my little brothers 98 ex wont start.

i checked the codes and it was throwing a fuel tank pressure sensor code. so i looked under the dash and replaced a blown fuse. i reset the ecu, theres no codes now but still wont start. ive checked and theres no spark. so i bought a new cap and rotor and still no spark.

so my final thought is its the distributor, just wanted to see if it can fail without throwing a code. and is there a write-up online so i can test it with my voltmeter, thanks

 

yes, happened to my CRV. It just died and wouldn't start, no codes.

 

The coil and igniter can go bad and not throw codes. If either goes bad you will get no spark, and thus no start.

 

BTW:

There is a test with ohmmeter to see if the coil is bad - following pic is top view.



Resistance between terminals A and B - .63-.77

Resistance between terminal A and secondary (the spring) - 12.9-19.2k

Also there is usually a flash marked spot between the body of the coil and the gold covering for it. It's kind of a dead give away that the coil is bad, or going bad, but I've seen burnt looking ones still allow an engine to run just fine. That's why I posted the actual test.

 

thanks fellas, i guess im on the hunt for a distributor now.

 

When you turn the key to ON(II), does the fuel pump also fail to prime (low hum or buzz) for 2 seconds?

Is a CEL code set after cranking the engine for about 30 seconds?

 

IF you find you need a distributor then I'd buy a brand new one from Distributor King/Richporter Technologies. They are excellent quality, and they are brand new and include everything including the cap and rotor. Search them on Ebay. If your 1998 Ex has the stock engine you'll need part number TD80.

You should TEST before you assume, and potentially waste money on a part you didn't need.

 

i checked both of the resistances.

i got 0 between a and b

i got 16 between a and secondary.

does this mean the coil is blown? thanks

 

Yes, replace the coil whenever one of the tests is out of spec. If your distributor has more than 150K miles on it, seriously consider replacing the entire distributor, as B18C5 mentioned.

 

i retested the coil and im getting .7 for the a - b resistance now. so the coil isnt bad.

is there a way to test the igniter?

 

16K Ohms on the other measurement?

Some auto parts stores will test the ICM for you. Call around.

Does the fuel pump prime? Any CEL code set after cranking the engine for about 30 seconds?

 

yes, 16k ohms for the other measurement.

the fuel pump primes, and no codes after cranking the engine.

 

Also check whether (1) dash fuse 9 has blown, (2) the Blk/Yel wire attached to the coil and ICM has battery voltage with the key in ON(II), and (3) the timing belt snapped.