B16a2 engine turning over and sparking but not starting?!

[MurrayM_]

Recently bought a Honda Civic 95' hatch vti on friday (will upload a diary thread when i get a chance)

Picked it up on Saturday, the cars been lying for around a year so pre starting it I checked oil/water which was fine. Then put on jump leads, first turn of the key and it fired up fine. Left it on idle to warm up then began to tow it on towing bar as its not got mot/tax to the nearest fuel station.

Approaching the fuel station the car ran out of petrol and died, putting fuel in and went to jump start it but it wouldnt start up? it'd turn, turn and turn.. make the odd backfire/misfire but not start? Eventually managed to start it and managed to drive it for a bit but it was running very spluttery, not idling steady and not kicking well in vtec but would kinda go! After turning it off, it was the exact same starting again. Took about 15minutes to start up and still would idle but very burbly. Tried taking it for another run and it still seemed to run crap!

3rd time lucky i turned it off, left it for a bti.. fired it up and drove off and yet again still running very spluttery! But this time after turning it off, its not started again? I've taken plugs out, they were covered in oil but no water and its not roasted so im not thinking its the head gasket? I do now the rocker cover gaskets fudged but i've ordered a complete gasket and timing kit anyway! after cleaning plugs i checked for spark and there is a strong spark on all 4. Anyone got ideas what it could be?

 

[Dnguyen92]

could be the distributor. A common problem in the cars. Same thing happened to my integra I was able to drive it perfectly fine until I turned it off. This was like the first time I drove it too. Was sitting around in the owners house and all. And all my fluids were fine so it could just be a bad distributor or rotor.

 

[MurrayM_]

how would the disturbutor affect the running of the car? not too clue'd up! previous owner before the one i bought it off says it could be fuel filter?? it gave him a similar time after first buying it.

 

[Dnguyen92]

hmm well when the distributor is bad the sparks aren't firing up? Idk that's what my bro told me but i swapped mines out and it drove fine after that. Before I swapped it, the car would continue to crank but it would never turn over.

 

[MurrayM_]

well i've checked for spark and all 4 plugs are getting a good strong spark, or as good as they should for worn out plugs. i'm gonna buy some new leads, plugs, filters and oil the moro. It turns over fine, and theres no water in the oil to suggest the head gaskets gone so there should be enough compression to start. I do know for sure that the rocker cover gasket has gone, possibly the 'gromit' type rubbers for the plugs as there was oil sitting on top of the plugs pre buying it. This could weaken the spark i believe, but it should still at least start. I'm thinking now that maybe seen its been lying for say a year, the fuel will be pretty old and crap.. as well as that theres the gunk at te bottom of the tank. Im assuming from running it dry thats clogged the filter and thats whats causing it to run so bad, or not run at all now.. heres hoping anyway! fail that, anyone got any other ideas what it could be? Deffo seems lyk a fueling issue.

 

[L3IX]

To me it almost sounds like a timing issue... make Surrey that your cam gears and crankshafts pulpy all line up

 

[Blood_Shot]

check all of it

dont run in circles chasing your ass, timing, compression, spark,fuel.....do it all. It has been sitting for a year right

 

[MurrayM_]

well I got th engine to start tonight, put a new fuel filter on and first turn of th key it fired up! running on idle for 10 or so minutes without missing a beat I turned it off, go to turn it back on and back to square one? turns and turns with th odd backfire?!

 

[Dumped Ek]

grounds mayby?
fuel pump?

 

[MurrayM_]

what grounds? loads of pressure in fuel lines so can't see it being th pump, there's no whines or nothing.. relays ain't clicking. really running out of ideas now, tried new plugs and still no joy! any earths or anything near th starter or anything?

 

[mymmeryloss]

Timing is off if its backfiring.

Once u fix that, run some injector cleaner through it and possibly some seafoam!

 

[MurrayM_]

Started to think the timing had gone myself, after researching it did seem likely. Friday Morning I set th car up to be towed up to th garage for timing to be looked at (first year apprentice mechanic) so by no means an expert! Before towing it up gave fuses and sensors a double check, charged th battery up swell as it had died. Just leaving th house towing it thought I'd try bump starting it while going out my road, and literally a few metres along it fired up:S ran very spluttery for th first 20minutes, after going for a run it seemed to stop splutterying though.. And now is starting first turn of th key? I'm guessing it was dirty fuel in th system but not too sure? Gonna do gaskets and timing anyway as I've bought th kit

 

[scarhead92]

my car sat for two months with low fuel in the tank during that time i replaced fuel pump and filter but it wasnt till the car had new clean gas and ran for a lil bit that it cleared out. if it acts up again i had a similar problem and it was my ignitor