I was using my civic as an everyday driver and had no problems with it starting or running, until one day I went to go start it to head to the store ave cranks over but doesn't start. The spark plugs, wires, fuel filter, and air filter are new, using the proper ngk spark plugs. When I turn it over its almost wanting to start but won't and ended up running the battery dead. I put a fresh charge on the battery and tried starting it again about a week later and still same problem. After I put it WOT while trying to start it, it started up and ran just fine until I let it idle and choked out and didn't want to start up again. I know the AC belt broke off but shouldn't affect the starting system. The fuel pump works, no codes are pulled on my obdII scanner, engine light is not on either. Timing belt and water pump was changed at 188K miles and only has 196K miles on it. It has kept up with regular maintenance (oil changes, air/fuel filter, valve adjustment) so it should have a few thousand miles left. Any Ideas?

Being that it started at WOT points to the cylinders being flooded with fuel. When starting with the gas pedal fully depressed it shuts the injectors off and allows for maximim air flow into the cylinders.

Read through this related post and follow the advice given by Ezone: https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...-no-codes.html

So it was just flooded......but you let it stall again before you got it all warmed up and driven around. Now it's flooded again.

You gotta get it hot and drive it around to clean the carbon buildup (soot, from running cold) burned off of the spark plugs

If at all possible, do not shut off an engine before it has reached operating temperature. If you do, there's a chance it will flood out upon the next run attempt.


Many people get to learn all about this situation after moving a car around in the driveway for 30 feet to let someone out, then shut it off. Next time it won't start.