Hi, i have a 92 prelude SI 4ws automatic with 98,000 miles.
the car cranks but does not start, when i try to crank it does an occasional backfire then just keeps cranking.

<U>Here is a list of the things i checked</U>:
1. timing belt didnt snap (opened the oil fill cap and saw the cam spin while cranking)
2. distributor (checked it, its okay. even replaced with a brand new one)
3. coil pack (checked the resistance, it is to spec. also i get spark)
4. injectors (resistance to spec, also fuel injector resistor box to spec replaced the box to be sure.)
5. main relay (it clicks when ignition on)
6. fuel pump (i hear it prime)
7. fuel pressure (there is fuel pressure at the fuel rail)
8. ECU (swapped it out with a known working one)

i narrowed the problem down to fuel injectors not firing, i had all the spark plugs out and i was cranking and i didnt smell any fuel.


EDIT:****followup: the timing belt wasn't snapped but the timing Was way off. like it skipped a tooth.


****now i know i didnt smell the fuel because i didnt have compression to suck the fuel into the chamber.





Modified by sg at 9:34 PM 9/8/2008

 

any cel lights?
have you checked the ecu for burns on the circuit board?
haev you actually tested the the main relay with a multimeter?

fuses ok?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 98vtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">any cel lights?
have you checked the ecu for burns on the circuit board?
haev you actually tested the the main relay with a multimeter?

fuses ok?

</TD></TR></TABLE>

cel lights i dont know, nothing unusual comes up. the battery just got replaced

yes i have tested the main relay with a mm, and also tryed replacing it

i have not checked inside the ecu that is a great idea.

and as for fuses is there a special fuse just for the fuel injectors? i checked every fuse i could see and they all seem good.


Modified by sg at 4:36 AM 1/31/2008

 

Were they working prior to this happening?

 

take out your injectors to have them tested----if you narrowed it down to fuel injectors then take them out---

also could be your timing----that's what's happening to mine right now--crank and crank--fuel spark,....not sure if timing is off yet---gotta check-

don't try to crank it so much---as it could be the timing...and if its the timing...you could do some serious damages to your engine----bent valves for one thing....

try it out--take out ur injectors and run it to a shop..they'll test it for 20/injector

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Acidcrakker &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Were they working prior to this happening?</TD></TR></TABLE>

i dont really understand the question, but if you mean the injectors then heres the story how it stalled. its my friends car he was driving, he stopped at the light and then it turned green he started going then the car stalled out about 15 feet from the light, then he said it smelled real bad, but he cannot describe the smell to me.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by FlyingDaggers &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">take out your injectors to have them tested----if you narrowed it down to fuel injectors then take them out---

also could be your timing----that's what's happening to mine right now--crank and crank--fuel spark,....not sure if timing is off yet---gotta check-</TD></TR></TABLE>

the thing is i doubt very much that all 4 fuel injectors would go bad at the same time.

also im getting spark but no fuel. none of the injectors seem to be working but i have not tested the pulse because i do not have diodes.

 

pull the clips on the injectors and use the multimeter to test the resistance of the injectors themselves. Should be around ~11 ohms. Test each injector.....u never know.
Then pull of the clips and test the injector clips. unplug the A connector (big one) at the ecu. The injectors are:
pin1 = #4 injector
pin2 = #3 injector
pin3 = #2 injector
pin4 = #1 injector

test the resistance of each injector pin to a body ground and be sure to use the same ground for each injector. With the injectors unplugged, it should show an open loop (no resistance).

if that turns out ok, plug the connector back in a go back to the clips. turn the car to "on". Test the voltage of each terminal on the clip. One terminal (striped wire IIRC) should show battery voltage and the other should show zero voltage (signal).

I know you have done a couple of those already, im just going through my own list of checks. I'm going through this same thing right now, but mine is just one injector

also, turn the car on and find the power source to the ecu. make sure its getting 12volts.

 

Get a set of node lights and hook them up to the injector harnesses, they should flash when you crank the car to indicate whether the injectors are getting the voltage signal from the ECU.
I had a similar problem not so long back, and it turned out to be the fuel pump had packed up. I could also hear it make the priming noise when the key was turned to position II, but it was knackered non the less! Swapped it out and it started 1st turn of the key

 

use a gauge to check the fuel pressure. Also pull the injectors out with the rail intact if possible and crank. You will then see the spray of the injectors.

 

did you switch the TPS sensor and the MAP sensor harness around?

 

followup: the timing belt wasn't snapped but the timing Was off.

99% sure I bent some valves from all the times I tryed cranking it. thanks guys for all your help. for fun im actually going to put a new timing belt and check the compression.

 

thank you for posting an update

 

Well if you test the injector with the multimeter and its fine the next thing i would look at would be the injector resister box. I think the problem is there. Put your multimeter on the injector wire coming off of the ECU and see if it puts out any voltage. if it does, GOOD. Now do the same test after the resister box. If you get no voltage change then that resister box is bad.

 

i want to thank everyone again for the help and advice !!


I've edited the first post so future readers with a common problem have a refrence of some things to check out when theres a no-start.

 

I wouldnt think that cranking alone can bend valves if timing is off. Ive driven around on a car that had a tooth off on timing up to 4k rpms and still never bent valves.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Acidcrakker &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I wouldnt think that cranking alone can bend valves if timing is off. Ive driven around on a car that had a tooth off on timing up to 4k rpms and still never bent valves.</TD></TR></TABLE>

crossing my fingers on this one. thanks for the imput. it gives me a little more faith