"Eric" <say.no@spam.now> wrote
> Caroline wrote:
> >
> > Dunno about the codes (engine flooded now?) but based on a lot of
> > reading here and experience with my own 1991 Civic LX sedan, the
> > leading causes of early 1990s Civics not starting (but the
distributor
> > rotor turns) are:
> >
> > 1.
> > Failed distributor ignitor. How old is the current one? They last
> > maybe 100k miles. The following sites are helpful on the subject:
> >
> > http://www.markl.f9.co.uk/howto/elec...er/igniter.htm
> >
> > www.autozone.com click on the links to the free repair guides. Put
in
> > your car's info. Go to engine electrical, distributor, etc. for
some
> > checks you can do on the ignitor.
>
> I believe that the original poster noted that he had spark. A
failed
> ignitor would yield a no spark conditon, correct?

This point also came up a year or so ago. I thought there wasn't a
clear consensus on it. Or we said it might depend on the specific
failure within the ignitor. Can't remember. I could be wrong, re the
spark.

> > 2.
> > Failed main relay. But you say you hear the fuel pump running, so
I'd
> > lean towards 1. Also, it's usually an intermittent problem: The
car is
> > drivine for awhile, stopped, then won't start for awhile, then
after
> > sitting it will start.
> >
>
> I'll second the main relay. The symptoms described by the original
poster
> are classic for a failed main relay, i.e., park it, let it set 5-15
minutes,

I thought he implied the car is dead right now; it ain't starting no
way no how.

That's why I leaned towards the ignitor.

> then no start.

He hears the fuel pump running, no?

Anyway, as always this should be interesting.