Setup:

Car: 1992 Civic Si
Engine: b16a2
Turbo Kit: Rev Hard
Fuel: RC 440's, Walbro In-Tank, Stock FPR
Engine Management: Hondata / Base Map


Ok, here we go. A year ago I parked this car in the garage. It ran fine, started like it was stock. I pulled it into the garage and it sat.
Here we are a year later and I go to start the car for the first time. It just cranks, doesn't even try to start. It just turns over and over. So we start the diagnostics.

I figure the gas is bad. It is a year old and all. But I didn't think bad gasoline would cause the car not to start. I figure i'd run bad, but run. So I put in a few gallons of new gas. No luck.
I then check for fuel, pull the plugs and they're wet. Probably fouled, so I replace them. No luck.
I then check for spark, spark it there, but seems a little weak. But I could be paranoid. So I grab another distributor of my friends car that works fine. No luck.
So here we are, Now all I can think is timing. But we didn't adjust the timing while it was parked. Who knows. Maybe it has something to do with the Hondata/ECU? We're stumped.

Any suggestions? I'm sure it's something simple and easy to fix, im just missing it.

Thanks.......

Tonight we did the following;

1.) Put a new distributor on from a working car. Has Spark. No Luck, just cranks and cranks.
2.) Dropped in some oil in each Cyl. No luck.
2.) Installed a stock P72 ECU from NickQ's car and bypassed Hondata. No Luck
3.) Installed stock GSR Injectors and took out the RC 440's. No Luck
4.) Opened up the exhaust, straight Downpipe. No Luck.
5.) Swapped Fuel Pressure Regulators w/ Nicks Car. No Luck.

Next steps we'll try.

1.) Change the Fuel Filter. It's farily old.
2.) Siphon the old gas out of the tank and put in fresh gasoline.
3.) New plugs, again.

But now we have oil in the cyl. I hope that doesn't affect it from starting and foul out the plugs, again.

My opinion it must be something to do with the Gasoline or Timing, but the timing didn't change from a year ago. The motor was never worked on? It just sat. So it has to be the gas.


We're stumped guys.

 

did you try stepping on the gas pedal while cranking it over? keep us updated

 

Try putting hotter plugs in, disconnecting the injectors, turn the engine over a bunch of times. Reconnect the injectors, but keep the hotter plugs in til the car runs. Put your cooler plugs back in. This worked for me.
Granted, you can put hotter plugs than the ones you got in there.

 

putting oil in each cylinder will cause it to fail that could be your problem

 

your plugs could have seemed wet with fuel but maybe not did you check the fuel pump is it running is there pressure in the rail you have'nt done that yet, check those systems and also check the fuses.

 

Well, it sounds like there is fuel getting there, but like someone else already mentioned, make sure you are getting pressure. You're also getting spark, so you might as well check the third requirement, compression, just for grins.

 

dang u let a beast like that sit for that long.......good luck on this.....

 

Yes, we're getting Fuel Pressure. We disconnected the fuel rail and let the system pressurized, fuel came out of the rail.

We tried to start the car before we put oil in each cyl.

I'll add compression to my check list.
I'll also put in the Hotter plugs like King suggested.


Thanks guys, I'll keep you updated.

 

keep it simple, 3 things are neded. air, fuel, spark. you havent mentioned air yet. look for a mouse nest or something in the filter area, intercooler etc. thos little ******* get anywhere.

i knew a guy who bought a TT 300zx cause the guy spent 3000 dollars to try to get it running and it never would run. the guy who bought it took the airbox off and saw a mouse nest, took it out and you know the rest. got the car for 2000 with 74k on it and 18 volk wheels

good luck, also check the ground connections on the block, they may be caroded (sp?)

Landon

 

We're have nothing connected to the Throttle Body, it's open. So, I'm sure it's getting air.

I looked at the grounds, they all looked ok. But I'll give them a closer look.


Thanks.

 

also you can pull the valve cover to see if maybe the timing belt snaped. maybe from sitting so long it got dry rotted, then when you started it it broke. just a thought.

Landon

 

did you try fresh gas ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by boosted_dc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">also you can pull the valve cover to see if maybe the timing belt snaped. maybe from sitting so long it got dry rotted, then when you started it it broke. just a thought.

Landon</TD></TR></TABLE>

Good thinking. But I'm a ahead of you. I have the timing gears exposed. The timing belt is good and spinning.

 

Not yet, but that's coming tomorrow.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DewMota &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did you try fresh gas ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Do you get spark?

 

Yes. But it could be a weak spark as far as I know.

 

sounds like dead gas man. keep us updated. dead gas will never combust and will keep fouling plugs. same effect as having water in there.

 

That's what i'm thinkin'

I'll keep everyone updated.

 

Have you tried checking out your battery? See if you can borrow your friends battery and try and start your car with it. Your battery probably has a weak charge after sitting for so long. If that doesn't work you might try getting some starting fluid and spraying a little in the IM. If it kicks over then you know you got a fuel problem (whether it be bad gas or fuel pressure problems). Good luck.

 

I have a 200Amp Snap on Charger w/engine start hooked up to the battery. So I can eliminate that idea.

I've tried the started fluid idea. No luck.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm91integ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Have you tried checking out your battery? See if you can borrow your friends battery and try and start your car with it. Your battery probably has a weak charge after sitting for so long. If that doesn't work you might try getting some starting fluid and spraying a little in the IM. If it kicks over then you know you got a fuel problem (whether it be bad gas or fuel pressure problems). Good luck. </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

how fast does it cranks. if it cranks faster the normal then the belt might have snapped. also check if thhe alternator seixed up and preventing thhe assemby from rotating. check the compression whos knows the rings might have seized up.

 

Don't use too mcuh starting fluid, it will dry the **** out of your cylinders. Go ahead and pull off the crank pulley and T belt cover, and reset the timing to TDC, or check it at least. Spark plug wires in the right firing order? I had mine mixed up once and no luck, just as you stated. I am almost positive that the teeth on the distributor are offset so you can't put it on 180deg off, but go ahead and check that anyway. Good luck...

 

actually you wouldnt get spark if the t-belt was broken so im an idiot .

keep us updated

Landon

 

try compression starting it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jumpmann23 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try compression starting it</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sorry for my ignorance, but I don't even know what that means.