Please help my 98 civic won't start

Sorry, I tried searching but the search is down. Most of the car won't start posts only have suggestions and not what finally worked. I tried the suggestions I found.

The engine cranks but won't fire.

The cel is off. There is no error code reported with a scan tool.

I pulled the wires and got a spark between the wire and valve cover.
Replaced the plugs - they needed it anyway.

Cracked the bolt out of the fuel filter turned the key and got fuel spraying so I don't think it is the fuel pump. Unbolted the fuel manifold and the injectors spray fuel.

The white timing mark lines up with the point when the cam wheel is up and the distributor rotor points towards wire 1. So I dont think the belt slipped and I assume I have compression if it lines up(I don't have a compression tester and my local auto store only has them to sell). Is this assumption correct?

I tested the main relay and it works.

There was a misfire in cylinder 1 about 2 months go that went away on its own.

I am baffled any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

compression would falter the starting.
aka, cracked valve.
does it sound like its leakin compression when you crank it.
it will have everything. but a cracked valve will leak too much compression to let it run itself.
just thinkin quick.
in a hurry for class.
what engine?

 

It has the stock D16Y8 engine

 

Is the spark bright white/bluish or weak orange in color?

Edit -- Text deleted.

Definitely check compression for all four cylinders.

 

Spark looks blue

Compression tests were
1 125psi
2 155psi
3 155psi
4 180psi

I could not get the car to operating temp because it won't run not sure how much it matters but it was about 40 when i checked it.

Cylinder 1 seems low but is it low enough to keep the car from starting?

 

check the ecu fuse. I had the same problem, car would turnover, got spark, got fuel, but nothing happened. Missed out on alot of **** because i didnt think to check that fuse.

 

Cylinders 1-3 are low.

 

yea. low compression. hm. i'm the kind of guy that just would pull it apart to check it. i'm still leaning toward valves. pull off the exhaust manifold. turn it over by hand at the crank and get a flash light and see if you can see the valves. looks for cracks, chips, debris, etc. i'd pull the head off just to check it all tho. just my opinion. good luck. let us know how you make out.

 

i had this exact same problem with my 97 civic ex. we tried everything and it turned out that it was the distributor. what happened was that my original one was losing power so when we pulled the plugs out and pushed them against the valve cover and cranked it, there was a spark but when we put it back in it didnt spark big enough to actually start the car.

it might seem crazy but as soon as we bought the new distributor the car started up right away

 

x2.
i would pull of the head and make sure the valves are good(as mentioned earlier) and the pistons do not have any cranks on them. also check the cylinder walls for any flaws.
that compression has to be going some where

 

more likely than not that was the ignitor. or even the coil could have been shitty. thats why replacing the whole distributor fixed it. you're not have problem with spark, like you said. so check those valves.