92 honda civic LX 1.5
Help! my car stalled and now wont start. It tries to turn over but wont start. This happened when I got off the highway and stopped at a stop sign on the off ramp. It just stalled and died and wont start again. Last night it did the same thing but I added oil, and waited 5 mins and then it started. It stalled again when I stopped the next time but started after I waited 15 mins. This morning it started up perfectly until I stoped for gas and oil. I added oil (3 quarts) and it started after choking a few times. I headed on to work and that's where i am now. Luckily my job is right by the exit.
On the highway it struggled in 5th gear and hessitated in lower gears. It was like it was being held back. I drove in 4th the whole time.
Any ideas?? I'm stuck at work

 

Why are you adding so much oil?

When it doesnt start, you need to listen to see if you can hear your fuel pump turning on.
If it is, pull a plug and see if your getting spark.

Thats a good place to start.

 

Hmm my friend had a familiar case with this..when this happens are you on the car hard with the accelerator? we replaced the head gasket and after that it was fine

 

I mention the oil thing in another post but for some reason, I have been using lots of oil and it keeps geeting worse. It's taking about 3 quarts every other day!. The strange thing is, it's not leaking anywhere..and it's not burning. I've checked and triple checked all over and there are no leaks anywhere. There is no smoke at all coming the exhaust other than the little bit at start up in the mornings. If the oil light didn't come on all the time, and the dipstick didnt confirm it, I would never know that I was using that much oil. I really have to put a quart in every day or 3 quarts every 2 to 3 days depending on how I drive. I drive about 150 miles per day to and from work.
Could my problem have something to do with the catalytic converter being clogged? That was my initial thought.
I have brand new wires, plug, fuel filter, air filter, IAC valve, Oxygen sensor, and i just did a timing check.
Please help.
Also, how noticeble is the fuel pump when you turn the ignition on? I can turn the ignition on and let it stay there and I dont hear a peep it seems. I could be wrong..I will check again though. If that is the case, will the fuel pump make a noticeble sound that I can clearly hear without the engine on?
Also, is there a fuse or relay for the pump?
Thanks

 

the fuel pump makes a mechanical sound when you turn the key to accessory, its located under the back seat inbetween the two front seats. just put your ear next to it and you will hear it. although by what your saying it sounds like something else, there is no reason for your car to be eating that much oil.

 

Oil doesn't just vanish. It is going somewhere. It is either burning, leaking or it is getting into the antifreeze by way of the head gasket. Look at your coolant, is it brown and oily? If it isn't then you are either leaking or burning it, and that is alot of ******* oil to lose.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rajayc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Could my problem have something to do with the catalytic converter being clogged?
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If you do get it running check to see if you have stuff coming out of your exhaust. Usually if you cat is blocked you will be able to start it and get it to about 1500-2000rpm before it really starts to choke.

 

ok..it started..after a couple hours but if I dont hold the accelerator, it will stall. When I stopped (at work) it wouldn't restart again. I'm hoping it will start up again after sitting a couple more hours.

I dont understand the oil issue at all. I swear there is no leaks..drive way, pavement at work, ect, is always bone dry. My coolant is as green as ever, and agin, there is no smoke. Unless it burns it real clean. Also, I have never had a overheating problem either, and no check engine lights. The only error code I've gotten was the code 14 (IACV faulty), and code 43 (fuel system faulty). I was told that refered to the o2 sensor so I changed that. That code doesn't appear anymore.

 

it has to be burning, or theres a leak somewhere. Try starting it up in the morning again and see if the smoke has a little blue tint to it. Also it might be your valves(never open up a honda engine yet) your valve seat might be burned up sending the burned up oil through the valve.(Probly Need Someone to Confirm That)

 

[QUOTE=rajayc]ok..it started..after a couple hours but if I dont hold the accelerator, it will stall. When I stopped (at work) it wouldn't restart again. I'm hoping it will start up again after sitting a couple more hours.

I dont understand the oil issue at all.QUOTE]


i dont either, that is a hell of a lot of oil to just disappear liek that, but dude i had the same problem, and this might sound crazy, but my battery was just REALLy shitty and it is the stock battery and it has water in it, well the water evaporated and it wouldn't hold a charge. i had left my lights on one day at school and it wouldn't even crank so i turned them off went back to the car after school and it fired up after sputtering a bit. try the battery, couldn't hurt.

