Hello everyone,


I purchased a 1997 Civic hatchback with a d16y7 in it. After taking it for an initial drive to make sure everything worked well I started the swap. I had a OBD1 b16a and transmission from my Integra (im K swapping the integra) sitting around so I decided I wanted to put that into the Civic. Everything went smooth with taking the motor and tranny out of the civic and I put the wiring harness from the d16y7 onto the b16. While doing so i changed the 3 wire IACV wiring to a 2 wire and plugged in it. I also moved one of the pins at the ECU over and removed the orange wire and also made a sub harness for vtec and wired it into the ECU. I got an adapter harness that i checked to make sure all the wires lined up correctly for the distributor. Got the b16a with GSR transmission into the Civic and after everything was hooked up i started the car without issues and let it run for a while to make sure everything was good and there were no leaks. The next day I took it for its first drive and went to multiple places running errands and the first 50 miles it was running amazing without issues and then after that it started taking longer and longer to start. Luckily I was able to get it home and back into the shop but it didn't start once i got it in the shop. The next day I noticed the IACV was making a buzzing noise with the key on so i depinned the wires and swapped them and that stopped and the car started. After some more miles the same thing started and it hasn't started since.


The engine cranks as it should just doesn't kick to even try to start. we can see RPM signal and throttle position on the computer. When the car was running didn't make any weird noise and idled good and drove nicely.


Things I have checked.

Mechanical timing is perfect

Ignition timing was checked when the car was running and it is perfect

I have spark at the coil and at the spark plugs

Ohmed the ignition switch and everything is good

With the motor at top dead center distributor rotor is pointing to cylinder 1 spark plug wire

brand new fuel injectors and pig tails

checked fuel injector wiring with noid light and that is showing they all work

replaced fuel filter

have 45 psi of fuel pressure including when cranking

checked compression and that is good

tried starter fluid and it didn't start

removed exhaust off header to check if the catalytic converter was clogged and no change

put ECU in an LS integra and it started right up

tried my ECU as well as my tuners chip emulator computer and same issue

I checked all grounds and they are clean and tight including the one on the thermostat housing

checked valve lash and adjusted to make sure its good and everything was within spec

fuel pump primes and holds pressure

tried the coolant temp sensor from the d series and still just crank no start



I am at a loss and do not know what to look at next. Can you please give me some ideas to try next? I do not have the money to throw parts at it

 

Are you using an OBD-1 B16A fuel rail ? If so, did you connect the 1997 Civic fuel feed line between the fuel filter and the fuel rail OR did you use the one from the Integra ?

 

At first i was using a AEM fuel rail with aeromotive fuel pressure regulator but then i swapped that with a stock b series fuel rail with stock fuel pressure regulator and using the stock fuel feed line from the fuel filter to the fuel rail and same issue.

 

Does your current fuel rail have a fuel pulsation dampener on the inlet end of the rail or a sealing bolt/nut ? If it has the latter, you will use the OE '97 Civic fuel feed line. If you have the former, you MUST use a '92-95 Civic or '94-01 Integra fuel feed line... paying close attention to the fuel rail end. The OUTSIDE of the banjo fitting has a larger diameter opening so that fuel can flow into the outer ring of the fuel pulsation dampener and then enters the rail through the middle of the fuel rail inlet... made possible by a special large diameter sealing washer with four pegs centering it on the fuel inlet stud.

You were not clear at all which you used.

 

The current rail on the engine is a stock B series fuel rail with the stock fuel pressure regulator and stock Fuel Pulsation dampener on the inlet. I am using the fuel feed line from the d series but i cut off the little prongs that align it so it will fit. Previous to installing the stock B series fuel rail i had an aftermarket AEM fuel rail with an aeromotive fuel pressure regulator with AN lines and fittings from the fuel filter to the fuel rail and from the fuel rail to the fuel pressure regulator.

 

That fuel feed line will NOT work... you need one originally found on a '92-95 Civic EX/Si or any '94-01 Integra GS/LS/RS, GSR or ITR. Remember that the largest opening on the banjo rail fitting faces out toward the fuel pulse dampener and you will need the large diameter washer with the four prongs facing the fuel pulse dampener as well. All of the other three washers will be smaller in diameter and look the same... like normal washers.

 

What is the difference? because when I had the below setup the car still didn't start so not sure how the feed line will change anything. I have the 4 prong washer in there as well

 

There is a possibility that you have more than one problem. Looking at the photo of your aftermarket fuel system, it appears that your regulator pressure adjustment stud is really tall... meaning that your fuel pressure is likely set far lower than stock. This may cause a "no start" situation.

With the factory fuel lines... if everything else is perfect and you have the wrong line connected to the fuel rail... the car may not run... and it may not start. Having the "4-prong" washer is only half of the issue... the other question is if you lay it over the banjo fitting at the rail, do you see that the diameter of the hole is the same as the 4 teeth closest to the center of the hole, or do the teeth hang over into the center of the opening and the diameter of the hole is actually the same as the inner edge of the washer between the teeth ?

 

When i had the aftermarket fuel system on (which came from the integra that this motor came from) the fuel pressure gauge on the fuel filter shows around 45 psi. I took a video of cranking the motor and it stays at that as well and doesn't lose pressure. Im not really sure what you mean by the second paragraph you wrote but ill try to take pics.

I bought a feed line from fuel filter to rail from an integra to match the fuel rail and ill install that and see if it starts. Yesterday we took the engine harness off and put it on a table and checked every connector and every ECU pin and made sure all wires are in the right location and made sure no breaks in wires. Then we put the harness back in and still wont start.

 

Pictures of how i installed the fuel feed line from fuel filter. When I removed the d series line it was installed the same way.

 

Your fuel feed line appears to be correct. Do you have good spark ?