89 ED Civic wont start

[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 (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.