Engine cranks, but car won't start

[preludude]

Those cases are all true, but the difference being that the main relay problem would allow your car to start fine when its cold, but after it warms up it will be hard to start. I had that problem too.

and the second one sounds more like a battery problem b/c when your battery dies you can still start a manual 5speed car by pusshing it even with the batter dead.

 

[crxtasy1]

my car has recently done the same thing...but mine is a little different.
I have a '91 JDM/EDM crx with a B16A swap...it has been running fine since the day i put it in 2 years ago...but just the other day i went to leave work and started up and my car as normal...then as i was pulling out of the parking lot it just quit. everything still worked and all. Thats when it started the whole "will crank, but wont start" dilemma that seems to be pissin quite a few ppl off lol.

I have checked the dizzy, all four SP wires have spark, i loosened the fuel return and fuel came out when i cranked it over, i even bought a new main relay, and the fuel pump is hear when i have the key in the on pos...but it wont go off, it just continuously runs untill i turn the key to the off pos

I also heard that if i spray come starter fluid in the intake and it starts then i will kno if its an electrical prob or not. is this recommeded or no?

what ever help i can get would be much appreciated, being that i just moved back from europe and really need this car to run so i can keep my job...

 

[91prelude]

'91 prelude engine change..now won't start!

Hi guys, new to this forum was doing some google searching cos I'm stumped on what to do to get my prelude running again. Quick rundown; the motor blew up (threw a rod out the block) and I bought a good secondhand complete engine from hondwreck in Clayton. Put new engine in wired up all looms plugs, hoses etc. go to start it crank turns over and over again but no start..read through this forum a bit for advice, will try some of suggested ideas like checking for spark etc.

Also the ECU is flashing some LEDs but doubt this would affect the engine from starting..or can it?? Sorry I'm not very skilled with these jap cars I'm used to working on old school cars..haha any help (ASAP cos I need to get it running to get to work) would be much appreciated.

P.s it's a imported 1991 prelude, which I found the wiring to be a bit different to the loom on the 1989 b20a motor I bought for it.

Regards,
Ren

 

[madvtec_2008]

I would just pull your plugs...see if there wet or dry that would be my first step if there wet no spark if there dry no fuel simple even if the pump pressures up your injectors may not be pulsating.

 

[91prelude]

Hey there, checked plugs they're dry..guess I'll be pulling off the fuel rail and injectors then..I have some spare injectors from other engine I can use..will post here if anything changes..just desperately need to get this car started today..

Cheers,

 

[madvtec_2008]

You are sure you have fuel pressure? Do you have a gauge or did you just purge it?

 

[91prelude]

An update:

So have now checked all 4 plugs for spark and theyre all firing..then checked all plugs for wet (fuel) and only cylinders 2,3&4 are wet plugs, cylinder 1 is dry..

Replaced all fuel injection plugs, no difference..

Now I'm changing the distributor..

 

[91prelude]

You are sure you have fuel pressure? Do you have a gauge or did you just purge it?

No pressure gauge, just undid the big 17mm nut on fuel line to the fuel rail and pisses out fuel when ignition is on.

 

[madvtec_2008]

How old are your plugs?

 

[madvtec_2008]

You should see what the sequence the flashing is in to see what code it is...the ecu is trying to tell you something is wrong

 

[91prelude]

The plugs aren't that old, don't know how old the plugs in the new motor are that I bought, but used the plugs from my blown up motor which I had done a service on and replaced those plugs not too long ago. Have checked for spark from plugs with all 4 leads with a plug in them outside of the motor and can see simultaneous sparks from all 4 when trying to start car.

When I put plugs back in to head of engine, and tried to start, quickly pulled plugs out before the fuel dries on plugs to check if they were wet, but as mentioned earlier cylinder 1 plug remains dry.

Also tried another test, with the distributor removed from the engine, and with only the lead to ignition coil connected tried starting to see if dizzy spins (as if was spinning to turn camshaft) and it doesn't move at all

Going to take car to hond world first thing Monday morning, let them fix it I CBF anymore..lol too hard to figure out, plus I can't find a error code chart online for a '91 prelude so I can't look up the ECU error code.

