Honda Car Forum

ok this is what i got. i have a 1990 civic and it wont start i found out
where there fuel relay was and put a new one on and it didnt help. the car
just turns over but dosnt start. i also changed the distruibitur and put a
new cap and rotor button on it. still it wont start. the timing belt was
changed about 20.000 miles ago so it shouldnt be it. im starting to think it
may be the fuel pump. its also getting fire at the pluggs and seems to be
getting gas to the injectors. im not sure if its getting enough presure
though. am i over looking anything please tell me. i have a haynes repair
book and its worthless. it says nothing in troubleshooting about the main
relay and i hear thats the biggest problem these civics have.

Since you are getting spark, your timing belt can't be broken. It might
have jumped a tooth, but that is less likely at 20K.

When you say that you changed the distributor, do you mean "the whole
distributor" or just the cap? If the whole thing, were you careful to
make sure you allign it correctly so the timing didn't change?
Are your injectors indeed firing?

Any codes?

bloodhound wrote:
> ok this is what i got. i have a 1990 civic and it wont start i found out
> where there fuel relay was and put a new one on and it didnt help. the car
> just turns over but dosnt start. i also changed the distruibitur and put a
> new cap and rotor button on it. still it wont start. the timing belt was
> changed about 20.000 miles ago so it shouldnt be it. im starting to think it
> may be the fuel pump. its also getting fire at the pluggs and seems to be
> getting gas to the injectors. im not sure if its getting enough presure
> though. am i over looking anything please tell me. i have a haynes repair
> book and its worthless. it says nothing in troubleshooting about the main
> relay and i hear thats the biggest problem these civics have.

------------------------

Hold the pedal to the floor and try starting it. It may just be flooded.
See the owner's manual for confirmation under 'starting'. If you've got
an injector sticking open, it can flood overnight.

'Curly'

See if you can start the car on 2+2 carb cleaner if so then a fule delevery
problem. [ps. never spray starting fluid into a cranking engine]

Ok You should hear three clicks in all during the starting process:
1) Turn key to ON, but not START: First click. Check Engine light comes on
and fuel pump buzzes for two seconds
2) Check Engine light goes off, fuel pump goes off at same time: Second
click
3) Turn key to START, engine cranks then fires: Third click

With the no-start condition, the first click is missing.
With the start-then-stall condition, the third click is missing.
How to fix? Well you can just replace the damn thing, or pay a mechanic to
do it. Or if you know how to pilot a soldering iron, you can touch up those
soldered connections on the printed circuit board. It's not hard to get the
cover off, it's just held on by plastic tabs at the edges. The main
difficulty is just getting at the thing. For fault finding instructions
here's a good site http://techauto.tripod.com/mainrelay.htm There was a
recall on 88-91 Honda Ignition control module failures, 1988-91 Civic (TSB
93028); If your car hashad the module replaced by the dealer there will be
a punch mark above the 2nd letter in the VIN# located on the engine
firewall passenger side.Look above the letter H I believe. Good Luck

Replace the coil.



On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 07:50:46 GMT, "bloodhound" <nopewrong@your.com>
wrote:

>ok this is what i got. i have a 1990 civic and it wont start i found out
>where there fuel relay was and put a new one on and it didnt help. the car
>just turns over but dosnt start. i also changed the distruibitur and put a
>new cap and rotor button on it. still it wont start. the timing belt was
>changed about 20.000 miles ago so it shouldnt be it. im starting to think it
>may be the fuel pump. its also getting fire at the pluggs and seems to be
>getting gas to the injectors. im not sure if its getting enough presure
>though. am i over looking anything please tell me. i have a haynes repair
>book and its worthless. it says nothing in troubleshooting about the main
>relay and i hear thats the biggest problem these civics have.
>

On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 07:50:46 GMT, "bloodhound" <nopewrong@your.com>
wrote:

>ok this is what i got. i have a 1990 civic and it wont start i found
>out where there fuel relay was and put a new one on and it didnt help.



Then it was fine to begin with.


>the car just turns over but dosnt start. i also changed the
>distruibitur and put a new cap and rotor button on it. still it wont
>start.


