I need a bit of help with my son's 92 civic--
It has a no spark-no start situation. Seems there is an "igniter box" ?? in the distributor--under the rotor?--has power in no spark out--or so I am told.

EDIT!!!
Has spark--fuel delivery?

Maybe it's the ignition module?

Yup--There was no spark

It is either the ignitor or the coil--so in order to get it in one trip-
I'm getting both--
I noticed evidence of carbon tracking on the coil, and the leads from the ignitor also seemed to be just shy of melting the insulation, and shorting out. There is a spot where 2 wires are very close together--
It is all located within the distibutor, and, relatively inexpensive.

Good thing he is away in college. The car is just sitting until August.

The cap, and rotor could be worn out with a layer of carbon built up on the contacts. Test the coil with an ohmmeter. The only other part would be the ignition pick up. They call it a PIP (profile ignition pick up) on Ford vehicles.

OK yeah yeah--I know, it has been awhile since we visited this--
Well, he doesn't need this for awhile and it is 100 miles away--
sooo-I attacked it Saturday for over 6 hours-
I installed a new ignitor--nope:(
I went ahead and replaced the valve cover gasket and took a look, the timing seems ok-the belt is real nice and tight-and doesn't show any evidence of slipping-
I tried to seal off the spark plug holes while a helper cranked engine--damm good compression-

so, off to advance auto for a coil-
Got back, pulled the old coil, and wouldn't you know,I stripped the screw heads off so I had to run to the hardware store for very small screws. I installed the coil, and VIOLA it has spark!!!!!
Yay!!!--
oh--nope, still won't start. However, in a fit of last minute102 degree heat induced sweaty inspiration, I held the starter going and pumped the gas --
it acted like it wanted to fire-but just at the instant you'd think it was going to start up-it would start acting dead again.

ok so--I removed the test plug from the fuel filter and had a helper turn the key-fuel came out about 18 inches high in a steady stream--ok
I did hook a hose to this to let a bit run out, then reinstalled the plug-still the same-
we tried raw fuel right into the intake tube with the same result--

IDEAS??????

I wonder if the fuel could be that bad from sitting for a few months? it didn't really look all that bad--HOWEVER
new fuel into the intake didn't get even a sputter--

92 civic 1.5 liter 16 valve--

^^^^^connected to that post^^^^^^

Ok don't laugh at this question please--
This damage was done to it previously-and he had driven here to have me patch it back up-which I did. he then drove home, and it ran well for quite a while. Is there something in here I missed that could cause this issue?

Another question-is the PCM-ECU the silver box at passenger foot kick area?
How does one pull codes?

Hondas are fun!

Have a friend with a 98 Prelude, would just die every once in a while...yup 80 on the highway and then die........wait a few it starts right back up.

Turned out to be wiring to a module of some sort under the dash near the ignition switch, was causing a no spark condition. New module was over $700, tried to find used but 98 Prelude = SUCKS, ended up removing the module from car, opening and patching it up for a quick fix.....

still dies on her every once in a great while.

good luck!

I think you may be onto something near the ignition switch.......

OK-I have just way too many things going on, and to be honest, I haven't been getting around well lately.
We finally got this thing towed here to my house-

I'm going to get a chilton's manual for it-later. But maybe I could scan your brains-
could someone tell me how the timing marks on the crank and cam should line up?
Also-what is the fuel pressure spec?

this one is weird-
compression checks-well, it's over 125 psi across all 4 cylinders-cold
I have a real good spark now-and it acts like it wants to start, but just as it gets there it goes back to dead cranking again. The fuel pump does run, and it does pump out fuel. It is acting like the timing belt is out of time-but compression is good-
I am seriously to the point of thinking someone dumped something in the gas tank-as it ran fine until one morning. And the gas doesn't smell right-maybe it's just me--
I know-I know-I need a manual. I plan on picking one up with parts for Sheri's car on Wednesday.

Well, this can't be good--
Just from cranking the engine, there is a puddle of oil about 2' diameter near the driver front wheel. It seems to be leaking from a front seal somewhere-

Well I got a manual tonight-finally. Friggin Boondock's O'reilly's had to order one.

First thing checked was the timing belt, and it is dead on, although it is a bit oily.
More tomorrow, tonight I read a bit I guess

I hate Honda's, and never , ever thought I would need to learn my way around one.

Well, this friggin thing can kiss my

Ok--
today I went at it with a fresh mind-and decided to go ahead and check the timing for sure-instead of using the pulley marks-
I jacked it up, removed the wheel and valance so I could see what is what--

a while ago a guy told me to bump the ignition timing and just crank the crap out of it--
I held the starter for over a minute while the engine sputtered, and it came to life!!!! WTF????
So, I set the timing to the red mark (OEM spec) and it fires right up.
every time-bump the key and it's running.

However, there is still the oil leak. I tried to address it with rtv, but to be honest the cam sprocket seems to be hitting the inner timing belt cover-causing it to move at the gasket junction. It looks to me like the cam bearing is worn allowing the cam to hit this cover. I'm confused.

Is this a wear indicator on these things????

By golly it is!! When the cam seal goes-so does some front support--

I'm ordering an engine gasket set, timing set and water pump, spark plugs and a head. Probably around 350-400 bux total. The head might be fine, but the front cam seal is definitely toast, heads are pretty cheap for these--

I let is set overnight, went out and bumped the starter and it fired right up. It will move under it's own power, and that's what I'm going to do. Move it outside for now.

