cklog

I can not figure out how to test the fuel pressure on my 2003 civic ex. I have a test kit. I have a crank but wont start issue.

ezone

Remove plastic fuel tube (quick couplers), install gauge fitting or hose as necessary, deadhead the pump.

If you have wet plugs....it's getting fuel

True pump failures are very uncommon.

cklog

Where is the plastic fuel tube located? What do you mean dead head the pump?

Thanks

ezone

Plastic line is attached to the fuel rail. Follow that to the firewall to find the steel pipe that comes up from under the car.


What sort of pressure test kit do you have?
Would you rather just address this? Unless you're beyond 200k- 300k I'd expect the pump is good LOL

Can you hear the pump run when you cycle the key?
Got spark?
Got compression?
Got fault codes?
Pulled plugs to see if they are wet or dry?
Will it fire on something flammable sprayed into the throttle body (this could confirm lack of fuel suspicion)

cklog

the car has 203000 miles on it. I borrowed a pressure tester kit from Orielly auto parts. I will try these other ideas. I think I do hear the pump when I cycle the key.
Thanks!

mcnoople

Is is cold where you are located? What are the conditions that led to the no start? How fast is the engine spinning? Any prior work performed on the car recently?

I may have seen 1 honda fuel pump go bad in the last decade of working as a honda tech, but I really don't remember any that did. The failure rate of the pumps is less the 0.01%.

cklog

Should the spark plug be wet just from cranking it over. I cranked it over and pulled a plug and it is dry?

So to answer your questions,
I bought the car about 1 month ago, It ran great for 2 weeks, then went out to start it one day and it cranked over but wouldn't start. I pulled 2 different plugs then and then attempted to check for spark. I say attempted because I am not sure that my method was fool proof. I put the plug back in the cable and held it to the block while someone cranked it over. I couldn't see spark.The reason I'm not sure my method was working is because of the spring that is up in the end of the plug cable, and not sure I was getting a good connection.
I have changed the fuel relay behind the glove box.
I pulled relays out of both fuse panels and switched them with another relay from the panel.
I have checked fuses.
So I called AAA to come tow it after it sat for a couple of days and when I went in to get things out of it I tried to start it and it started. So I drove it for another week and then the same thing, Crank but no start.
Thats when I changed the fuel relay.
So here I sit.
Work that has been done recently
timing belt back in august 2016,
AC serviced last summer.
I live in near Phoenix, SO as for it being cold, if you consider a low of 40 cold than yes it has been cold.
Thanks for your help with this.

cklog

I just checked for spark again and I am not seeing spark. I have a meter, I would like to check for spark with that plugging into the plug that goes to the spark plug, (coil) wire but not sure which terminals to check?

ezone

If you turn the key on (run or II position) but don't start the engine, does the check engine light illuminate?

cklog

Yes it does. It was not constantly on when the car ran after the first no start day.

mcnoople

The reason I asked if it was cold is because it is easy to flood out some fuel injected cars and it is much easier to do in cold climate. What cause it to happen is when someone starts the car and lets it run for less than 30 seconds and then turns it off again. The solution for a flooded car is super simple: hold the gas pedal to the floor and crank it for a minute or so. The usual sign is the engine spinning over very fast with no change in sound as it spins.

I have had to drive an hour twice before to unflood a car for my mother. I asked if she had started it and then turned it off. She said no, later I found out she had started it and her foot had slipped off the clutch and stalled the car, and then no restart.

When my brother did it, I didn't have time to go and look at the car. He bought a new Fit to replace it. I went and looked at it the next weekend and had it running in 40 seconds.

cklog

Ok So I think I have determined no spark. I took air filter off and shot starter fluid into carb and nothing?????

ezone

I didn't read much above....You pulled spark plugs out: Were the plugs dry or wet?
Plugs that are already wet will not fire, extra fuel of any type (starting fluid) won't burn if it's already flooded.



Coils have 3 wires each,
Fuse #1 (dash fuse box) supplies 12v+ to each coil on the black/white wire
All 3 coils ground using the black wire
The odd color wire at each coil goes to the PCM for ignition control (coil trigger).

The main ground point for most of the engine electronics and the PCM is on top of the upper radiator hose neck....If that is loose or corroded it can cause all sorts of problems.
See the double black wires on the left of this pic:

cklog

The spark plugs are dry. I will look at the ground etc.I will not have time until Sunday or so to look at it, just fyi. I will let you know. Thanks for your time

ezone

Sounds like both no fuel (injectors not pulsing) and no spark, if you can really verify no spark. I was thinking of things that would cause loss of both.....Loss of the main grounds could do that, and probably a few other things too.

Not an immobilizer problem? (green key symbol flashing while cranking is a problem)

You changed a fuel pump relay, what about the main relay in the same area?

cklog

Ya not an immobilizer problem.
Did not change the main relay, Should I do that?

ezone

I prefer to test and prove when I suspect something might be a problem, rather than stuff random parts in. (you could probably just swap relays with a known good part from elsewhere in the car for testing)

Did you prove the loss of either power or ground to the ignition coils?


Coils have 3 wires each,
Fuse #1 (dash fuse box) supplies 12v+ to each coil on the black/white wire
All 3 coils ground using the black wire
The odd color wire at each coil goes to the PCM for ignition control (coil trigger).