So I bought a 90 dx hatch as a daily driver. Been working on this thing to try to get it running.
I need help.

----Stock, D15 DPFI Motor----

The person I bought it from had a diagnostic done at a shop and came out as a bad headgasket causing low compression so it wouldn't start.

So I've replaced the head gasket and got the compression up from 25 across to 187, 186, 85, and 115 respectively. Judging by the numbers, I know the motor's unhealthy. But there's enough compression for the car to start at least.

I got spark, tested each plug individually.
checked the timing and it is not off. both pulleys are on tdc.
Main relay is good.
fuel is going into the cylinders. I can see it on the plugs and smell it from the exhaust.
All of the ground is attached.
There's sufficient gas and it's not old.

The car sometimes sounds like it'll almost start, but never does.
What can it be? Has anyone else had this problem before?


EDIT: after another compression, the numbers are 150, 170, 185, 170.
Why did the numbers change so much?



Modified by NipponRacing at 7:29 PM 3/22/2007

 

bump

 

stuck injector just dumping fuel?

you certainly covered all the same bases i would have checked.

 

my car did that tonight it wont start , it wants to but all i smell is gas i think its the distributor?

 

My distributor is fine. I get strong sparks on all four.

 

i got my car to start today but when i press the gas it just dies? help

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NipponRacing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My distributor is fine. I get strong sparks on all four.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was gonna say ignition module in the distributor, but then I saw you post this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by redefguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i got my car to start today but when i press the gas it just dies? help</TD></TR></TABLE>

come on dude, what's up with the obvious thread jack

 

up

 

you failed to mention what engine you're dealing with..

it'll give me more of an idea..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by onepoint6i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you failed to mention what engine you're dealing with..

it'll give me more of an idea..</TD></TR></TABLE>

like said above, 90 civic dx motor. it's a 16 valve, 1.5l, dpfi if you're not sure.

 

ok try adjusting the timing if that is not it. Then there could be one more thing for a engine to start you need air spark and fuel. What you are missing is air. Try adjusting the valves. You need to open them more to let the engine breath.

 

Is your car giving you any codes at all?

 

ignition switch in the steering column, happened to me, last thing i checked after installing new main relay, dist etc. also theres a fuse that is known to go to, is it the hazzard fuse? check all your fuses.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nihad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ok try adjusting the timing if that is not it. Then there could be one more thing for a engine to start you need air spark and fuel. What you are missing is air. Try adjusting the valves. You need to open them more to let the engine breath. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've checked the timing again, and it's right on the dot. both pulleys at tdc, the distributor rotor is pointing at the #1 position as it should. Checked the timing with the timing gun and it is where it should be (red line). I've adjusted the valve clearance, as instructed in the honda manual, and got good numbers for the compression. My compression numbers should indicate that I'm getting plenty of air for combustion to occur.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hucoreyCRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is your car giving you any codes at all?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

No codes are thrown.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 93formula &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ignition switch in the steering column, happened to me, last thing i checked after installing new main relay, dist etc. also theres a fuse that is known to go to, is it the hazzard fuse? check all your fuses. </TD></TR></TABLE>

One of the first thing I've done was check the fuses. No fuses are blown. If the ignition switch is malfunctioning, the car would either not crank, not spark, or both. However, my car cranks and sparks. So I ruled that out a while ago.

Perhaps I'm overlooking a very simple thing here? That's what it seems like. I mean, the car almost starts, but doesn't. It's really frustrating because it's not giving me any kind of faulty symptoms to work with.

Maybe it's a problem that might be related to the dpfi system? Anyone familiar with the dpfi?

 

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

like said above, 90 civic dx motor. it's a 16 valve, 1.5l, dpfi if you're not sure.</TD></TR></TABLE>

you mentioned it was a 90 Dx, not a stock engined 1.5 dpfi in your first post , If you want accurate answers you gotta post the details..for all i knew you had another engine in there.. 90% of hatches owned by members of this board have swapped engines..


you may be getting fuel but check that both your injectors are spraying..