A stick of dynomite is a lot cheaper and a hell of a lot more fun.:D

You mean you haven't pushed that thing off a cliff yet? just buy him an explorer!

A stick of dynomite is a lot cheaper and a hell of a lot more fun.:D

I agree, just make sure you let me know first so I can come down and watch it go boom:D

Well to dig an old thread-

I FINALLY -yes, just today, recieved the inner timing cover-

Cover me I'm going in.:salute:

What I have--
A haynes manual--and a will,
also:

Full engine gasket set-Timing belt and tensioner-water pump-(ooops, need to get a thermostat-dang!) , and lastly the inner timing cover-guide which was a Honda only part. YIKES:eek:-it's just plastic, but it was the highest $$ part. I guess I'm the lucky guy to mess the first one up. Nobody had heard of it. I did pry against it in an angry attempt to remove the upper timing cover.
ooops!-the lower cover has to come off first. I did not know that --

But after sitting for all this time-it fired right up and moved into the garage under it's own power-this is a good thing-

While I wait for the coolant and oil to drain I thought I'd post this up for your entertainment and discussion.

I located my bucket to drain the radiator-but I could have used a big gulp cup I'll bet

The whole radiator on this car is smaller than my transmission cooler--

So this freking crank pulley bolt won't budge-
serious
I had a rod in the pulley-a breaker bar with a chunk of 3/4" pipe on the end-and nope.
So i had Bryan try to push the breaker bar pipe dealio with his foot.
The breaker bar was bending, so I reached up right as his foot slipped-and the breaker bar jumped out, punching me right in the mouth

... punching me right in the mouthYou okay? Bleeding?

You okay? Bleeding?

Yeah I have a fat lip--you guys just want blood-:p:

Ahah no we dont want any blood.

Today after eating lunch with my friends at work, I came back up to my desk and surfed the web a bit to catch up on whats going on in the world. Two minutes later, drip drip drip. Blood was gushing out of my nose. :(

Ahah no we dont want any blood.

Today after eating lunch with my friends at work, I came back up to my desk and surfed the web a bit to catch up on whats going on in the world. Two minutes later, drip drip drip. Blood was gushing out of my nose. :(

Whoa!
What's up with that?
Who punched you?


I'm going at this thing with a hammer now-:hammer:

Ahah no we dont want any blood.

Today after eating lunch with my friends at work, I came back up to my desk and surfed the web a bit to catch up on whats going on in the world. Two minutes later, drip drip drip. Blood was gushing out of my nose. :(

I get random nose bleeds all the time.

Jt - sorry to hear that, no fun getting it in the mouth, especially not with metal objects.

Yeah it was just a nose bleed, from the dry winter air.

Yeah it was just a nose bleed, from the dry winter air.

I think it happened because you were thinking of me-;)

This bolt is a big PITA-
I just cannot seem to get it.
Thinking the problem was from the pulley not being secured rigidly enough, I fashioned a "tool" from a garage door opener arm-

I'm the tool-what was I thinking?
anyway-the bolt should have loosened. I cannot budge it.
This was done with a breaker bar with 2' pipe on the end-and me standing on that.

Heat expands metal-correct?
I shouild be heating the pulley to remove the bolt--yes? If I heat the bolt-it will make it more snug is what I am thinking.

refer to picture in above post.

I wish you well on that Jon, my friend has a son with a Taurus SHO, and those crank bolts are near 300ft.lbs. tight, his was more. The son weighed 275 then, at 6'7", and he pulled the breaker bar and bent it. They fought the bolt with a torch and three different impact wrenches.

Spray it with PB Blaster, tap it hard with a light hammer, heat the pulley, and use the best tools. That type of job is what tests real tool steel, sockets etc.

Sorry to hear about the fat lip and bleeding guys, try working around a damn lift, they are made for little SOB's. After you turn into a non moving solid piece of steel, with your head, you know who's the boss, not you. Take care,

Thanks Don--

Well I finally got the dang pulley off-

here's the damge-

red arrow-real bad cam seal
blue arrow--pulley removal carnage
green circle-cam gear rubbing caused this


pic 2 and 3 are new cam and crank seal installed--

Now that's an oil leak, a good reason to do the work.

Do you recall what your torque converter stall speed was, or what stock is supposed to be? I'm not ready to do mine yet, but lining up things.

Mine is around 2800-3000 -depending on torque

Madmike783 was just debating this and went with a 2000

Yes I recall, I had seen a 3200 version from the maker I want. I knew that it was too high, but if it had been in the upper 2's I would have wanted it. Thanks,

Pink arrow-new timing tensioner
Green arrow-new water pump
Yellow arrow-new inner timing cover-timing guide

the new belt is obvious. It isn't tensioned yet.

I'm waiting on the timing cover and pulley I found on ebay-guess it's ok to do the valve seals, rear cam seal, distributor o-ring and valve cover gasket now.

IT RUNS!!!!!!!!!!

The pulley and timing cover finally arrived today-and all in all it went together well.
It runs very nice-and holds the oil in now.
I'm waiting on a head unit-and will tackle the dash when it arrives.

awsome, and it only took 8 months to get it there:D