 

pull off ur valve cover and see if u have a tub of oil floating around.. when my headgasket went and i pulled everything apart i finally solved the mystery of where my oil was going.. its not pretty

 

I just replaced the battery about 5 days ago..so it's not that.
There is white smoke when i 1st crank up in the morning but it is very brief. It's not blueish. I can look into the crank case and all I see is dry valves..no puddle of oil.
Could it be the fuel pump or catalytic converter and which is more likely to cause those symptoms?

 

not to insult your intelligence but are you sure you didn't just overfill it with oil?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rajayc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just replaced the battery about 5 days ago..so it's not that.
There is white smoke when i 1st crank up in the morning but it is very brief. It's not blueish. I can look into the crank case and all I see is dry valves..no puddle of oil.
Could it be the fuel pump or catalytic converter and which is more likely to cause those symptoms?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

dam bro, i have no idea, from what i hear your a do it yourself person but i suggest taking it to a shop. my dad didn't buy me a civic hatch cause it had white smoke coming out when it first started, he said was cause the head gasket might be blown, but i dunno. i would like to know what it was though whenever you figuire it out.

 

You would think that was the case with the amount of oil I've been adding. The sensor would have to be bad cuz it keeps telling me to add oil. That could be possible but the dipstick shows the right oil level when I add it, and is low or dry when the light comes on.
Besides...there is no possible way that much oil could be held in the engine if none burned or leaked. Still thats what it seems like.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rajayc &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You would think that was the case with the amount of oil I've been adding. The sensor would have to be bad cuz it keeps telling me to add oil. That could be possible but the dipstick shows the right oil level when I add it, and is low or dry when the light comes on.
Besides...there is no possible way that much oil could be held in the engine if none burned or leaked. Still thats what it seems like.</TD></TR></TABLE>

K, so just to double check, it was low on oil, you added 3L to it. How long before that did you add/change oil?

i.e. what is the time/distance interval between you last checking the oil and then adding 3L of oil to it?

Side note: I once accidently overfilled a car with 3L of oil and then took it on the road. boy was that funny, there was a huge smoke trail behind me...lol what a dumbass I am sometimes...lol

 

it drinks oil like crazy. I put 3 quarts in every 150 miles or so.
Now it's stalled on the side of the road..im about to give up on it. I'll get it towed in the morning.
I put in a new fuel pump, and fuel pressure regulator. I put on a new dist. cap and rotor also. None of that had any affect. That was a huge wast of money . I took it to a muffler shop and the guy there said the exhaust system was fine and he directed me to a engine repair shop. he said it was "missing" and that it sounded like a cylinder wasnt firing or something. No garage could get to it today. Monday is the earliest I'll know something : (

 

man.. come on now.. taking 3qts of oil in 150miles.. dont be stupid and think logically.. its not right! check your coolant, proly looks like ****.. soemthing is majorly wrong with your engine and needs attention a LONG time ago.. take it to a shop.. i think its your headgasket.

 

damn..thought i had a oil problem...

 

Update.
It's in the shop. Im waiting for the diagnosis. I'm thinking they will tell me I need a new engine. In any event i'll let yall know how it turns out.
The oil issue I think is seperate form this because it has been using oil for about a year. Only then, it was just 3 quarts very week and a half. Now its every other day.
No smoke..no leaks. clean coolant.....im stumped.

 

not to be a jack*** but should you put it in the shop like a year ago or fix the problem a year ago hint might of saved your engine if they tell you you need another one

 

wow.. an engine shouldnt consume oil, but the world is not perfect so they do, sometimes.. 1qt i would think is reasonable over a couple months.. say 3k miles, 3 months..

 

Final update: The mechanic said I need a new engine...duh
He says the piston rings broke loose and one side of one piston was partially melted. He said I only had compression in one cylinder at 90 psi and one at 60 psi and the others had none at all.
I guess the broken rings would explain the oil mystery as well, although there was never any clouds of smoke from the exhaust.
Anyways thanks for the help guys. I'm off to find an engine now I guess.