Ive got 2000 Civic Si(Canadian) EX(US) with a D16Y8 SOHC stock motor. I'm having some issues with starting the car but its intermittent. There are times, when I try and start it, it's trying to turn over but it won't start and then others, it will start just fine. I tried doing some diagnostics on the vehicle at the time when the car wouldnt start. I was not receiving spark and also testing locations on the distributor, I wasn't getting power where I should. Now, when I took the cape off, I had found there was damage to some of the components. The screw holding the rotor had come loose and the rotor made contact with the cover and both parts were damaged. I ended up ordering a whole new distributor with cap but after install, vehicle is right back at the cranking but not starting. Where should I go next? Pictures would be fantastic haha.

 

Update, I cleaned the ground that's coming from the passenger side on top of the transmission to the frame. Didn't fix anything. When using a test light on ground and testing the spark plug wires, I don't get spark. When connecting to power and I check the injector connector and without any power, I am finding a steady ground on the yellow with black line which is turning the test light on. The other wire I am getting nothing. When I try and turn the engine over, the test light is still a solid light on while the other is doing nothing. If im not mistaken, I should be getting a flashing light when turning the vehicle over and no light from either wire when power is not on. Is there a relay that could be shorting out? I've read something about the solder points coming unsoldered and re-soldered. Is this the relay that's on the passenger side kick panel?

I also checked the coil on the distributor and I'm not getting any power to the top or bottom of the coil. This was the same for my damaged distributor. Now I did put a new cap on the older one and that one did allow my vehicle to start sometimes And now with the new distributor, Im having the same issue which makes me believe its not the distributor. It's very frustrating when its something intermittent

 

First, purchase a genuine Honda cap and rotor button and re-install your original distributor... the aftermarket replacement one isn't helping one bit and could even be causing more issues. Second, from what you are describing, your key switch (pigtail) is likely the culprit. Just to verify that this is in fact your issue... when the car starter/engine turns over but the engine doesn't run... do you have dash lights ? If not, your ignition switch isn't distributing power to all of the necessary circuits to make the car run.

 

When I turn the key, all the usual dash lights turn on. The replacement distributor is causing the exact same issues as the OEM one I had installed. When I use my test light, Im not getting any power to my lower or upper coil either. From what I have seen, getting power to my injectors without power on, Is weird. Ive attached some voltage readings

 

Are you checking the yellow/black wire or the other one at each injector clip (brown, red, blue, and yellow) for 12v + ? If there is no power at the yellow/black wires with the ignition switch on, I would check the power distribution plug under the intake manifold and make sure there are no broken/damaged wires there. If the incoming power wire at the plug is no longer making contact with the plug, you will have NO power at the injector clips.

 

I'm checking the Yellow and Black and that's where Im getting the constant power even with the key out of the ignition. I'll double check when I get home if I still have power with ignition to ON II and ON III but Im pretty sure I am. I'll also check the power distribution plug also

 

Oh to add, I did check the PGM FI Relay. All the solder joints looked good and when I turn the key, I do hear the 2 clicks. To me, that means the relay is working correctly unless Im missing something

 

Okay another update. Installed the old Distributor, blew out some random connectors in the engine bay and bam, fired up right away. I wish I would have taken a picture of the new distributor when it was installed because Im not sure why but I just have this weird feeling that I hooked the spark plug wires on the new distributor wrong. I wish I knew what got it going. Now this was an intermittently happening so we shall see if it does it again.