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1988 Honda Civic won't start

Tiny
TAZIIKESTO
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 HONDA CIVIC
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 98,000 MILES
Engine has spark, has fuel pressure, main fuel relay tests good, timing belt is good, engine has compression, engine turns over but won't start.
Saturday, April 11th, 2009 AT 1:10 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
F4I_GUY
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,302 POSTS
Are you getting any codes? The red light on the ECU will be flashing the code number if you do.

Did you do any work to the engine before hand? Or did it stall out on you? Did it just not start one morning? I need more info.
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Sunday, April 12th, 2009 AT 11:15 AM
Tiny
TAZIIKESTO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Don't know about the codes, I need to check that.
No, I haven't had any work done on it. I do know about cars that is why this has got me stumped.
Car was running very well till one day I was driving to the bank and it stall at a light. And when I got it restarted it belched and big black cloud and went onto the bank and when I came out the car would not start and after maybe 45 min. I got it started, made it home shut it off and it hasn't started since.
Thanks for your help
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Sunday, April 12th, 2009 AT 1:47 PM
Tiny
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The big black puff was excess fuel being burnt.

Few things to check would be:

Strong spark (bright, white/blue spark)
Proper fuel pressure
Your injectors are not stuck open
Mechanical and ignition timing are still set properly.
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Monday, April 13th, 2009 AT 4:59 PM
Tiny
TAZIIKESTO
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
How do you know if it is stuck open? If it isn't obvious when it is out. Do you test to see if it is stuck open. If so, how do you test them.
I know older cars but when they start with injectors and having computers I am at a lost.
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Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 AT 9:14 PM
Tiny
F4I_GUY
  • MECHANIC
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Well any easy way would be to listen to each injector with a stethoscope. They should all 'tick' at the same rate. This isn't an accuarate test whatsoever but with no diagnostic tools this is all you can do at your house. If an injector is stuck open it will tick very slowly, or won't tick at all. Keep in mind, it may still be stuck open at times if it does pass this test.

But I would look at the other possibly causes first before looking at injectors.
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Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 AT 7:15 PM
Tiny
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  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I can't do that cuz the car does not run.
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Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 AT 9:04 PM
Tiny
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Well then check fuel and spark.
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Thursday, April 16th, 2009 AT 7:13 PM
Tiny
TAZIIKESTO
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  • 4 POSTS
Engine has spark, has fuel pressure, main fuel relay tests good, timing belt is good, engine has compression, engine turns over but won't start.
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Friday, April 17th, 2009 AT 8:19 PM
Tiny
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What fuel pressure are you getting at the rail?

What colour was the spark that you saw? Was it to each spark plug wire? Just because you saw spark, doesn't mean it's strong enough to ignite the mixture.

Further more, when you crank, do you smell fuel at all?
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Sunday, April 19th, 2009 AT 4:53 PM
Tiny
ROBERT CRUZ
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
1998 have promblem with the ignition switch push forword and relase gente and will start
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Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 AT 4:25 PM

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