I'm trying to get my 2000 Civic EX back to full life. I'm the original owner but issues were mounting then the head gasket blew a few years ago. It sat for a couple years. But over the last few months I replaced the ignition switch, battery terminals, got the head resurfaced, replaced all belts including timing, and the water pump. When I got it all back together it started up on first try! I quickly remembered how much I love driving it. But with less than a hundred miles on all the new stuff, the engine light came on - Code 9. Troubleshooting led me to the distributor cap contacts which were all corroded. I cleaned them up and the light stayed off for a good 30 miles (until cleaning them up, it would come back on after less than 10). I figured I'd replace the cap 'soon' but hadn't got to it yet when the engine light came back on last night. So I got a new cap, rotor, and plug wires today. Put them on, started the car, and it sounded happy for about 20 seconds, then just quit. Now it just cranks with no catch. I'm not getting any spark at the plugs.

Questions:
Which troubleshooting web page or video do you recommend for a lack of spark? (there seem to be many, but most seem to target particular components so don't give a full troubleshooting pathway)
Given the prior code 9, do you think it is actually the distributor?

Thanks!

Update: I'm not getting a flicker at the fuel injector (test around minute 3 here: ). I fear this takes me down more complicated roads where I find even less about how to clearly diagnose. So again, recommended troubleshooting guides would be appreciated. I'm not a mechanic - I have no oscilloscope but can handle a basic multimeter.

 

Code 9 is a distributor sensor pick up issue. This is not a cap/rotor button kind of thing... it is in the housing. The solution is one of three possibilities:

1) Check continuity between the ECU and the Distributor for the corresponding/offending wire pair... and if you are unsure which is which, check all three sensor pairs.
2) Bad Distributor. Replace with a known good one.
3) Bad ECU. Replace with a known good one.

 

Thanks JRCivic1! That helps clarify the code 9 issue and I will test those out. But with just the code 9, I was able to run the car (the code 9 tended to not return until going up a hill at about 55mph). The sudden quit after about 20 seconds running with new cap and rotor, and absolutely no spark now, makes me think this part is an additional issue. So recommendations on troubleshooting no spark (with no fuel injection flicker) would still be helpful.

 

No Spark can be a fuse... so check the relevant ones with respect to the ECU and Ignition (ICM) system. The next step would be to diagnose the ignition coil. Check the OHM resistance between the primary and secondary winds... it will likely fail one way or the other, thus, no spark. Replacing the coil will fix the spark issue IF all fuses and wiring are good... as well as the ECU.

 

Get an eyeball on the inside of the distributor. Might be obviously bad.

 

In response to your very last comment in your first post (the update statement).

It's my understanding that the ECU will not give fuel injector pulse if it is missing signals from the distributor. I use this bit of knowledge to do compression tests without it spraying fuel. I unhook both plugs from the distributor and crank away without fear of cylinder wash.

 

Get a look at inside the distributor. It might be obviously bad