Hey whats up guys! Well my 90' civic isn't starting. I've searched through post after post and cant seem to pin-point where the problem is happening so ill just start at the beginning.
Last week Wednesday, i started the car and went about 10 blocks to pick someone up and i shut the car off. I came back out to start her up again and it turned over, hiccuped, then wouldnt start after that. It has done it before and each other time i would just wait about 15 minutes and she would start up again but this time was a no go. Later that night i went back and checked the red led in the passenger floor and it blinked 16 times which was the main relay code. I ended up getting a relay from a pull-a-part car for 5 bucks and put that in and was still a no go. Then i thought the relay could of been bad so i put it in my buddys car but it worked so the relay was good. Moving on....I pulled the plugs and a couple plugs have oil on them which i now know i need a kit to fix that but when i pulled the plugs i kept one plug in and grounded the plug and turned the car over and i wasnt getting any spark, thought could be the plugs or the gap so i took the plugs out of my buddys car and still no spark so somewhere im losing spark. Today while i was taking the cap off the distrib, it started to rain so i put it back together and couldnt finish.
So somewhere im losing spark and i'm not positive what i should do next. Any help and all opinions are appreciated! Thanks!

 

Also forgot to mention that we smell gas out the exhaust when trying to start it and i cracked the bolt in the engine where the gas line is and gas leaks out so i think the fuel pump is good. Of course i could be wrong so all help wanted!!!

 

igniter

 

just put in new motor.

 

No one wants to help since 'no spark' posts are all over the place, I will guide you to the FAQ section so you can diagnose a no spark. Code 16 = main relay, never heard that, will look it up now. OK, 16 = Fuel Injectors, and yes, the main relay has fixed that problem before, many times actually, I just knew there was no code for the Main Relay directly, you are correct.

 

I agree posts about no spark are all over and ive read many of them. My problem is that i'm trying to get this fixed asap because its gettin real cold to keep ridin the crotchrocket and i dont want to have to pay a dealer 400 bucks if i can do it myself for just the cost of the part. I'm only askin for what someone thinks it is or has had a similar problem.

 

FAQ Accord, Civic, Prelude, Integra.

 

Ok, ive read through the FAQ's about the civic. I read through the electrical links and none pointed me to my no spark issue. I have also searched "no spark" "no/t start/ing" and have also read through posts about fuel. Tomorrow i will be running the wire from my positive terminal to the wires under my rear seats to double check the fuel pump so hopefully it isnt raining tomorrow. I'm in a rush because ive got to get the car im driving back to my friends by saturday and really dont want to fork over a few hundred bucks to a shop. Please help.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Duane_in_Japan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">FAQ Accord, Civic, Prelude, Integra.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Yeah...thanks so much, thats a lot of help quoting your first reply, awesome!

Guess ill be takin it to the shop tomorrow!

 

crank sensor?

 

If you dont want to do a little research then I guess I will have to do it for you.

http://techauto.tripod.com/

click on Ignition Problem upper left corner.

 

sounds like the ignitor

 

Thank you very much, like really thanks...Thats exactly what ive been wanting to find but just couldnt. Guess ive got a busy day tomorrow...Hopefully it goes my way! Thanks again!

 

You are welcome bro, sometimes I give folks a hard time, its only a research related thing I have, I call it welcome to the 21st century, I am not a dick, Honda is my strength and I just like to see Honda guys learn a little on their own, everyone here is trying to help the best we can but there is such a thing as the internet now and it is strong.

Please post back a detailed explaination of what you did and how you diagnosed it, volt meter, test light, give pin information and wire colors, that site I gave you is the best for what it has to offer.

 

before i start this car is my first honda. I have a 89 4 dr and i have the same problem as you. i bought it with a blown moter and i put the sam moter in it d15 dpi. now i have replaced spark plugs,plug wires,intake manifold,throtlebody,map sensor,main relay,coil,distribitur cap,roter buton,new ground wires, and o2 sensor. i also put a header, cat , and exhaust. now i have got no were. I have put alot of money in my car. so if you figer it out i would realy appreciate it if you would help me also... thanks

 

Its no problem, i was just gettin real angry with that car. Anyway, i found out that one of the ignition coils went bad and ate through part of the dizzy and wouldnt spark. So new ignition coil and cap and it started. I drove it 2 blocks to make sure it was good then shut it off at my apt. I came back out about 3 hours later and left for a 70 mile round trip and everything went great. Came back to the apt. and parked it for about an hour and went out to get a quick somethin done and got 6 blocks and it died. Now it wont start again, turns over, tries to start, kinda hiccups, but its a no go. About to push it off a cliff.

 

I am going to highly recommend a dealer sub assy for the dizzy and you can get discount coil, ignitor, cap and rotor, with the burn spots, CARBON, that tends to draw electricity like a magnet so change out the whole thing and your ignitor too, I know its expensive but I like to change the ignitor and coil as a set, they do work hand in hand and one weak one will drag the other down with it. Dont be afraid to ask the dealer for a discount, they may give 10%.

 

Thats the thing...After i figured out the problem i took it to the shop cause i didnt have the time with my work schedule and classes so i figured id just pay the labor charge. Anyway, took it over there for them to double check it to make sure i was right and they fixed exactly that. Then it fired right up. Heres exactly how it went down...I picked it up, drove to my apt. which is only a block away. Let it sit for 3 hours while i went to the rest of my classes. Jumped in the civic and ran to marshalltown which is only 35 miles away so go there, drove around, then on my way home i was on E so i got some gas. Filled the tank. Drove 24 miles (that gas station to my place) and went inside. An hour later i came back out to go pick someone up and got 5 blocks and it just died and wont fire up. Its trying to, like it starts for just a second but wont keep goin. Also i just got back maybe half hour ago and i had it started for around 5 or 6 seconds and it started to sputter and as soon as i hit the gas pedal to keep it goin it died. As dumb as it sounds could i have gotten bad gas and its not firin? Plugs?

 

still have the other main relay?..if so throw it in.

 

Yeah, i switched those as well. Kept it in the glove box and tried that first....still was a no go

 

hey buddy, Ihave the same prob. if i dump the gas peddle on it it satarts spputering, i wonder if it could be the fuel pump or filter.
I also whant to throw it of a clif

 

I am still sticking with a dizzy issue, buy an adjustable spark tester and check for spark when the car wont start, since the tester is adjustable, it may spark at 5K but it may not spark at 15K setting, it should do 15K if the dizzy is good (coil).

 

Im callin the shop that did the work tmorrow morning when they open at 8. Gonna have them tow the car back to their shop and have them fix that free since i paid them to fix it the first time....Otherwise AdvanceAuto has a spark tester for 8 bucks that i could go pick up quick

 

Alright, just a quick update on the civic. Shes up and runnin like a champ now. The problem that happened was that the screw in the new rotor came loose and came out and there was a flexible washer which was between the screw and it shredded. Put a different rotor in there and its all good now. Thanks for everything guys!