Did you change the ENTIRE distributor, including the coil and igniter?
That's what it sounds like.

How are the plug wires? Is it wet and rainy where you are?

How old are the plugs?

Did you have trouble starting the car before this, or did the problem just
show up all of a sudden?



> the timing belt was changed about 20.000 miles ago so it
>shouldnt be it. im starting to think it may be the fuel pump. its also
>getting fire at the pluggs and seems to be getting gas to the
>injectors.


How do you know?


>im not sure if its getting enough presure though. am i over
>looking anything please tell me. i have a haynes repair book and its
>worthless. it says nothing in troubleshooting about the main relay and
>i hear thats the biggest problem these civics have.
>


http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling



--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Just to add, there was a recall on the ignitor in the 88-91 series.


Dan

"TeGGer®" <tegger@istop.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns95EE6211FAB39teggeratistop@207.14.113.17.. .
>
> On Sat, 01 Jan 2005 07:50:46 GMT, "bloodhound" <nopewrong@your.com>
> wrote:
>
> >ok this is what i got. i have a 1990 civic and it wont start i found
> >out where there fuel relay was and put a new one on and it didnt help.
>
>
>
> Then it was fine to begin with.
>
>
> >the car just turns over but dosnt start. i also changed the
> >distruibitur and put a new cap and rotor button on it. still it wont
> >start.
>
>
> Did you change the ENTIRE distributor, including the coil and igniter?
> That's what it sounds like.
>
> How are the plug wires? Is it wet and rainy where you are?
>
> How old are the plugs?
>
> Did you have trouble starting the car before this, or did the problem just
> show up all of a sudden?
>
>
>
> > the timing belt was changed about 20.000 miles ago so it
> >shouldnt be it. im starting to think it may be the fuel pump. its also
> >getting fire at the pluggs and seems to be getting gas to the
> >injectors.
>
>
> How do you know?
>
>
> >im not sure if its getting enough presure though. am i over
> >looking anything please tell me. i have a haynes repair book and its
> >worthless. it says nothing in troubleshooting about the main relay and
> >i hear thats the biggest problem these civics have.
> >
>
>
> http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/faq.html#stalling
>
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

"dan martin" <nospamdwmartin@idirect.com> wrote in
news:z6-dnWXpuYDScGPcRVn-1w@look.ca:

> Just to add, there was a recall on the ignitor in the 88-91 series.



Only the '89-'90 from what I remember. The '91 had the updated igniter, one
of which I've got.

Anything that old has already either had it replaced under the recall or
has had it fail by now. I don't think there are too many originals around
any more.

Actually, '91 seems to have been the "sweet spot" for distributors. It has
the updated igniter, but is one year too early to have the "red dust"
failures and difficult-rotor-replacement issues of the later distributors.


--
TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

Hmm, perhaps a regional thing, I distictly recall the service rep at the
dealership asking if I had my ignitor repalced yet, when my car went in for
regualur service, many years ago. Interesting.

Maybe they had a run of 91's with 90 ignition parts?

Damn good car though, had the fuel relay go, touched it up with a soldering
iron and haven;t had the problem since. Did a friends too, and he never had
a problem again, until the car was stolen.......

cheers

Dan


"TeGGer®" <tegger@istop.c0m> wrote in message
news:Xns95F01BF2CB009teggeratistop@207.14.113.17.. .
> "dan martin" <nospamdwmartin@idirect.com> wrote in
> news:z6-dnWXpuYDScGPcRVn-1w@look.ca:
>
> > Just to add, there was a recall on the ignitor in the 88-91 series.
>
>
>
> Only the '89-'90 from what I remember. The '91 had the updated igniter,
one
> of which I've got.
>
> Anything that old has already either had it replaced under the recall or
> has had it fail by now. I don't think there are too many originals around
> any more.
>
> Actually, '91 seems to have been the "sweet spot" for distributors. It has
> the updated igniter, but is one year too early to have the "red dust"
> failures and difficult-rotor-replacement issues of the later distributors.
>
>
> --
> TeGGeR®
>
> The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
> www.tegger.com/hondafaq/