Civic Mb6 (B18c4 engine) not starting
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Trial User
Joined: Dec 2020
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Civic Mb6 (B18c4 engine) not starting
Hi all.
I changed the rotor arm and the dizzy cap for aftermarket ones (blueprint) on my '99 civic mb6 with a b18c4 engine (TEC td-86u distributor if i'm not mistaken)
The car was running fine, only did it because of maintenance (huge deposits at cap terminals and worn out rotor "blade")
The engine started without problems, and had great idle. I stepped in the gas pedal a bit and it bogged. Idle again. gas again and it bogged. Then, suddenly, engine stopped.
Tried to fire it up again and nothing. Engine turns, it has fuel (spark plugs come out wet).
Checked the signal from the ignition module to the ignition coil, it seems to function properly (intermittent ground pulse). Checked the spark at ignition coil, i't had not. Meaning that when i changed the rotor arm and cap, the coil went down.
Changed the ignition coil for an identical used B20 engine coil.
Now i have fuel and i have spark on all the 4 spark plugs, yet, the car would not start.
Tried lots of combinations: another rotor, old cap... I have dismounted the distributor from the engine 2 or 3 times, always caring on the timing mark, and there is no way i can put the axle 180º degree off to the cam as the grooves only go in in one position.
I have lots of things still to check, but i would like to know if someone had a similar problem and show me some light as this is driving me mad.
- Manual says you have to put the distributor on Cyl.1 at TDC but this is for timing it later right ? I marked it when dismounting so it should be at correct timing.
- Didn't check the 3 magnetic sensors that go to the ECU (TDC, Crankshaft position and Cyl.1 position) but they should not be off-timing or damaged as i didn't even touch them or the signal rotors at the distributor axis. And i think the ecu should show light up the engine malfunction lamp and it's not light
Any help would be appreciated.
I changed the rotor arm and the dizzy cap for aftermarket ones (blueprint) on my '99 civic mb6 with a b18c4 engine (TEC td-86u distributor if i'm not mistaken)
The car was running fine, only did it because of maintenance (huge deposits at cap terminals and worn out rotor "blade")
The engine started without problems, and had great idle. I stepped in the gas pedal a bit and it bogged. Idle again. gas again and it bogged. Then, suddenly, engine stopped.
Tried to fire it up again and nothing. Engine turns, it has fuel (spark plugs come out wet).
Checked the signal from the ignition module to the ignition coil, it seems to function properly (intermittent ground pulse). Checked the spark at ignition coil, i't had not. Meaning that when i changed the rotor arm and cap, the coil went down.
Changed the ignition coil for an identical used B20 engine coil.
Now i have fuel and i have spark on all the 4 spark plugs, yet, the car would not start.
Tried lots of combinations: another rotor, old cap... I have dismounted the distributor from the engine 2 or 3 times, always caring on the timing mark, and there is no way i can put the axle 180º degree off to the cam as the grooves only go in in one position.
I have lots of things still to check, but i would like to know if someone had a similar problem and show me some light as this is driving me mad.
- Manual says you have to put the distributor on Cyl.1 at TDC but this is for timing it later right ? I marked it when dismounting so it should be at correct timing.
- Didn't check the 3 magnetic sensors that go to the ECU (TDC, Crankshaft position and Cyl.1 position) but they should not be off-timing or damaged as i didn't even touch them or the signal rotors at the distributor axis. And i think the ecu should show light up the engine malfunction lamp and it's not light
Any help would be appreciated.
Hysterically Calm
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 10,439
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Re: Civic Mb6 (B18c4 engine) not starting
When you turn the key to the on position, does the Check Engine Light come on for two seconds then go off?
You can put the distributor on 180 degrees out even though it is indexed, people have done it. You can also put the wires on in the wrong firing order. Now that the distributor has been taken off and put back on, you should double check you still have the distributor indexed properly and not 180 degrees out of phase. Check that your spark plug wires are installed correctly on the distributor cap. And verify the ECU isn't storing any codes and the CEL works correctly (comes on for two seconds then goes off when key in the on position).
Once you can start the car, you should let it idle to operating temperature, short the service connector and set the ignition timing with a timing light.
You can put the distributor on 180 degrees out even though it is indexed, people have done it. You can also put the wires on in the wrong firing order. Now that the distributor has been taken off and put back on, you should double check you still have the distributor indexed properly and not 180 degrees out of phase. Check that your spark plug wires are installed correctly on the distributor cap. And verify the ECU isn't storing any codes and the CEL works correctly (comes on for two seconds then goes off when key in the on position).
Once you can start the car, you should let it idle to operating temperature, short the service connector and set the ignition timing with a timing light.
Thread Starter
Trial User
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Re: Civic Mb6 (B18c4 engine) not starting
When you turn the key to the on position, does the Check Engine Light come on for two seconds then go off?
You can put the distributor on 180 degrees out even though it is indexed, people have done it. You can also put the wires on in the wrong firing order. Now that the distributor has been taken off and put back on, you should double check you still have the distributor indexed properly and not 180 degrees out of phase. Check that your spark plug wires are installed correctly on the distributor cap. And verify the ECU isn't storing any codes and the CEL works correctly (comes on for two seconds then goes off when key in the on position).
Once you can start the car, you should let it idle to operating temperature, short the service connector and set the ignition timing with a timing light.
You can put the distributor on 180 degrees out even though it is indexed, people have done it. You can also put the wires on in the wrong firing order. Now that the distributor has been taken off and put back on, you should double check you still have the distributor indexed properly and not 180 degrees out of phase. Check that your spark plug wires are installed correctly on the distributor cap. And verify the ECU isn't storing any codes and the CEL works correctly (comes on for two seconds then goes off when key in the on position).
Once you can start the car, you should let it idle to operating temperature, short the service connector and set the ignition timing with a timing light.
MIL yellow lamp stays for 2 seconds and it goes off. Shorted the SCS connector. Mil lamp stays on all the time without signaling anything, so i suppose it has not any codes stored.
Tried putting the distributor 180º in: Not possible. It stays like 7 mm out even if you try by hand. Also, i took care of taking notes everytime i took it off on the position it came off.
Checked cables plenty of times, they are at correct firing order.