Hey guys here trying to figure out an issue my buddy is having with a prelude he just bought. We cant seem to get it to start up. It cranks fine has new fuel pump, spark plugs, new injectors and main relay. When we initially try to start for the first attempt it fires up but just dies out immediately. I spray starter fluid and it keep it running so my assumption was a fuel related issue. He had recently replaced the fuel pressure regulator as well and still no change. Pulled the fuel rail apart and it was super dirty so he cleaned it up and thats what lead us to replace injectors as well. Does the same thing no fire up. Any ideas what else we should be looking at? I did record a video with the fuel rail off so we can see how well the injectors are spraying, maybe its not enough fuel pressure?

 

Here is the video

 

What would be the best way to check for a vacuum leak? I did pull the vacuum line from the regulator and it does have good suction. When we try to start the car it sounds like it tries to fire up but maybe its losing fuel pressure? It starts to fire up but then it just goes back to cranking. Car has no check engine lights

 

Fuel pressure regulator is vacuum dependant, check for vacuum there, make sure no leaks, maybe check fuel pressure with guage but id look into possibly a vacuum leak. Filter obviously, clean whole fuel system, maybe research best way, chemicals/cleaners and/or compressed air.
Are the injectors new? Brand? original size?
You can (no throttle) crank the engine over like with the fuel pump disabled and spark plugs out, and take a vacuum reading from the line going to pressure regulator, I can get the spec for you but you need sufficent vacuum @ regulator, stable, accurate other wise it won't relugate fuel appropriately for given vacuum/engine running conditions.
You could also have a bad regulator too.
Check for vacuum leaks, vacuum @ regulator, check fuel pressure @ rail with guage, with your symptoms what you've done, tried and replaced, id start there.

Other things to check
Better quality ignition or timing, also possibly compression from improper valve timing due to jumped timing from belt skip.
Another thing to check is potentially a bad head gasket or crack somewhere in head/block could cause coolant to be choking the fire out so we say causeing hard starts, misfires, poor idle.
Bad grounds, bad ignition coil, ecu/wiring connections can casue poor idle or no idle and semi-fire, flood damage, mice all kinds of stuff.

 

Ok we will check for leaks, the regulator does have only 1 vacuum that goes to the throttle body correct? That one is fine no cracks or anything on that hose, for sure we are gonna check pressure with a gauge next and see what’s happening when its cranking. Were you able to see the clip I uploaded?

 

Do you have a green key flashing on the dash when you try to crank the engine ?

 

Im not sure, I had my friend cranking it while I was looking around in the engine bay, I dont think its flashing?

 

Fuel pump bad?
sometimes the ignition switch as well.

 

Has a new fuel pump and main relay. Both function I can hear it prime

 

You have no codes that you are seeing.
id look to the ignition switch, I’ve got 6 different Hondas and I did have a problem with one of the ignition switches.

 

No codes. Had a bunch of wires spliced into the harness under the dash but it was all removed. Maybe if you have a picture of the wiring I can check if something was tampered with

 

Oh, a possible aftermarket alarm.
i absolutely hate those things.
best advice, just pull the front drivers seat, get a good flashlight, put the specs on.
make sure everything under the dash is color code to color code.
you say you already checked, check it again.

 

Ok Ill double check all that this weekend

 

Good call, those things are wired in to ignition switches, ecu's, strater circuits, fuse boxes, make sure you dont have one of those, remove it lol

 

Finally got around to looking at the car, the key symbol is not flashing, its on for a few seconds then goes away, no flashing whats so ever.

 

Have you checked the spark plugs to make sure that they are not fouled ?

 

Yea, has new spark plugs and wires. Even had the tester on them they are all firing