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Can't get my Civic to start. The engine turns, the distributor rotor turns. However, I don't get that ch-ch-ch-ch sound I always get when the engine is turning over.

Some background: car started and ran fine three times this week, but before that it was sitting 4 years. I changed the oil and filter, lubed the cylinders, and installed a new fuel filter before even trying to start it after the 4 years.

 
Rep Power: 812

did you change the gas?

 
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When you turn your key in the ignition last click before starting, do you hear a short distant buzzzzzzz? It should be for just a couple seconds, thats the fuel pump. If it is, check fuel rail line pressure. If good, check ignition plugs,wires,cracks in andy caps,rotors,coils?? STARTING fluid in the intake with ignition will start your car if this is a fuel pump problem, or lack of fuel period.Keep us posted, good luck!

ps- it does take a good amount of turning over to refill the fuel system on some vehicles

Have you checked the oil pressure?

Compression test?

 
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I did not change the gas. I know bad gas can gum up the injectors, but how would it affect the ch-ch-ch sound on starting?

FWIW, the gas does not have a sweet smell (just smells like gas), and the car seemed to be liking it fine enough (well, except for the brownish exhaust even on warm days).

 
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I can hear the fuel pump.
Distributor caps & rotor has no corrosion, rotor turns when I hand-crank the engine, no visible problems on ignition coil.

I don't know how to check fuel rail line pressure, oil pressure, or compression, but I'll see if I can find out.

Isn't the starting ch-ch-ch sound from compression not from gas? What are the chances that my timing belt skipped a tooth or two when I turned off the engine last week?

 
Rep Power: 812

well you do need good fuel to start a car, and 4 yr old gas has nearly no energy left in it. i personally would not use gas more than a month or two old. after a year, it gets bad enough to cause problems running it unless you had a good fuel stabilizer mixed in. over a year, its junk.

 
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I'm still looking for an answer on this. To recap, the car ran fine several times over a week, then two days later it seems to be getting ZERO compression. True I had been using old gas, but since compression is a mechanical phenomenon unrelated to combustion I don't see how it could be related to gasoline. What sorts of things could cause a total loss of compression overnight with no warning, no smoke, no clink, no bang, etc.?

 
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I removed the valve cover today, and there's my answer. Many of the intake valves are stuck wide open. I suspect what happened is that deposits created by using the bad gas "glued" the valves open when the engine cooled down. Then when I attempted to start it a few days later, they probably got all bent. Bummer. But wouldn't I have heard the pistons crashing in to them?

I've started another post which I hope will help me determine if there is any chance they might just be stuck.
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/2...ust-stuck.html

 
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if its not making that sound it might be the starter? try hitting the starter with something hard and try to turn it on