 

what happens if you give it some gas while you are cranking it? My friends prelude was not starting in really cold weather because a coolent temp sensor was bad. unless you gassed it while cranking, it wouldnt start. after cranking and gassing for a while, it would start and run just fine. probably not the issue, but another idea atleast.

 

Heh, I had this once in a Toyota when we replaced the headgasket the freakin' ECU got unplugged somehow, would crank and almost start but no go...

Just a silly thought, good luck. (don't even know how the ECUs connect in Hondas yet)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by onepoint6i &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

you mentioned it was a 90 Dx, not a stock engined 1.5 dpfi in your first post , If you want accurate answers you gotta post the details..for all i knew you had another engine in there.. 90% of hatches owned by members of this board have swapped engines..


you may be getting fuel but check that both your injectors are spraying.. </TD></TR></TABLE>

sorry for the confusion
I'll take off the tb to see if both the main and the aux injectors are spraying.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sanimalp &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what happens if you give it some gas while you are cranking it? My friends prelude was not starting in really cold weather because a coolent temp sensor was bad. unless you gassed it while cranking, it wouldnt start. after cranking and gassing for a while, it would start and run just fine. probably not the issue, but another idea atleast. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, I've tried to start the car with and without depressing the gas pedal and no difference. On your friend's car, did it ever throw a code to indicate the defective coolant temp sensor?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phoenix_iii &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Heh, I had this once in a Toyota when we replaced the headgasket the freakin' ECU got unplugged somehow, would crank and almost start but no go...

Just a silly thought, good luck. (don't even know how the ECUs connect in Hondas yet)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Highly doubtful, but I'll double check. with the ecu unplugged, the entire pgmfi system would not work. At this point, it seems that my entire system is working fine, just no start.

 

battery?

 

Does it make a popping noise, turn over a few times, and then pop again?&gt;

My 1.5dpfi was doing that and I had put the spark plug wires on one position clockwise on the dizzy cap by accident. Moved them counter-clockwise a location and the beast started right up.

Good Luck!

And the compression may have just had a bad reading at first? If its truly what you just got that engine should be good to go.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NipponRacing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Well, I've tried to start the car with and without depressing the gas pedal and no difference. On your friend's car, did it ever throw a code to indicate the defective coolant temp sensor?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah it deffinetly was throwing a code for the sensor. sometimes it wouldn't throw one right away though. We would finally get it started and drive it about 3 blocks and it would throw the code.. then we would shut the car off and restart and no code. It was suprising to me that the ECT sensor was causing this problem, but we replaced it and it fixed it. The symptoms of it were definitely the worst when it was really cold outside, so i doubt that is your problem... but just threw out the idea for general info.

Somebody also mentioned the spark plug wires being in the wrong order.. and that sounds more like something that could cause the problem. good luck, I hate problems like this.

 

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

Put in a new battery with no effect.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ProjectLSVTEG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Does it make a popping noise, turn over a few times, and then pop again?&gt;

My 1.5dpfi was doing that and I had put the spark plug wires on one position clockwise on the dizzy cap by accident. Moved them counter-clockwise a location and the beast started right up.

Good Luck!

And the compression may have just had a bad reading at first? If its truly what you just got that engine should be good to go. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Dizzy's on correctly and the wire order is correct.

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

yeah it deffinetly was throwing a code for the sensor. sometimes it wouldn't throw one right away though. We would finally get it started and drive it about 3 blocks and it would throw the code.. then we would shut the car off and restart and no code. It was suprising to me that the ECT sensor was causing this problem, but we replaced it and it fixed it. The symptoms of it were definitely the worst when it was really cold outside, so i doubt that is your problem... but just threw out the idea for general info.

Somebody also mentioned the spark plug wires being in the wrong order.. and that sounds more like something that could cause the problem. good luck, I hate problems like this.</TD></TR></TABLE>

No codes are being thrown for me and it's really weird that your friend's car wouldn't start because of the coolant temp sensor.

I'm pretty much all out of ideas...