streetglower

iTrader: (13)

Ok, here is my dilema. I decided to change my fuel filter today because I had nothing else to do. Well everything started out fine, I removed the fuel cap to relieve pressure and I removed the PGM-FI relay 2 (fuel pump relay) to relive the pressure. Then I removed the back seat and preceded to remove the locknut to the tank. When I got that off, I removed the fuel pump assembly and removed the fuel filter from the pump. I then hooked up the new filter to the pump and hooked back up the fuel sending unit and all the pump wiring. I then put everything back in the tank and put the locknut back on. I then went to start it and bam, it wont start. It tries to turn over, but wont. SO here I am stuck with a car that wont start.

Now the first thing I did was check all the fuses, and all fuses were ok. I then turned the car to the on position and I can here the fuel pump run for the 2 seconds. I then disconnected the line at the top of the pump assembly and turned the car on and fuel came out of the pump assembly. I then unhooked the line at the engine compartment and turned it on and fuel also came out.

So I am stuck on what to think now. The car worked before the new filter was in, but now wont start.

I need everyones help on this. I checked spark and I have it. I have tooken a few electrical cources at school so checked the obvious, but dont have enough experience on what to do now. Someone let me know.

tinman

It's a returnless fuel system. My guess is you got some air in the line, and it can take some time to push it out until the engine starts.

I once ran a 280Z out of gas. It took forever to bleed the injection system to get that POS to turn over again.

So it may be just air. Keep trying, it should clear eventually and build pressure.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

so basically just keep trying to turn it over untill it turns over? I wont be flooding the engine with fuel now will I?

Sometimes while trying to start it, it will turn over for a split second and then crank again. It doesnt turn over long enough for it to run.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

anyone else have any ideas, I have been at this all day with no luck.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

Please close the thread, problem fixed.

tinman

So.... what was the real cause??

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

it was the fuel pump. I had it towed to a shop on monday because I had tried everything to get it running. The pump was pushing out fuel, but had no pressure. thats what the shop had found. SO I am not sure why it failed right after the filter change. I could have known that if I had a fuel pressure set made for our car. I cant find one because of the quick disconnects our fuel lines use. But my warranty covered it, so now everything is fine.

tinman

Oh, what a weird coincidence. I'd have scratched my head on that one too. I guess it COULD happen. Thanks for posting the follow-up.

streetglower

iTrader: (13)

yea I killed myself trying to figure out what went wrong. I was mad because I thought I did something wrong.

tinman

I've seen that once on a throttle body injected car. It ran like absolute crap, but it ran.
We did not think that the fuel pump would be putting out LOW pressure instead of dying, so we replaced the regulator and TB injector first. Yep, as unlikely as it seemed, it WAS the pump. On THAT car we had to remove the entire gastank to get to it though.

Your situation is very strange, since it obviously worked fine before you changed the filter. Honestly, I have 22 years of mechanic experience under my belt, but stuff like that would stump me as well. You just never suspect something you JUST worked on.

However, posts like this will hopefully help others down the line.

honda.lioness

I know it's been nine years, but FWIW, I recently changed the in-tank fuel filter on my 2003 Civic. On the first attempt, my Civic would crank but not catch, like the OP's Civic above. I did notice that, with the ignition key in the ACC position, I could hear the fuel pump whirring for the design 10 seconds or so of priming. I thought I had damaged the pump at some point during the fuel filter and strainer sock replacement, such that it would spin but gas would leak from a crack. Or I thought maybe one of the tiny internal valves in the pump had failed. I had the pump in a vise at one point, after all. After a few days of troubleshooting, I bench tested the pump and found it was fine. But while completely disconnecting the pump, I also discovered a third, O-ringed connection, right at the pump discharge. This third O-ringed connection did not seem to come apart right. I think I pushed the O-ring out of position when the pump was in the vise. I re-assembled all, being more careful of this third O-ringed connection, and the car started perfectly. It has been starting without hesitation and running great for several days now. For more discussion of problems that one might encounter during the fuel filter and strainer replacement, see https://sites.google.com/site/hondal...er-replacement .

jcwhoffman1

Thanks for posting!! I have a 2001 Civic LX with 141k miles and eventhough it runs fine, I will be doing this soon, considering the age on this car...