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I’m lost as to why it wont start
98 honda civic lx
d16y7here’s what happened, went out this morning to start my car for work, it cranks but wont kick over……it will make a popping sound like a deep *thump* and the engine will shake like it’s going to start but then stops. ….it was running the day before perfectly
so i checked for spark (pulled each plug and cranked… nice healthy spark on each plug) ……
then i checked for fuel pressure/ fuel (the dangerous way..loosened the nut on the filter…good pressure)
i have good compression as far as i know…..i put a new head and gasket and timing belt and water pump a few months ago everything was fine
i checked the fuses and all is well (i need to wait till morning to double check the fuses under the dash again)
here’s a short video maybe someone can help me, im confused
i had to call into work today i got work monday i need to get this fixed
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I have a brand new distributer. And i have good spark going to the plugs. Found that article earlier but thanks.
Right, I remember that your distributor is new and that you have a spark, but it might be an open circuit between the ecu and the distributor.
a broken wire / loose connection somewhere on the line between.. assuming the ecu is alive and operating the ignition module but cannot get the data from the cam sensor in the distributor, to correct the ignition timing.i got it to run for a few seconds, was firing on only one cylinder (number 3 i think) with the throttle held open all the way it died out if i let go.
tried pulling codes like the video but my check engine light is either blown or it just don’t work… so i can’t get the flashes
long shot but would a crank sensor cause this issue?….. one of my friends called and said he had a similar issue with a Neon not running at all like this and it was the crank sensor…could that be causing a problem? how could i test it
Yes it could.
anyways It would be great if you can borrow/buy an obd2 code reader that would pinpoint the problem, and help you in future.
Meanwhile try to locate the sensor and look if it got 2 or 3 cables connection.
if it’s 2 wires search in youtube how to test an Indutive cps sensor. (which I belive is yours)
if it’s 3 wires search for hall type cps sensor test.I don’t know what to tell you aside from try what jotman said. Fuel. But if starting fluid did not work and the fuel doesn’t have excessive amounts of water. I’d be looking at mechanical issues. What color spark is it? blue/white?
Crank sensor is 90% of the time no spark. But it has spark. Check it to be sure.
I went back over the posts on this issue. My understanding is that the car was running fine then the next morning would not start and no mechanical changes have been made since. I certainly sounds like a timing issue. Guess the next thing I would do is pull the distributor cap off while I cranked the engine and watch the rotor. According to you it is not possible but sound like the timing is 180 degrees out (old school engines). If it has both a cam sensor and crank sensor, perhaps one or the other has failed. See if there are procedures on Eric’s site to test the cam and crank sensors.
i finally got it to throw a couple codes……..po141 and po118….from what i can find that’s the coolant temp sensor and the o2 sensor would those cause this issue with not starting?
i got the car to run on just cylinder 3 for about 20-30 seconds at full throttle and it seemed like it wanted to keep going when i let off the throttle. it tried but died out, seemed like it was trying to idle with just that one firing….. but that’s how i got the codes….but no check engine light i still think the bulb is burnt out….i can’t get to the plug for the crank sensor to run a test on it , it’s up underneath the intake manifold and i can’t get my hand in there to get the plug off without pulling the intake off and out of the way.
but i did notice something else, there is a puddle of oil in the intake down past the butterfly valve and it looks like there is a film of oil all over the inside and on the bottom of the valve……any idea what that is?
If you are sure it is oil in the intake, probably coming from the PCV system (Positive Crankcase Ventilation). Noticed you don’t have the airbox on the engine. Were you running without one?
no i took it off so i had easier access to everything…everything was on it when it was running (airbox air filter etc)
just so you have more info the cars bone stock other than an aftermarket manifold the guy i bought it off of put on because the original cracked. not sure if he replaced the o2 sensor or just put the old one in it and he replaced the plugs and wires with NGK wires and plugs
only stuff i have replaced is
Cylinder Head with a rebuilt one (gaskets and seals) (engine crashed about a year ago when the timing belt broke at idle while at a redlight, i have another post on here on about that whole thing, no piston damage i replaced the head just to be on the safe side) fully tuned valves after….timing belt, pulley, water pump
air filter
changed oil and filter
distributor (replaced trying to fix this problem…didn’t help at all)when i did all that it ran like a new car…up until friday morning when this all happened
i finally got it too run……it was the coolant sensor, after i cleaned the spark plugs it fired right up……..its got a hunting idle but a coolant bleed should help that hopefully, i just wanted to thank everyone that tried to help and hopefully help someone else that might have this problem
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