i need help bad. my car won't start . i turn the key, and the starter starts, but the engine won't crank. (not sure if i have the right terminology.) here's a short clip:

http://www.jeanlo.com/videos/mov01670.mpg

so far, i've replaced the spark plugs, cleaned the throttle body, replaced the fuel filter, adjusted the tension on the timing belt, and resoldered the pc board in the main relay. any other ideas?

 

Check to see if you have spark and if the fuel pump is turning on.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B20fun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check to see if you have spark and if the fuel pump is turning on.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i installed a new fuel pump today, but it's still not working. it seems a little bit better, like it sounds like it's about to go, but doesn't.

how do i check for spark?

one thing i thought of is that i installed new cam gears last week. could i have messed up something there too?

 

pull the wire at the dizzy and hold it real close to the connection and have someone else try to turn the motor... if you have spark, you'll see a nice arc of electricity flow from the wire to the dizzy. Just be very careful were you hold the wire or you might get "bitten".

If you did install new cam gears... better make sure that your timing is correct because that will cause problems... I haven't done a cam gear installation myself so hopefully someone here will help you out. I know it's got something to do with TDC (top dead center) and getting piston #1 into TDC before you connect the cam gears.

 

You should be able to hear the pump turning on if you can't try running a wire straight to the fuel pump to turn it on. If the pump does turn on w/the jumper wire it might be your main relay. If it is working right the pump will only turn on for about 2-3secs when you turn on the key.


Modified by B20fun at 2:08 PM 4/27/2004

 

do you have a 88-91 civic/crx because you can check the ecu for any codes .if its throwing codes check the book ,also if your motor is not at tdc your ecu will throw a code 8 which is tdc position.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B20fun &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You should be able to hear the pump turning on if you can't try running a wire straight to the fuel pump to turn it on. If the pump does turn on w/the jumper wire it might be your main relay. If it is working right the pump will only turn on for about 2-3secs when you turn on the key.
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i meant the car still isn't working. the new puel pump works fine, or at least sounds like it is...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vtecsk8r &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">do you have a 88-91 civic/crx because you can check the ecu for any codes .if its throwing codes check the book ,also if your motor is not at tdc your ecu will throw a code 8 which is tdc position.</TD></TR></TABLE>

if the CEL isn't coming on, can i still check for codes? i have a 90 crx with a pr3 ecu...

 

today, the car started once, but died after about 3 seconds. after that, it wouldn't start again. i waited for about 2 hours and tried again, and it did the same thing, started, but died, and won't start again.

any more ideas?

 

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

if the CEL isn't coming on, can i still check for codes? i have a 90 crx with a pr3 ecu...</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can some codes don't turn on the CEL but most of the major ones do. Still worth a look though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by master13g &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">pull the wire at the dizzy and hold it real close to the connection and have someone else try to turn the motor... if you have spark, you'll see a nice arc of electricity flow from the wire to the dizzy. Just be very careful were you hold the wire or you might get "bitten".
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are you saying to pull the end of one of the spark plug wires that goes into the distributor?

 

check the dizzy. Mine fried the other day. I think the dizzy is bad.

 

yep

just be careful. you pull off the wire and just hold it real close like you're going to plug it back in. when someone else tries to start the car you should see a spark arcing through the wire into the dizzy cap. inside of the rubber joint there will be a metal contact that is supposed to connect to the dizzy cap. put this real close to where you are supposed to plug it into the cap. if you're scared you can use a pair of pliers or something to hold the wire. you can do this for all 5 wires that plug into the dizzy. if there is an obvious arc this will confirm that your ignition coil is working properly.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by master13g &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yep

just be careful. you pull off the wire and just hold it real close like you're going to plug it back in. when someone else tries to start the car you should see a spark arcing through the wire into the dizzy cap. inside of the rubber joint there will be a metal contact that is supposed to connect to the dizzy cap. put this real close to where you are supposed to plug it into the cap. if you're scared you can use a pair of pliers or something to hold the wire. you can do this for all 5 wires that plug into the dizzy. if there is an obvious arc this will confirm that your ignition coil is working properly.</TD></TR></TABLE>

okay, we did that. but there are only 4 wires (to 4 cylinders) right? it wasn't exactly an arc, but we could definitely see a spark that looked like a line. that means that the coil and the distributor are both working right?

 

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

i installed a new fuel pump today, but it's still not working. it seems a little bit better, like it sounds like it's about to go, but doesn't.

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Is it flooded?

 

Pull all your plugs out, connect them to the wires, crank the engine a couple of times and and see if you are getting spark on all of them. This sounds more like fuel delivery though... Check and see if your injectors are working, it may be wiring, or bad injectors. Also, if you are getting spark on all of the plugs, put them back in, crank the engine with the throttle wide open, while someone sprays carb cleaner into the intake. if you can get it going until the carb cleaner runs out you have a fuel delivery prob.


Modified by kur0ryu at 6:56 AM 4/30/2004

 

we checked the injectors according to the helms manual. but since the engine won't run, we can't listen to hear if they click. the voltage and resistance is fine in the injector connectors.

i want to try and check the fuel pressure, but i can't seem to find a fuel pressure gauge that will work for a honda. i went to sears, pep boys, and advance auto parts, but they don't have it...

could it be the coil or the igniter? and if so, how do i check it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by lazykiwi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
could it be the coil or the igniter? and if so, how do i check it?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Does it have spark?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chiovnidca &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Does it have spark?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, i think so. we did the thing with taking out the wires from the distributor and holding them real close...

 

My integra does simillar things like that on a regular basis (Cranks but wont start) im pretty shur my problem is due to faulty wiring as turning my head unit of makes the car start but 1 day at work it was really bad and wouldent start at all so i completely unpluged the head unit and it fired straight up (lol dodgy aye!!) this was probably completly erelivent but give it a shot any way!!

 

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

yes, i think so. we did the thing with taking out the wires from the distributor and holding them real close...</TD></TR></TABLE>
If it has spark, the igniter and coil probably not the problem.

 

I had the same problem with my car. Try changing your ignition control module or ignitor located inside the distributor cap. The part is quite expensive though. My part costed me around $200.

 

i wouldnt test for spark that way, i would test it at the sparkplug. take out the spark plugs, put them on the corresponding spark plug wire, now touch the threads of the spark plug to bare metal, then try and start it, it should be arcing at the electrode, make sure you ground the spark plug, wont spark unless yoru ground it.

then i check the timing, then i would do a compression check, if all that passes, then i would pull the fuel line off at the fuel rail and have someoen turn the key off and on real fast jsut to see if fuel squirts out of the fuel line. so at thsi point you got compression and spark and fuel at the fuel rail, then you know its eitehr the rail or the injectors. you just gotta sstart narrowing it down