Tried other forums and no help. I need your help guys. Here is what has happened. While driving 70mph on the highway my 91 civic shut down on me, I tried to restart the car and all I get is a crank but won't turn over. I also notice that the ground wire grounding the clusth arm was sparking (I DON'T KNOW MAYBE BAD GROUND). The car didn't have any spark so I took the distributor to get tested and it failed so I replaced the distributor, spark plugs, wires, and ground wire. After all the install the car started, run for about 30mins and than shut off. I restarted to car and after 15mins the car temp gauge hit pass (H) so I shut the car down. Tried to restart and now the car won't even crank. I also replaced the main replay and it wasn't the problem, fuel pump is working because the fuel line is shooting fuel out in my face and i hear the fuel pump. What could it be? The lights come on, gauges, radio, and the beeping of the car when it's in the on position. What else can I check?

 

check the compression.

 

AIR in the cooling system, the ECT sensor needs actual coolant on it to read the correct temp. How is your spark now.

Your teminology is confusing, is your starter cranking the motor over or the starter does not work now, is there a click when you turn the key or is the starter working ok.

 

Sorry Duane_in_Japan, nothing is working won't crank or start at all. The starter doesn't work seem to make any noise (it's brand new from last year). I was using a program I bought from the store to trouble shoot and it mentioned that I might have a bad solenoid but where is that?

 

A bad starter solenoid is attached to the starter itself. Right next to it!

I would personally check all your under hood fuses first man, something probably caused a fuse to pop, Check your underdash fuses also.

 

If your car has a manual transmission, then it will require the clutch to be fully depressed, in order for the starter to engage.

The solenoid is located on the left hand side of the motor, looking from the front. It is mounted in the top of the transmission, with the solenoid on top of the starter motor. Their is a wire which plugs into the solenoid, which comes from your ignition system. You can disconnect that wire and use a temporary wire, with a connector, to connect the solenoid to the positive terminal of the battery. That should engage the solenoid and the solenoid should engage the starter.

If the starter doesn't engage then that is the first issue that has to be addressed.

 

Have you solidly attached the grounding wire that you said you saw sparking. If that is not fixed, fix that first and then work on the starter issue.

 

Yes, Ground wire is new and fixed. Getting lights bright and wipers working fine. I will check the solenoid tomorrow morning and let you guys know how it goes.

 

before you ckeck the starter just take a glance at your clutch switch at the top of the breake ***. those switches go bad or the little rubber fell out of the brake pedal and its not depressing the switch down

 

OK, dont confuse the brake pedal with the clutch pedal, you do need a good switch. Do you have a volt meter to test power out at the starter solenoid small wire when you turn the key to start, get help.

 

duane, you there? i pm'ed u

 

my instant message is up.

 

Is anybody out there?

 

Volt reading on the starter is 12.6 so I think that's not the problem. Going to push the vehicle next to see if it starts!


Modified by ED6JDM at 10:09 AM 10/9/2007

 

Tried to jump start the car by pushing it and it came on for 2 secs and died. Tried it a few times and didn't work. Any thing else to check?

 

SO when you are attempting to start the car, the meter reads 12.6?? Also sometimes the gear in the starter gets jammed up. But the selnoid still reads good. If you push start the car and it starts its not the engine.

 

Did you check your fuses?

 

You need a good starter to troubleshoot for fuel pressure and spark, do you know how to pull the top timing cover and verify timing marks are all lined up. Lets get this terminology straight, you are not to test for power at the starter, you are to test for power at the starter solenoid, there should be no power until you turn the key to the start position, can you please verify that.

 

Fuses are fine none blown! My timing is fine nothing wrong all marks are good at DTC. As for the starter I put the black wire from the volt meter on the single wire that has a connector (that is the solenoid correct?) on it and the red wire form the volt meter to the bolt that is attached to the battery and I got the 12.6 reading. If I'm doing it wrong, please be patience and tell me how it's done or what should I do to get the starting running.

 

Yes that is wrong, red wire on small wire to solenoid, black wire to metal ground anywhere almost, no power, turn the key to start and 12 volts = bad starter, no volts equals bad wire to solenoid from ignition switch. Didnt pay attention, if its an auto, needs to be in park or neutral, try neutral also, if its a stick, then there is a clutch switch and maybe a relay involved. One more time please.

 

Since the starter is under warranty I took it in and they tested it and it's FINE. Don't know what else to do but look for the switch on the clutch pedal now. I've looked and all I see is a spring and a cable to the firewall. What is that switch suppose to look like all I see is harnesses? Sorry Duane if I'm pissing you. Thanks for your helping.

 

Clutch pedal switch, should be closed circuit when pedal pressed, if you have cruise control, there will be a second clutch switch, it will be an open circuit when the pedal is pressed, I think the clutch is the upper switch????

 

I finally found it and it's not easy getting to that switch. I checked it out and also check the harness that leads to it that is near the fuses box inside (instrumental panel). That's not the problem what else is there? You can't do a compression test when the motor isn't running correct?

 

I just made a big writeup yesturday about compression testing but I dont remember the name of the other guys post.

A normal compression test is always done with the car not running, its done while cranking and there is a procedure for it, follow the manual.

 

I guess just by reading your post I'm **** out of luck because my car won't even crank.