Dillano609

Hello all, I'm new here and hope someone more familiar with this car would be able to help me. My car is a 1997 Civic EX Coupe. The car is getting spark, fuel, and compression, it cranks all day, but doesn't start. At this point I can say what is NOT the problem.

The fuel pump works which indicates the main relay is fine and have verified the injectors are getting fuel at the correct pressure. Car has been getting spark, but sanded down the terminals in the distributer to make sure. I took off the splash shield and rotated the crankshaft, I think the timing belt is fine, and heard hissing so I know I'm getting compression. I sprayed some starter fluid in the intake and still doesn't start. I scanned the car with an obd-2 scanner and not a single code came up.

The car has 247,XXX miles and all I know about the history was that the spark plug wires were recently replaced and that the car stopped running while being driven.

What am I missing, what could be wrong? If an electrical issue, would rusty grounds cause this?

Please help if you can because I'm stumped and need to get this back on the road.

Raid3n

Could be your starter?

Newfiedan

Raid3n he already said that the starter works fine, the car just won't start, it sounds like 1 of 2 problems bud either the timing is way off or the fuel injectors are not firing and putting fuel into the cylinder, check all the engine bay fuses verify that they are all good and by good I mean take them out and check them over. The other thing is the crank sensor make sure that its plugged in, that is what tells the computer when to fire the injectors. All the engine grounds should be clean and make good contact with the chassis, you can easily eliminate that as a problem by putting a jumper cable from the neg terminal to the engine. How good is the spark? Is it a strong blue spark at the end of the plug while cranking?

Dillano609

*Duplicate Post* My bad...

Dillano609

Yep, it's a strong blue spark. I'll try the ground idea and see if it helps. I'll check the fuses too, but does that include the ones under the left side dash? Also, how would I go about checking those relays under the engine fusebox or is that excessive?

I'll look into the timing, but I don't quite have the bottom part accessible, I also don't know what the timing marks are set at for the top of the belt. I'll have to delve into the fuel injectors, but I think the starter fluid would have indicated that the fuel injectors are bad, idk though.

Newfiedan

I would be looking at the fuses first mainly the fuel injector fuse and what not in the engine bay. I do agree that using the starter fluid should have got it to at least come close to starting, which is why I believe the timing belt may have slipped a few teeth. If it has then there will be check engine light with the problems you described. Its easy enough to check the fuel injectors to see if they are firing just remove the plugs and the main plug wire from the cap crank over and smell for fuel you should smell it pretty easily just keep your hands away from the coil it can give you a nasty shock lol.

Dillano609

K, thx, I'll look at the fuse and keep a close eye out for the one for fuel injectors. I just hope its not the timing belt because that seems like it would be a pain to do, but I don't have any check engine codes like you said so still kinda confused. Hopefully I can pinpoint the problem...

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

If it died while running it's likely not the injectors. Usually there is a precursor to injectors being plugged, the car will start running rough long before the injectors get choked enough for it to die. If your timing was way out of whack, you wouldn't get compression, not good compression anyway. Seems youve covered mostly everything. Get the codes checked to see if any come up, after that I have no idea. Did the car run rough before it died or did it die suddenly?

If your worried about the timing belt tow it to a shop and get it checked out, or take the valve cover off and spin the crank pulley.

Dillano609

Tbh, I don't know how the car ran before, I got it like this since it stopped running leaving me to diagnose it. The only thing I do know is that when the last owner had it, they were driving it and as they were moving along the car died and stopped working. Thats all I know about the car's history.

As for compression, I heard some hissing, but not sure if it was good compression so the timing belt is still a feasible option. It might be a fuse to something, but I don't know as there are no CEL codes. When I did check the upper portion of the belt however, I noticed that the belt didn't seem all that tight, is it supposed to feel flexible like a rubberband?

I'll have to take out the plugs and see if they are fouled or not and then check fuses and grounds and see if something is amiss, then timing belt.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

No.. That belt is hella tight .. It has an auto tensioner on it that keeps it from moving. It may be broken on the bottom end where you can't see it. Hissing does not necesarilly mean good compression. Get a compression test done or recheck the belt and try to pull it up to see if it comes.

Newfiedan

If the timing belt broke then more that likely you are going to have bent valves and other problems, I am pretty sure that the d16y7 d16y8 are interference engines. I hope that is not the case for you.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

^ What he said... just recently happened to a member here

strykker118a

Check your ground cables bud

Newfiedan

read further down stryker this was already mentioned.

Dillano609

I finished sanding them down them today, did not do much of a difference than make all the lights a little brighter. I did notice that after my electrical overhaul of grounds, distributer, and spark plugs that every time I try starting the car it almost sounds like a single cylinder, every few seconds, fires.

Before it was just the whine of the starter so I think I'm making some progress. I'm starting to think for sure that the timing belt skipped a tooth or two because the belt hasn't snapped. Looks like it'll be going into the garage tomorrow so I can change the belt and while I'm at it do a water pump...

Dillano609

Ugh... Finally got to my timing belt to find that the timing surprising NOT off, worlds worst DIY job ever, ruined the crankshaft pulley in the process. I did learn however that the car is getting intermitent spark, would replacing the distributor fix this since something on it may have gone bad like the ignition module? I got a new cap an rotor to find it's not the problem.

BlueEM2

iTrader: (1)

I'm out of ideas Check to make sure no animals ate any of the wires... it COULD be the dizzy itself... its an EXPENSIVE part to throw at a car that might not need it however.

Dillano609

After all the bullshit I finally got the car running. Turns out the car needed a new distributor, either the module or pickup was bad. Looks like I'll have to wait a few days to get a new crankshaft pulley, but at least it finally runs.

dh12

In my case 1994 civic DX my crank and no start was the main relay so I suggest check this with a tester. Relay was 80 dollars but that was from a garage you can get them cheaper online. Hope this helps some people.

Jsize01

Thanks for posting your results! I couldn't find anything wrong, thought I had good spark, the correct fuel pressure was present and all four cylinders were close to 180 psi . I changed out the distributor and now it runs like a dream.

06 EX Mild Mods

If the plug wires are old it would be good to replace them as well.

1998CivicEx

On my 98 civic my issue was a bad ground connection underneath my thermostat housing. Main relay was making a weird noise so I thought it was the relay but was just a bad ground. Also obd2* wouldn't link up either with this issue. Good luck guys

Luis El Curador

What does this mean interference engines my car died while I was driving it had over heated on me I got it going with a push start but I slowed down and it died on me cranks all day but wont kick over

Wankenstein

Interference engine definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine

Have:
1) spark
2) fuel
3) air
4) compression

roblee

i have similar issue woke up to go to work and car not starting, had a weak fuel pump so got new fuel pump and relay, still not running, there is fuel going to fuel filter, even with targo switch it wont start but will with starter fluid for short while, any ideas