Rep Power: 0

My first post here. I'm hoping I can get some help. I did some searching around and it looks like this is a great place!

I've got a 97 Civic hatchback that suddenly won't start. It's been running fine, never giving me problems and then one morning it just wouldn't start.

Symptoms:
- Lights and everything come on (battery is fine)
- Turning the key to on, engine light goes off (this is some sort of check but I can't remember what)
- It seems the starter is fine because it sounds like it's turning over. The best way to describe whats happening is everything sounds like normal like it's just about to catch and start up but it never does. It just keeps spinning and never fully starts.

What I've checked/done:
I checked all the fuses and relays I can think of or find but I could be missing one.

I've replaced the spark plugs, fuel filter, cap/rotor, and the distributor and nothing changes.
At one point, after replacing the plugs and the fuel filter, I waiting a couple weeks and it started once for a second and then died right away. Right after that and since it has always done the same thing. It spins and never catches to start.
I can smell fuel, it smells like it's flooding the engine. Probably because I sit and let it spin for a while.

Part of whats strange is I was driving the car everyday to work and then on a Saturday morning (after driving it just the day before) it simply wouldn't start.

Could the timing be off? It's never really "felt" like the timing is off but maybe I'm off.

Any ideas? I'm stumped.

 
Rep Power: 0

pull your spark plugs out and click them into your wires...(out of the engine) and crank the engine. You should have spark at the end of each plug. I know my car ran just fine and then one day whilst i was driving home it just died out of nowhere. So check your distributor. But even if you are getting voltage thru the primary the distributor could still be bad. Hope this helps.

 
Rep Power: 0

i am having the same problem too my 2 hondas, it has been garaged for 6 months
it was running fine bfore but now it wont start

so i pull the spark plug lead out and click the spark plug onto the lead out of the engine and it didnt spark .. hm is this mean i have to change distributor??

i just dont understand how can this be happened when you leave car for while cause the distributor become faulty

 
Rep Power: 313

This is directed at mitmit.. start by doing what he did.. change the distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, and wires and see if it helps.. also, if you have not started it for 6 months maybe your battery is dead? does yours crank or no? Do you hear a clicking when you start it

 
Rep Power: 0

If its been sitting for a while it might be a old fuel too..

 
Rep Power: 0

battery full charged, main relay checked (click 3 times)

i have already opened the distributor cap and sandpaper the metal tips inside
and the sparkplug still doesnt seem to be sparking. i dont know why?
so is this mean distributor faulty, both of my honda is sitting like this now ind the garage and they wont start.