Guys.....got a 95 Civic Si, has a full tanks of gas, and i checked for spark, and it has it, and i can smell a heavy fuel smell. but the car has fuel and spark, car cranks, stumbles but never really catches.

vnt

 

It sounds like the engine is flooded. I have a trick to get it started but it takes two people and an air compressor.


If the spark plugs are fuel fouled (wet with gas), you won't get it to start. Obviously, the wet plugs are not the root problem but you need to keep them cleaned as you diagnose the car. If you get it started, it's a little easier to figure out why it flooded in the first place.

 

Check your compression and timing.

 

Did you take anything apart prior to cranking? (timing belt change, cams... etc.)

 

Check the engine grounds, the valve cover and also check the one on the thermostat housing on the back of the motor. Oh didt read itwell, I had this problem and it turned out to be my bearing was gone on m rod and it woulnt start at all. Mine would also stumble but hopefullyits not that bad. I thought that it was my head likeit had bent valves but i changed out like 3 diff heads and it wasnt that. good luck


Modified by The Brown Kid at 12:41 AM 8/26/2003

 

i thought that too, and put new plugs in, same problem!

what's the best way to check compression, will check timing!

took nothing apart.....

will check engine grounds too....


vnt

 

Pull the vacuum hose off your fuel pressure regulator. If there's gasoline in that hose, your FPR is shot. That gives you all kinds of extra fuel, you'll just keep flooding out again.

 

you mean the tiny vacumn line on top of the fpr?
i learned something new.

vnt

 

Also, sometimes when you flood a car badly, the raw gas int he cylinders washes the oil off the cylinder walls. That causes a temporary low compression, and it wont start.

I've had this happen on 3 other motors, never on a honda specifically. Squirted a little oil in each cylinder, and it fired up. If thats your problem be sure to also change your oil, because the gasoline will go past the rings and mix into the oil, and thin it down, and it will chew up your bearings/seals, etc..

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vntperformance &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">... i learned something new.</TD></TR></TABLE>Amazing

If the diaphragm inside the FPR ruptures, it dumps lots of fuel thru the vacuum hose. Plus, I think it gives too-high fuel pressure. It might not be a real common problem, but it sure is easy to check...

 

i'll try both ideas.

vnt

 

That sucked when I flooded my Jeep(easy to do when your exhaust pipes are under water and you have a wet distributor and a carburator). Pretty much wasted the motor with 2 quarts of gasoline in the oil, even though it only ran that way for about 2 minutes before we were able to change it.

Besides my 1991 STD Hatch, this is my other 'toy'