Ren

 

[CAFROG]

Just look up OBD0 codes. They will be applicable to your car. I cannot verify where but somewhere under the hood on the passenger side.....there is a service plug that you complete the circuit with (by using a paper clip) and it will make the CEL on the dash flash the code (like Morris code). Or I believe you can read the blinks on the ECU itself.

If there are flashes that seem long then they are increments of "10's" and short flashes are increments of "1's"

Example: 4 long flashes and 1 quick blink means you have a code 41 which is oxygen




'88-91' PGMFI OBD 0


Code 0 ECU
Code 1 Oxygen content A
Code 2 Oxygen content B
Code 3 MAP sensor
Code 4 Crank angle sensor
Code 5 MAP sensor
Code 6 Coolant temperature
Code 7 TPS sensor
Code 8 TDC position sensor
Code 9 No.1 cylinder position sensor
Code 10 Intake air temperature sensor
Code 11
Code 12 Exhaust gas recirculation system
Code 13 Atmospheric pressure sensor
Code 14 Electronic idle control
Code 15 Ignition output signal
Code 16 Fuel injector
Code 17 Vehicle speed sensor

 

[91prelude]

Hi again, first off..thought I might post this in a different area on the forums, seeing I've hijacked this thread about my prelude engine problems...haha if the moderators want to move this thread please do so.

Okay thanks so far for all help given has been helpful. So I have got the car back from mechanics and it drives fine still need some things done though. However just now driving home from work (and I work nightshift) left work before and started the car up which was a bit cold from sitting outside. Drove fine for about 10 mins and then noticed something not right. All of a sudden the s4 light keeps flashing on dashboard and the check engine light is on.

Then the car started to lose power and felt like it was gonna stall if I came to a stop at the traffic lights. Then noticed the temp gauge shot up to above hot and could hear hissing of steam from engine bay, so I nurtured it back home (only another 10min drive) and then now just turned it off..

Looks like gotta have a look at it tomorrow..any ideas??

Thanks heaps,
Ren

 

[kritiana08]

read the faq- there's a post entitle this exact thing by wild bill

That FAQ thing doesn't help for $hit. I had the same problem and it came out of nowhere. The car would crank and wouldnot turnover b/c of the ignition module in the distributor. It's a common problem with almost all japanese engines with high mileage. Mine had 150k on it when it died on me.
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[BONNARSKI]

Sorry for another hijack on this topic but i have a 1991 EF CRX (UKDM) with a B16A1 on OBD0.

After a the dizzy went bad, i have finally got the car to spark and fuel but it won't start. I have the center section off the car so when cranking i can hear it give a pop every so often as if it's trying to start.

The timing is spot on, good plugs/leads etc, fuel on all cylinders, no fault codes on the ECU.

I'm running out of ideas here, anybody anything that will explain?

 

[dc4dude]

First off, dont thread jack... Start up your own thread... And second, you sure you have the rotor pointed in the right direction inside the distributor? I know that in the earlier engines it isnt a one way installation...

 

[BONNARSKI]

I have three dizzys here, the OBD0 and 2 OBD1's and the rotor can only go on one way.

As for thread jacking, after going through google and not finding anything apart from this thread that has all the relevant info on the problem that my car is suffering it's the only place to start to ask. If i started my own then any of the other people on this thread that are suffering the same problem might not find mines, then if i found a cure they wouldn't see it.

So thanks for that idea, most helpful lol

 

[BONNARSKI]

Anybody?

 

[BONNARSKI]

This must of never happened anybody else who has owned a Honda then

 

[BONNARSKI]

Tried a good set of spark plugs in it today and it's doing the same as when i clean and dry the original plugs.

When the plugs are dry, i crank the engine and it gives two loud bangs out the exhaust then just cranks. Then when the plugs are removed they are all soaking with fuel.

This to me shows that when the plugs are dry they aren't wet enough to flood so give the bangs but the bangs are far too loud which shows too much fuel.

Would either a problem with the dizzy or the ecu make it over fuel to this degree?