The engine in my 90 Accord EX just died about three miles from my home. Back in my garage I checked for spark, fuel and timing. I checked for spark with an induction style timing light - one that get power from the battery and clamps around the spark plug wire. All four cylinders are firing. I checked for fuel by disconnecting the fuel line from the fuel rail and placing it in a 16oz cup. I turned the key to the on position, the fuel pump whirred for about two seconds and filled the cup about 2/3 full. I checked for timing by placing the number 1 cylinder on TDC ( timing mark lined up with pointer) and the rotor points at the cylinder 1 terminal one the distributor cap. The engine turns over very strong but not a hint of firing. Until this problem occured the engine always ran very well and idled smooth. I'm going to install a new distributor cap and rotor and a new fuel filter because it probably needs it anyway. Any ideas what could have "broken"? If the timing belt jumped a notch or two wouldn't the engine at least try to start - maybe with some backfiring or something? If the fuel pressure is two low (due to bad fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator) wouldn't it start and stall? It doesn't even pop when I turn it over. Help please!

 

By the way it did throw a code 43 - fuel delivery system. I cleared it and it hasn't been set again. But it also hasn't started since then. And I don't know how long that code had been set.

 

somebody mentioned a fuel relay earlier elsewhere....

I had a problem with my 91 EXR (Canadian---your US EX) where it was a wiring short. Problem with a wire coming out of the computer---it would deliver fuel, but when the car started to kick over and catch, the short buggered it up and cut it off. When thru the distr/body/bottom/ignitor/coil to no avail. Thought fuel pump or clogged filter, but NOPE, it was this short. Have someone run your wires and check it out...

 

My car car died the same way yours did . It had spark,fuel pressure,etc..
We checked all over the place for the cause to find out the ECU under the seat
was rusted out at the terminals. I changed the ECU and terminals and the car ran better than ever.
The ECU had a salty price but i got it cheap at a salvage yard.

 

I found that my Honda was not getting spark and needed a new distributor. I might have needed just a coil but the salvage yard had a complete distributor for $75 so I bought it. A new coil at the autoparts store was over $70.

Just FYI - never trust an induction timing light as an indication that you're getting spark. It appeared to fire nicely on all four plug wires so I assumed spark was OK. Finally after a week of checking everthing else in the vehicle I removed a plug, attached it to the plug wire and grounded it to the negative battery terminal ------ nothing.

Wasted my time and sanity.

But thanks for the comments.