whats up guys, im having major trouble with my friends uncles 88 civic dx hatchback.

first of all, his uncle wanted a rear main oil seal replaced and the front struts/springs changed. so we got the rear main oil seal in, and the front struts/springs installed. after we put the tranny back on, starter, and axles back on, we decided to try starting the car. the car started, and then shut off after maybe a minute. we decided that the battery was low.

so then we finished putting the rest of the car back together (brake line bolts, hub bolts, and other misc parts) - and tried starting the car again with the freshly charged battery. it cranked, but didnt start, so we tried my friends battery. we accidentally inverted the power terminals, and the main fuse blew. after we blew a couple more main fuses by trying to just reconnect them, we disconnected the alternator clips and white wire from the alternator, and then tried putting the main fuse in, and it finally worked. so we decided we blew the diodes in the alternator, and got a remanufactured alternator from the junkyard.

we then installed the nused alternator, and tried starting the car. the car started and stayed on for about 30 seconds, then shut off again. we tried cranking and cranking but the car would not start again.

we thought it was the battery, so we tried my optima yellow top battery, and it cranked but didnt start. we replaced the spark plugs, then we took off the alternator, and connected my optima battery to see if the car would start without the alternator. after cranking several times, the car started, however, shut off after 15 seconds.

then thinking there was no gas in the car because the fuel gauge was broken, i poured in maybe 3 gallons of gas, and then tried starting the car. still nothing (this is with my optima and the alternator is out) - this is where im at right now. the car cranks but does not start. there are fumes coming out of the exhaust.

what do you guys think? ill take any help i can get right now. would reconnecting the alternator do anything, or should it be able to start off of my optima?

THANKS


[Modified by rasta420, 4:57 AM 11/10/2002]

 

Make sure all your grounds are connected, like the one buy the clutch cable. After that, I would probably start looking at the distributor (Could have blown the ignitor), or maybe even the ELD system.

 

if theres fumes comming out then u are getting a little spark. make sure u got all the cables off dizzy in the right order... thats a simple mistake everybody can do....make sure u getting fuel pressure... after that do a spark test.....get a new lifetime warranty alternator from pep boys.. put it in... and if it fries again u can get a free one.... then after u put the batt again on... put the ig key on ON and check fo rany codes on the ECU (located under carpet of passenger footwel. and tell us what codes u get.. that should check for now..

 

RE: CRX-RX

how do i check if the ignitor has been blown? also what is the ELD system?

 

ok got all the spark wires in the right order. how do i check if i am getting fuel pressure? spark test?

thanks 4 the help

 

park test is easy...just take each spark plug out, put the plug in the spark plug wire and hold the plugin the wire near a chassis ground to see if it sparks. do that for all 4 plugs and wires.

as for fuel, you could loosen the bolt that holds the fuel line to the fuel rail to see if fuel comes out...

 

like breaka_1_9 said, the spark test is very easy, just touch the bottom of the plug to a ground and try cranking, if you can see a spark in the gap, go to the next plug and try it, if you can see spark in all 4 plugs, then you're getting spark.
just a though, but could your timing be off?
and like somebody else already mentioned, are you flashing any codes?

 

timing was fine before we started the project...no codes flashing - this is weird.

so take the spark plug out, put it inside the spark plug wire, and touch the plug to a chassis, then check if it sparks when cranked?

thanks

 

a car should be able to start without an alternator, right?

does anyone have any explanations for why the car is starting then shutting off sometimes?

 

ok, when it dies, does is kind of sputter down and die or does it just straight shut off? I had an open on a ground to my main relay that would allow it to start sometimes but would sputter and "cough" and then die.
Check the ground that connects to the clutch cable-tranny meeting place. My friend forgot that one when he did his clutch, and walla, no start. Bolted it down, and it fired right up.

 

it straight shuts off

 

ttt, anyone?

 

can you hear the fuel pump turning on?


Yager-

 

what do i listen for? what does it sound like? is the fuel pump near the fuel filter?

 

if you don't know where the fuel pump is, than why did you even attempt replacing a rear main seal?

 

first of all, did i really need that post? second of all, i attempted and succeeded in replacing a rear main oil seal because i knew how to do it. third of all, who the **** are you? what does knowing where the fuel pump is have to do with replacing a rear main oil seal?

 

alright, no spark anymore, no fumes, nothing. the fuel pump is turning on.

next stop: igniter and coil