jmath311

i have a 2004 civic lx 1.7 that when i went to fuel it up it would not start back. The car was empty pretty much. Finally got it started and drove it a few miles back to house and then once I shut it off it would not start back.
I thought fuel pump and may still be the problem but took the main line off going into the fuel rail and when you turn the key on it pumps fuel out and if you try to start the car it will also pump fuel. Reinstalled the fuel line and then tried to start it and it still would not start. Took the line back off and tried to turn it over and without the line installed the car started and ran while pumping fuel out of the main line that at this time was not installed. the car ran until the fuel was gone in the fuel rail. I did this again and the second time I tried install the fuel line back to the fuel rail while car was running and the car died as soon as I attached the line back. I know it is a fuel problem because it will run with the line off and there is spark also. I guess i am trying to see if there is a fuel pressure regulator or anything on there and if so can someone please tell me where it is at. Any adive to check would be great car just will not start only cranks but for sure is a fuel problem.

ezone

Check engine light on? Got codes?
Got data list, is the ECT giving an impossible or inaccurate value when it won't start?

Purge solenoid stuck open?

Flooded?

Are plugs dry while it won't start?

jmath311

No CELor codes

What and where is purge solenoid
Plugs r wet

When the line is off there is a lot of fuel coming out of the line. I am going to check fuel pressure tomorrow to make sure the regulator in tank is not messed up and allowing to much fuel and flooding it out

ezone

Did the engine run correctly with normal power at that time, or was it running bad and low on power?


So it's flooding itself. Either too much fuel, low compression, out of time, bad fuel that won't burn right, maybe more....

Sounds like fuel pump is working like it should. And turning on when it should.

Fuel pressure regulator is built into the fuel pump assembly in the gas tank. Fuel pressure should be something like 40-47 PSI.

Fuel injectors control how much fuel is squirted into the engine.....but the engine has to be mechanically correct in order to have good compression and correct timing to run right.

You disconnected the fuel line, and the engine was probably running on all the extra gas that was already inside it that had the spark plugs soaking wet. (injectors can't squirt if there is no fuel pressure in the rail)

Computer controls injectors. Does the computer see any incorrect sensor inputs that would tell it to inject more fuel than it should? (ECT, MAP, IAT values?)




Purge solenoid.....I mentioned it because You said it wouldn't start immediately after putting gas in....if the purge solenoid were stuck open all the vapors that came from the gas tank as you were filling it would go into the intake causing it to be 'rich' and hard to start. Same for other random times of hard starting.....
IF you filled the tank and kept on clicking the pump nozzle to get another couple dollars squeezed in, that can flood the vapor canister and make the purge line dump raw gas into the engine where it should not be. (remember, only the fuel injectors are supposed to squirt the gas into the intake, nothing else)
Purge line has a green cap on it, drivers side of the engine near the filter housing and throttle body. Follow it to the valve on the side of the throttle body. You can pinch off the vacuum line to eliminate it as a possible problem.