1994 Civic EX
D16Z6 engine.
Manual transmission


Stranded on freeway. Fire and glowing bits came out exhaust after car sputtered. I just changed dizzy 15 min prior and set timing while using a timing light. Car was stranded at work for a couple days turning over but not starting.

Removed dizzy cap and oil was seeping where o-ring was broken. Ordered a TD-42U equivalent from Amazon and installed it and the car started right away. Went to drive the 25 miles home. After about 10 miles on the freeway the car sputtered and I noticed bright glowing orange bits spewing out and leaving glowing bits all over the freeway as the engine finally died and I pulled over and coasted to a stop.

Car wouldn't start but finally did after siting for half
An hour. As it accelerated to freeway speed the engine sputtered and died again. Tow truck is an hour out so I'm just posting to see if anyone has any ideas about what happened. I think maybe all the glowing stuff might've been fuel that lit up from the hot exhaust

 

The catalytic converter is plugged, what you saw were molten pieces of it. Make sure you fix any timing issues and make sure the primary O2 sensor is functioning before you install a new cat or you'll ruin that one as well.

 

OP - Add the required car information to your post.

Also pull the CEL codes and post them.

 

Also, since your engine was seeping oil....check the level and correct...no need to compound problems.

 

This was my exact thought too.

Glad to see I actually do hit the right answer sometimes even with my much less experience.

 

I was able to get to the car tonight. It's a code 43.

Rodents chewed the wires to either the #1 or #2 injector last year. My friend actually just used electric tape to keep it together. And from what I remember that's about when it started to run rich and instead of getting 350-370 miles a tank it went down to about 250 miles a tank.

At the time it was no big deal as the car was barely driven. The car was going to be put on sale for $1500 or so. It was driven to work where it died. That's when I put the new distributor after seeing the oil in the old one. The car started up and was driven for about 10-15 miles before it died on the freeway.

The car was towed to a local Honda shop that actually closed its doors the day before after 30+ years and that's where it's been.

Right now I just want to get it to run so I can get it home and sell it as is to a mechanically inclined buyer.

I think the root problem is the injector with the chewed wires. The black plugs would need to be replaced too. I still need to check the O2 sensor. I have the Helms PDF which I've started studying, especially the fuel section section.

 

 

The running rich from the wires story sounds like a very high probability and would explain why the cat would end up melting together and basically clog/seal up.

Crawl under the car and unbolt the catalytic converter and you will likely not be able to see through it.

This clog prevents the car from running since the back pressure of the exhaust becomes too great.

Sorta like the banana up the tail pipe trick of Beverly hills Cop.

 

I changed 3 of four spark plugs but #2 is seized. The car turns over but still won't start and the smell of gas is strong.

Is $1000 a reasonable asking price for a car in this condition?

 

Eddie Murphy was a genius