Hi all, it's time for me to ask for help, so here it goes. My car is a 1999 Civic LX, which I have owned since new, it has 330,000 miles on original engine and a junkyard auto trans that has been in the car for three years.This car has been amazing with very few mechanical issues. Last summer I replaced the timing belt and water pump at about 295,000 miles and when i took the timing belt out it looked and felt good as new! About a month later I had to take the head off to replace the head gasket which blew due to a broken water hose. It ran like new, and still got over 30 MPG, until about a month ago when I came out to go home after work and the engine just cranked and wouldn't start, After letting it sit for 10-15 min.it started right up and I drove home with no issues. Then about 2 weeks later it did the same thing but this time it would not start at all and had to have it towed home. I had it dropped off at a local trusted mechanic because I had to have the car running quickly for work and could only borrow a car for a couple of days.He called and said car was not fixable(?) and had run it's course. I said bullshit and towed it home. He said compression in two cylinders was down to 50 lbs. and this was the reason for hard/no start. Well, I did a valve adjustment at home an d car fired right up and I drove to work next day. But the hard starting problem and now a no idle problem still exist, although once it starts it runs down the highway at 80-85 mph and still is getting 30 mpg. In my trying to fix the problem, the engine threw a P0108 cel code and I have replaced the IAT and MAP sensors. I did them one at a time and reset ECU after each install. After reset, the engine started right up and idled very smoothly at about 800 rpm for about 15 mins or so then went right back to the hard start, no idle symptoms.I have checked fuel pressure by priming the pump then loosening the banjo bolt at both the filter and the fuel rail and plenty of fuel at both places. I am at wits end and really need this to be fixed, as driving a car that won't idle is a friggin hassle and not knowing if the car is going to start in the morning or after work is stressful as I commute 80 miles a day. Sorry for the exceptionally long post, but I thought if I gave as much background as possible, maybe one of you will have an answer for me. Thanks all in advance.

 

I know you said it has plenty of fuel but have you tried starting with starting fluid? because if it doesnt turn over from that point it has to be something with spark...Fuel/Spark/Air

 

Also CHECK your wires and if necessary clean or replace them. I had a hard starting problem and after replacing the 5-6 year old battery it turned out to be an ancient starter wire and ground wire problem. I replaced the hot wire that runs from the starter to the battery and the main battery ground & problem solved.

From: https://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com...-fuel--battery

Cable Assembly, Starter Honda P/N 32410-S04-A02
Cable Assembly, Battery Ground Honda P/N 32600-S04-A02

 

Thanks to all who replied. Just to update, the car will now start sometimes after cranking for a really long time or with using starting fluid. I have been able to get it to idle after replacing iat and map sensors. When it starts after long crank or starting fluid method, it will keep running and idling until I shut it off. I am guessing that I have a fuel pump issue as I have replaced fuel filter but have not yet checked fuel pressure (I ordered one of those banjo bolts with the adapter for fuel pressure gauge but it hasn't come yet). Has anyone got any thoughts on this? I hate to pop for a new fuel pump if there is something else that I may have overlooked. Thanks in advance again for any help offered.
PS I think I will replace all ground wires also.

 

Low compression makes any engine hard to start.

If you're not believing your mechanic, do a compression test yourself. Maybe it just needs valve adjustment.