97 honda no start still need help

I’d have the compression tested. Shops do it for a few bucks.

Also, does the car have some kind of immobilizer? It looks like an immobilizer issue. This is most likely to happen if the car has an aftermarket alarm or security system. They like to fail over time.

I also think that if the cam or crank or whatever sensor of this kind would be malufunctioning, you wouldn’t have spark, but I might really be wrong on this. If you have an OBD scanner, try to check the RPM while you’re cranking the engine. Use the CFM for this (if your car does not support CFM mode, disable the ignition system [somehow])

Do you have a check engine light? Even if you don’t, try to read the code memory with the scanner, just to make sure.

That really depends on your reader. Some of them can, some of them can’t, but I guess most of them can. Just mess with it and try to find it in the reader, there is a good chance that you can see the rpm. Also, i would strongly recommend checking the fuel pressure. I don’t know the exact number, but i read on the internet that the fuel pressure should be around 40 PSI.

[quote=”hyde” post=84245]Ok I posted this thread a couple of days ago

PLEASE HELP…My friend has a 97 honda civic dx that cranks fine but wont start it has spark fuel presure is good i changed the main relay but dont know how to test it pulled timeing cover belt is good and marks line up car ran fine was told she got gas drove up the street car started to sputter a little smoothed out stoped at the store came out hasn’t started since i took a little gas from the fuel filter when i was checking the fuel pres in a can and lit it on fire to check for bad gas and it burned fine i need to know how to troubleshoot this thing it only has 180000 on it and i know its not dead PLEASE HELP!!! thanks

Here the situation.. My friend live’s in Laughlin NV I live in Las Vegas about a 100 miles away I’m not a mechanic but through books and forums I can usually keep my cars running she really needs her car for work but can’t afford to put in the shop cars only worth about 1500 running when I went down the first time i was a little unprepared tool wise thinking it was going to be a fuel pump or the relay i only brought a test light and a few tools going back down next weekend with a few more tools and a wiring diagram.

when i was there the 1st time i watched a video on testing the relay and i didn’t have pwr on the yellow and green wire so i changed the relay new one tested out the same way. Tested injectors for pwr they all had pwr but did’t have the right light to chk for pulse also wasn’t sure how.
I’m not one to throw parts at a car prefer to find the problem and fix.

1. now somebody sent me a link to chk the ignition switch going to look into that can anyone tell how to test it other than just jiggling the key
2. can anyone tell how to test the main relay
3. what is fuel pressure suppose to be
4. does anyone know a good honda mechanic in Laughlin NV or Bullhead city AZ
5. are there any other elec. box’s i can test like a cam or rpm sensor and where would they be
6. any special tools i need i have test light fuel pres gauge obd 2 code scanner and all general tools

I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY REPLY’S VIDEO LINKS WEB SITES pictures ANY HELP AT ALL GREATLY APPRECIATED
.[/quote]

I find your post a bit confusing. Up front you say it has spark, and fuel pressure is good. You then go on to say that you changed the main relay. Why would you change that if the fuel pressure is good? When the main relay fails, the fuel pump doesn’t run, and there is no fuel pressure. You then ask how to check the main relay, but you already replaced it. Next, you ask what the fuel pressure is supposed to be. If you don’t know what the appropriate fuel pressure is, then how could you possibly state that the fuel pressure is good?

Easiest way to verify main relay function, have someone listen at the fuel door when you turn the key on. Does the pump come on? If so, the main relay is working. If not, check fuses, if they are all good, it is either the main relay or the fuel pump. With a Honda, I would bet on the main relay.

There are really only a few things that keep an engine from running. Timing, either ignition, or mechanical (timing belt failure / skipping teeth), lack of spark (ignition failure, or interruption by an anti theft device), lack of fuel pressure (main relay, bad fuel pump, bad pressure regulator, clogged filter, leaking hose / line), or lack of compression / mechanical failure of the engine.

You say you have checked spark, hopefully at all plugs. Next, verify proper fuel pressure (check hondahookup.com for a copy of the shop manual where you can find the right fuel pressure), and verify that the injectors are getting a signal from the computer. If it has spark and proper fuel pressure, then I would say it is time to check the compression.

I’ll take the simpler approach that wasn’t covered yet. How’s the battery? Are the terminals clean? Does the engine crank at the right speed or does it hardly turn? I’d also try adding at least 3 gallons of gas.

Keep us posted please.

Julian