Please help - our 1998 Civic 1.4 cranks, but won't start
Thread Starter
Trial User
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Please help - our 1998 Civic 1.4 cranks, but won't start
Our 1998 Honda Civic (D14A4 engine) has only done 65k miles and was running smoothly until... One day while waiting at the stop lights, the engine hesitated, the odometer went up and down and I turned it off. When I tried to start it, it would crank, but not start. It hasn't started since then.
We towed it to our mechanic and he did a couple of tests, changed the distributor and cables but it still wouldn't start. There are no Check Engine Lights. Here are the FACTS:
1. Fuel - the fuel pump is priming, but no fuel is coming out of the injectors
2. Air - no obvious issues. However, several months ago some hairlike stuff started coming out of the exhaust. It turned out it's the back box wadding. This didn't prevent the car passing its MOT with flying colours months later.
3. Combustion - Cylinders 1 & 2 have normal pressure, while the pressure in 3 & 4 is low... Could this be a blown headgasket? It ran really well up till the day it stopped.
4. Timing - we bought the car 10 years ago when it had done 40k miles. We've had it for 10 years and done nearly 25k in it. We have no record of the timing belt ever being changed...
5. Spark - tested and all ok. The battery is nearly new and fully charged.
Any suggestions what might be the most obvious cause of the problem? The car is not worth spending lots of money on and has only been a second car. But it's a shame to just scrap it... with such low mileage and otherwise in good mechanical condition, etc.
We towed it to our mechanic and he did a couple of tests, changed the distributor and cables but it still wouldn't start. There are no Check Engine Lights. Here are the FACTS:
1. Fuel - the fuel pump is priming, but no fuel is coming out of the injectors
2. Air - no obvious issues. However, several months ago some hairlike stuff started coming out of the exhaust. It turned out it's the back box wadding. This didn't prevent the car passing its MOT with flying colours months later.
3. Combustion - Cylinders 1 & 2 have normal pressure, while the pressure in 3 & 4 is low... Could this be a blown headgasket? It ran really well up till the day it stopped.
4. Timing - we bought the car 10 years ago when it had done 40k miles. We've had it for 10 years and done nearly 25k in it. We have no record of the timing belt ever being changed...
5. Spark - tested and all ok. The battery is nearly new and fully charged.
Any suggestions what might be the most obvious cause of the problem? The car is not worth spending lots of money on and has only been a second car. But it's a shame to just scrap it... with such low mileage and otherwise in good mechanical condition, etc.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 3,018
Likes: 52
Re: Please help - our 1998 Civic 1.4 cranks, but won't start
Which instrument was going up and down? The odometer is the counter that rolls forward only to indicate how many miles or km since the car was new. For the speedometer to not read zero when the car is not moving, likely indicates an electrical problem.
Check fuel pressure with a gauge. It is not sufficent to loosen the fuel line at the filter and watch for gas to come out. That test may pass though there is not enough pressure to run the engine.
Check for skipped timing belt by removing the upper plastic cover so you can see the marks on the cam gear, then turn the crank by hand to TDC. Rubber parts deteriorate with age, so the timing belt should be replaced every 10 years or so regardless of mileage.
Check fuel pressure with a gauge. It is not sufficent to loosen the fuel line at the filter and watch for gas to come out. That test may pass though there is not enough pressure to run the engine.
Check for skipped timing belt by removing the upper plastic cover so you can see the marks on the cam gear, then turn the crank by hand to TDC. Rubber parts deteriorate with age, so the timing belt should be replaced every 10 years or so regardless of mileage.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
The_Head
Honda CRX / EF Civic (1988 - 1991)
2
May 26, 2017 06:48 PM
jimbo89
Honda CRX / EF Civic (1988 - 1991)
10
Jun 16, 2011 06:58 PM
Quetzolcotl
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000)
16
May 19, 2002 04:43 PM