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New to this forum, first post
I have a 1999 civic EX, automatic
last week the engine started to die when I turned left a few times intermittently
this week it would not start one morning
started the next morning, started to die a few times turning left, then stopped completely, have not been able to start it.
here is what i have done:
1.the engine turns over fine
2.fuel pump comes on when ignition turned on
3.changed the fuel filter
4.spark at all 4 plugs
5.changed coil and ignitor (neighbor had spares)
6.plugs are dry after trying to start
7.the engine did not respond to quick start sprayed in air intake

after reading a few posts i have to check the ground at the thermostat,
but not sure why i do not get a response when quick start sprayed in the air intake.

suggestions?
Thanks

 
Rep Power: 517

See if timing belt jumped time?
Got compression?
Got fault codes?
Got the ability to read live data from the computer?


When you turn the key on, does the check engine light come on? If it does not come on, maybe the computer isn't powering up.
Main relay?

 
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Thanks for the quick reply
No engine light
When the car does run it runs fine and does not appear to be compression issue
I have not checked the main relay
From previous posts, I was going to clean the grounds first (tomorrow)

 
Rep Power: 517

I thought this was a non-running engine right now. Completely dead.
Easy: Don't turn left.
Pro tip: Three rights make a left.

I asked questions somewhat related to the light, and the reply doesn't really answer anything. Let me try this again:

Have you checked for fault codes now that the engine will not run?

Does the CEL illuminate during bulb check (along with the other dozen or so lights on the dash) when you first turn the key to the run position?

Do you have a scanner, scangauge, or scanner app that can allow you to read live sensor data from the computer?

 
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sorry for the confusion
the car did die once then started the next day, no codes
and i drove it till it died again, no engine light on

i only have OBD reader

today I cleaned the ground to the thermostat, no start

plugs still have spark, are still dry and not starting with quick start spray

just took timing belt cover off, feels tight, how do i tell if it skipped?

 
Rep Power: 517

If you go out and check your car right now---- Does the CEL illuminate during bulb check (along with the other dozen or so lights on the dash) when you first turn the key to the run position?



Thoughts: It's odd you say it has spark, plugs are dry, and yet will not fire from an alternate fuel source.

How large a gap can your spark jump? It needs to be able to jump more gap than just the end of the spark plug, it should be able to jump a full 10mm gap through the air.

Is there fuel and pressure in the injector rail?
Is there an electrical pulse at the injectors during cranking?
Is the ECT misreporting engine temperature?
Align crank to TDC, inspect position of the timing marks on cam gear.

 
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thanks for the additional advice
right now i am checking the main relay for power to the (1) fuel pump - should be there can hear pump run and (2) injectors ... youtube video said computer also on this circuit

i will check the timing in the morning dark out now and want to get the relay part done,

 
Rep Power: 517

If you go out and check your car right now---- Does the CEL illuminate during bulb check (along with the other dozen or so lights on the dash) when you first turn the key to the run position?

 
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CEL comes on but goes off after a second or two.
No codes stored.

Looking at timing, cam pulley "up" but cannot see bottom pulley very well, no apparent white mark, will try to look at tonight. Belt is tight and does not appear to be stripped anywhere.

 
Rep Power: 517

OK! That at least verifies the computer is getting powered up.

The paint marks are in notches, notches are cut into the edge of the pulley lip. If there is no paint remaining, look for those instead. There is a small group of 3, followed by a single notch about a half inch away from the others. The single notch is the TDC mark.

Example:

 
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the timing is lined up perfectly
took the front tire off and rotated the engine using socket and long bar on the front pulley bolt (crankshaft)

so at this point:
1. there is spark on each plug using my tester
2.i have changed the coil and ignitor, spark appears the same but not start
3.the main relay appears to be working, tested the wires at the relay with key on, also touch each relay to feel the twitch when key turned
4.i assume each injector if getting current
5.on the fuel side, the pump runs for a few seconds when key turned
6.put new fuel filter on
7.* plugs are dry after trying to start car
8.*sprayed quick start into air intake and kick or sputter
9.*poured some gas into air intake and no kick or sputter
10.last week the car would partly die when turning left a few times
11.died once totally, then started fine the next morning
12.check and cleaned the ground at the thermostat.

Any other ideas?
1.additional grounds to check?
2.check fuses?
3.ignition switch?, but dash lights on
4.fuel pump weak? ($10 at wreckers)
5.still problem with main relay? ($3 at wreckers)

I will go at her again this weekend.

 
Rep Power: 221

Are you sure the distributor is good? My ex had a 2000 that died in my driveway.
Would crank all day, replaced cap, rotor, plugs, wires, coil. Finally I just grabbed distributor from the junkyard, put the new cap and rotor on it, installed it and the car started.
Do you have a known good distributor you can throw on?

 
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did you have spark at the plugs with the old distributor?
my spark appears fine
yes i have a place i can get a distributor from
is it easy to change?

 
Rep Power: 517

There's a harness that is known to rub through on an intake support bracket, maybe it's instead rubbed one of the other wires causing this issue? See this bulletin:

http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/tsb/civic/x99-029e.pdf



Otherwise, an engine needs to have compression/fuel/spark, in the correct quantities and at the correct times. Something isn't right.

 
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problem solved!
thanks to Colin42
the distributor produced a good spark at least 1/2 inch
tested the three sensors in the distributor, resistance was fine, coil and ignitor changed and good
appeared to be no issues with distributor, but no start with quick started sprayed in throttle body
picked up a used distributor, put it on, started first crank
must have been one of the sensors was bad
thanks to everyone for their help, much appreciated.

 
Rep Power: 221

Glad you got it running! It's probably a good idea to check that harness that Ezone mentioned, he knows his stuff

 
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I followed what Ezone suggested and checked the harness, no rubbing or hole found.
Could not have solved the problem without Ezone's input and learned a lot along the way.

 
Rep Power: 517

I wonder what exactly went wrong inside that distributor to make the engine quit running.....

 
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i still have the distributor,
initially changed the coil and ignitor for two used ones
still the same spark strength
i tested the ohms across each of the three sensors and got around 370
any other tests?

 
Rep Power: 517

WHOA, USED? I don't remember reading this before.
Did they come from a verified running engine?

Probably not without reinstalling it, check and verify ignition timing and maybe using an oscilloscope (or 'lapscope') to watch the internal sensor signals (CKP/CMP/TDC) on a screen, and watch signals from the ECM and out of the igniter.