when you turn the key is the engine rotating at all??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what the hell are you doing?!?!?
why would you take the valve cover off and try to start?

when you turn the key is the engine rotating at all??</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah the engine rotaes it just won't turn over. I had to remove the spark plugs to get all the remaining oil out from on the top of them. There was about an onuce of oil in 3 of the 4 holes. I've already put the cover back on.

 

Is the relay the same for 90-93 Integras?

 

Uhh, so the engine IS rotating? So the starter is working then...???

lol youve got me confused now...

 

Yeah the starter is working and the engine is rotating. I wish it would turn over (start).

 

ok so since the engine is rotating i would check for fuel and spark

your car does have gas right??

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok so since the engine is rotating i would check for fuel and spark</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly, its a whole different ball game now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok so since the engine is rotating i would check for fuel and spark</TD></TR></TABLE>

Will there be fuel shooting out the small hole on the fuel line even if the relay isn't working? Or is this another test of the main relay?

 

Err, small hole?

When you are starting your car, are you getting spark from the coil? You can check fuel at the rail, but usually you can smell it without having to remove anything.

Not sure what you mean by small hole though..

 

There are two fuel lines coming from the fuel filter. One comes from the firewall the other goes to the fuel rail. On the one that goes to the fuel rail, there is a big *** bolt holding it down (a weird 17mm one I think). On top of that bolt, there's a small 10 or 12mm bolt. I think it's called the fuel service bolt or pressure relief bolt.

That's the little bolt I'm talking about. When you remove it theres a little hole in the bigger bolt that it threads in to.

 

If you have fuel squirting there, then thats a good sign.

Why do you keep thinking its the main relay? Check fuel and spark first.

 

I just checked for spark I don't see ****. I don't have a ground wire going from thevalve cover the frame of the car so I don't know how good of a ground it's acting as. I'll try sparking somewhere else and try fuel next.

 

Well I checked the spark plug right over the headlight on the frame, no spark!

Removed the 12mm service bolt in the fuel line,
no fuel spray!

WTF do I do now?

 

another bump cause I'm screwed

 

when you turn it to ON position, do you hear the fuel pump prime?
do all of you dashlights come on? and CEL go off?
and when you turn it to START then your engine just spins?

is your CEL staying on? does your ECU blink the red light or does it stay on or does it not come on at all?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">when you turn it to ON position, do you hear the fuel pump prime?
do all of you dashlights come on? and CEL go off?
and when you turn it to START then your engine just spins?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't hear **** when I put the key on the ON position. I've even tried with the relay right to my ear. There's no fuel getting to the fuel rail.

My CEL and Oil Light come on and stay on. The ECU light doesn't come on at all.

When I try to start it up the engine roates but will not start. NO FUEL & NO SPARK

 

check all of your grounds, espcially the valve cover to chasis.