Background: I have a 97 Lx sedan that was in a small accident earlier this year and has been sittting for about 8 months.

It started and ran fine after the accident, although I could not drive it due to some front-end damage, broken windshield and deployed airbags. Damage is now repaired (by me) and I replaced the battery and tried to start it.... nothing. Jumped it with the wife's car.... nothing. It turns over, but it does not seem to be firing. Any ideas? Is there something that has to be reset after the airbags fire that I don't know about? It would be nice to have the sedan to drive daily while getting my ailing ef hatch engine back in order. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a pic (pre-accident) so people will look!

 

You could have bad gas. Try putting a bottle of stabilizer or HEET in the tank.

 

do you hear the fuel pump running when you turn on the key? if so pull a plug and see if you are getting spark.

 

i have no idea why people post "will not start" threads

they always have the same replies.

you really should search, and honestly we need a will not start sticky in this forum.

 

That would be good to have in the FAQ, near the top.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by instrument &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">honestly we need a will not start sticky in this forum.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Agreed, and I did search. I did not find any posts from guys whose cars had been sitting for a while then had issues.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Eran &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You could have bad gas. Try putting a bottle of stabilizer or HEET in the tank.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good idea. I will try that.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xzodiackillerx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do you hear the fuel pump running when you turn on the key? if so pull a plug and see if you are getting spark.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I do hear the fuel pump. I will try this too.

Thanks for all the help. Further input is welcome.

 

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

Agreed, and I did search. I did not find any posts from guys whose cars had been sitting for a while then had issues.


Good idea. I will try that.

I do hear the fuel pump. I will try this too.

Thanks for all the help. Further input is welcome.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Just remember, the wire itself won't spark unless you stick something metal up there and ground it to something...or you just unscrew the spark plug and stick it in there - that'll flash when you crank it over and is a self-contained circuit (doesn't require to be grounded out at that point).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by instrument &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">honestly we need a will not start sticky in this forum.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Agreed, and I did search. I did not find any posts from guys whose cars had been sitting for a while then had issues.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Eran &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You could have bad gas. Try putting a bottle of stabilizer or HEET in the tank.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good idea. I will try that.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xzodiackillerx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do you hear the fuel pump running when you turn on the key? if so pull a plug and see if you are getting spark.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I do hear the fuel pump. I will try this too.

Thanks for all the help. Further input is welcome.

 

wasnt there some kind of "accident" switch (don't know the proper english word) behind the glovebox, that cuts off anything between the gastank and the engine?
It was also pretty easy to reset, with just a touch of a button? someone knows what i mean?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bobobob &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wasnt there some kind of "accident" switch (don't know the proper english word) behind the glovebox, that cuts off anything between the gastank and the engine?
It was also pretty easy to reset, with just a touch of a button? someone knows what i mean?</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's called an inertia switch. It's basically a gold ball on a magnet, and the impact jars it out of place, breaking a circuit.

As far as I'm aware, they didn't have inertia switches on Civics until late '98.

 

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

It's called an inertia switch. It's basically a gold ball on a magnet, and the impact jars it out of place, breaking a circuit.

As far as I'm aware, they didn't have inertia switches on Civics until late '98.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've never heard of inertia switches, or anything that disables the vehicle in the event of an accident on any Honda or Acura.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I've never heard of inertia switches, or anything that disables the vehicle in the event of an accident on any Honda or Acura.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've never personally seen one, but I've been told that some of the newer ones (98+) had them. It was a Honda mechanic, but he could have been mistaken.

 

i have a EK3, and i believe i do have a switch like that... i'll look into it when i'm home from work

 

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

I've never personally seen one, but I've been told that some of the newer ones (98+) had them. It was a Honda mechanic, but he could have been mistaken.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well he could be right. I'm just saying I'v never heard of the switch, but that doesn't mean they aren't on some of the cars.

I don't work in a body shop though, and theoritcally they'd be the people who probably have to deal with those sort of thigns after major collisions.

 

I know this is a really old thread, but my sedan is still just sitting in my driveway.

I have still not been able to get it started.

What I know:

- The fuel pump does work.
- I put HEET in the gas tank - did not seem to do anything.
- I was using a battery from my other car I know is good.
- I am getting spark.

Ideas?

 

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

I've never personally seen one, but I've been told that some of the newer ones (98+) had them. It was a Honda mechanic, but he could have been mistaken.</TD></TR></TABLE>

the closest ive seen to it in a honda was my srs fuse was the same as the fuel pump so as soon as the airbags blew in my 96 it killed the fuel pump.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1988_96hb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

the closest ive seen to it in a honda was my srs fuse was the same as the fuel pump so as soon as the airbags blew in my 96 it killed the fuel pump.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The airbags blew in my car, but I can hear the fuel pump kicking on when I turn the key to "accessory."

Does this contradict your statement, or can the airbags go off without setting off the srs fuse?

Where is this fuse located, btw?

 

The SRS Fuse is An Under-Dash Fuse.
its #13. (theyre numbered on the fuse box)
Its a 15a

I looked further and there is a Second SRS Fuse.
Its #23
And that is a 10a


The first fuse says, SRS unit (VA)

The second one says SRS unit VB

Not sure on what the two fuses operate seperatly.

I got all this Info out of my dealer service book.
The one from Honda.

 

Well, by reading i think you have said you have spark and you can hear the pump prime. Assuming the gas is decent enough to at least start the car and is making it into the cylinders. Depending on how the car was wrecked have you thought of checking the timing, could've been thrown off by chance.

 

i had the same problem when i swaped in a b16A. wouldnt start but it tries to turn over.


we replaced the injectors and checkd for spark. double checkd the firing order and 5 mins later it screamd :]

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JDM_CRX_PLEASE &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i had the same problem when i swaped in a b16A. wouldnt start but it tries to turn over.


we replaced the injectors and checkd for spark. double checkd the firing order and 5 mins later it screamd :]</TD></TR></TABLE>


So it was the bad injectors or the firing order was wrong?

 

Any and all input is greatly appreciated!!!