89 ED Civic wont start

[TwinCarb]

Hi Guys,

I have a 89 ED Honda Civic with the twin carb 1.5 motor.

The car cranks, there is fuel and there is spark but won't run. It sometimes feels like its not even getting compression then other times it if you hold the key it sounds like its going to start but won't continue to run. (very rare this happens though)

There is compression across all cylinders. It has spark so I don't think its the timing belt.

I have replaced the distributor with a reconditioned unit for $346 and it is exactly the same. New module, coil, rotor and cap.

The battery is now pretty dead and I suspect it might be the alternator as even when I jump the car the voltage drops below 10volts.

Any ideas? :)

[michael_antoi]

were u having trouble starting it even before replacing the dizzy or after replacing?

when i replaced my dizzy my car wouldn't start becoz it wasn't in the right position.

get a mate to crank the car while u turn the dizzy left and right.

worked for me perfectly.

[TwinCarb]

Yeah the car was running fine, it was sitting round for a week before the problem happened. Occassionally though when I started the car it would run rought for about 3-4mins when started cold. It appeared to be only running on 2-3 cylinders and then it would come good.

The car did the exact same thing before the new dizzy.

[michael_antoi]

There is compression across all cylinders. It has spark so I don't think its the timing belt.



just because there's spark doesn't mean the timing is set correctly.

possible might want to check that.

did u change anything to make it not start?

or just out of the blue?

[TwinCarb]

the car had been sitting round for a week. I started it and it was running really rough as in running on 3 cylinders and pumping black smoke out the back, normally I warm the car up until it comes good.

I moved it 5m and turned it off. I installed a central locking kit, drilled holes through the plastic connecters in the doors, it was wired to the postive wire off the radio circuit and the negative to the radio too. I thought I might have unplugged something under the dash. I have triple checked under the dash and all the fuses.

I unplugged everything electrical from the central locking kit including the module so its no different . It doesn't make any difference. I think it has more to do

The only reason I replaced the dizzy is a I took it down to my mechanic for him to test it. He told me it was completely dead but now I think there was nothing wrong.

[tinkerbell]

change the spark plugs and see it that helps,

i say they are gummed up with too much fuel,

at least remove them for inspection and clean up...

[TwinCarb]

Yeah new spark plugs was one of the first things I did. They were black when I pulled them out, on last inspection they were pretty clean.

[EuroDude]

A shot in the dark, but do the spark plug leeds have good resistance?
And maybe an ECU reset may help? Doubt it though.
Also are you sure fuel is entering the cylinders? Maybe the fuel pump has packed its bags.

[tinkerbell]

it is a carburetted engine... (ie no ECU reset)

[TwinCarb]

Yeah its a Twin Carb 1.5 SOHC engine

[tinkerbell]

TwinCarb

here is a link to complete factory manual for the Concerto - which shares the same engine as your civic,

i hope it helps!!!

http://media.honda.co.uk/car/owner/media/manuals/ConcertoManual/

[tinkerbell]

Also are you sure fuel is entering the cylinders? Maybe the fuel pump has packed its bags.

it is a mechanical fuel pump, so this would be easy to tell,

ALSO make sure the battery is fully charged, i spent an afternoon chasing a problem and it was just that the battery was not giving enough juice whilst cranking...

[TwinCarb]

Yeah I will check them tonight, it could be the battery, I had ruled it out cause its only 12months old.

[TwinCarb]

The battery was proper dead so I charged it up, still the same problem.

But now it sounded like it was getting compression all the time. I played round with the fuel pump trying to get the lines off to see if it was working, I squeezed a few fuel lines and a couple of vacuum lines on the carby. I couldn't get the fuel lines off so I gave up. Went back to the car, cranked it over and it was chugging but then it started for like 2-3secs then turned off.

So I went back to the engine bay and repeated what I did before. No luck... Then I disconnected a sensor connected to the vacuum line that I squeezed and all the fuel lines again and also hit the fuel pump with my pliers. Went back cranked it over for 10secs and it started to come good and then VROOOOM it started, I kept the revs up above 4k and lots of black smoke with a blue tinge came out. Warmed it up for a few minutes. Turned it off and turned it back on, it was running perfect. I connected the sensor back thinking it could be that but no different. It starts perfectly. Took it for a strap and its running great, really smooth and nice power.

Thanks to all for the help! Gotta love community based forums.

I am going to take it to the mechanic to have the carby and fuel pump checked. Also what is a good product to clean carbon deposits out of the engine?

In the states they go on about seafoam but I have never seen it in Australia.

[tinkerbell]

ahhhh, the good 'ole jiggle it all around till she starts trick eh?

well done :thumbsup: (a charged battery always helps this process!)

yes - seafoam - i would love to know where to get some, however, i am told that water mist does a similar thing if sprayed in small amounts through the engine...

[iamhappy46]

Throttle body cleaner and upper cylinder lubricant(I suggest FLASHLUBE) is good for getting rid of those pesky carbon deposits.

That nasty black box of tricks near your passenger side strut tower could also be playing up as the twin carb motor does have an ECU. Lift up your passenger side carpet and remove the metal plate... SURPRISE an ECU!!

[TwinCarb]

Yeah saw the ecu, the little red light doesn't flash any codes though...

What does that nasty black box of tricks do? It just has lots of vac lines going into it.

[iamhappy46]

Black box of tricks has a MAP sensor, Air-Temp and other late 80's gizzmos. Just make sure none of the vacuum hoses are cracked or broken.

There is a air valve/solenoid on top of the inlet manifold, between Cyl 2&3 with a 2 wire plug going into it. There are 2 rubber hoses, one comes from the airbox and another goes into the inlet manifold jsut before the cyl head. You will need to take it off and clean the solenoid out with some carby/throttle body cleaner.

Also, on the Cyl 1&2 Carb closest to the passenger strut tower, there is a little 'cap' secured by 3 screws... Undo the 3 screws and make sure the little diaphragm is not damaged underneath.

[TwinCarb]

Thats what I squeezed and disconnected to get it started, maybe it was that all along?

Will do, thanks mate.

[iamhappy46]

It is an air bypass solenoid that often collects oil, which would explain the blue smoke once it fired up.

Let me know how you go...

[ouch]

ok boys boys boys, i got the same problem.
my 91 ED just decided to stop running; the engine turns but doesnt start (it was only running a few hours before). so i decided to change the spark plugs and got to my last one and found oil deposits around plug. so there must be oil leaking past the valves or rings into the chamber - then when i came to get it off it was stuck stuck stuck.

anywho i tried to start her up again and same thing - turning but not starting. disconnected the battery, put it back on and now i got power to the clock but none to the rest of the car, a buzzing sound happens when i turn on the indicators...

now i got an oily old stuck spark plug and battery problem.

help?

[tinkerbell]

anywho i tried to start her up again and same thing - turning but not starting. disconnected the battery, put it back on and now i got power to the clock but none to the rest of the car, a buzzing sound happens when i turn on the indicators...

charge/replace teh battery.