99 Civic DX 1.6 non-VTEC is not starting after I run a few miles. Basically I drive it from work to the grocery store about 5 miles away and cut it off. Go in the store and come out and it spins over and smells like gas like an injector is flooding. Usually I have figured out that if I turn the key on and wait til the fuel pump cuts on and off, it will start better. A few times including today, it will idle really low and almost cut off. One of my other theories is that the Idle Control Valve is sticking and actually not letting it get the air it needs before it "floods" it. What do you guys think?

 

Can you hear the fuel pump prime, the clicking noise near the glove box.

Does it start fine the first start of the day?

I would test fuel pressure and fuel pressure regulator.

 

What CEL codes are thrown?

Besides the fuel pump not priming, is there also no spark at the plugs?

 

Yeah, it always starts fine the first start. It always starts fine when I leave work in the afternoon. It acts up only when I crank it for lunch and go run errands, cut it off, and then try to restart. Or when I leave and run an errand and then try and crank it. I bought a bottle of fuel injector cleaner and seems to have helped with the idle and other issues. I will try it again today at lunch.

Yes, RontJ@HT, the CEL is on, but for Catalyst flow I think. because there is no converter on the car. It has been this way the whole time I have had the car. I know it has spark, because it always tries to crank. It acts like a car with the carb flooded to me.

 

Last tune up (plugs, wires, etc)?
I would check the engine code again just to be sure.

 

Are you tech savvy? If so check the fuel pressure and fuel pressure regulator. The flooded condition can be the FPR.

 

Yes I am, I have run into this on Chevy trucks and was also thinking of this as a possibility.