Car starts then dies

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
Wassup guys, I tried to do some research but couldn't find the what I was looking for. So here is the story.
I have a 99 honda civic ex with a hx manual engine. Car was originally auto.

My problem right now is I just got a new clutch installed and after I got it from the mechanic the second day after my car died on me in the street which sucked. The car would start and when I would rev it up it would rev to about 3k then when I let of the gas and rev it again it lags and seems like it hesitates and the engine dies. Then when I would restart it and rev the engine again I can feel like it has trouble and then it dies again. And after that it would just crank.

At first we thought it was the battery, found out the battery was no good got it replaced did the same thing. So my good neighbor who used to be a mechanic try to diagnose the problem as to why it would start and then die. He thought it was the fuel filter changed it car started fine and then after a good warm up it died. My dad thinks it might be the fuel pump. I can hear it prime which I just found out right now actually, never actually notice the fuel pump primes when switch is open. So before I drop 130bucks on a new fuel pump maybe you guys may have this experience. I can't really drive to autozone to have them read the check engine which fyi, its permanently going to stay on.

I recently had my check engine light blinking but it went away after my neighbor mechanic simply unplugged the fuel injector sensors and plugged them back in and it was as if nothing had happen which as weird. But this was about a good month ago. Any help I would greatly appreciate, thanks.
 

Dominick

EM1crew.com
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
Clogged injector? Not sure. Mine idles super low (like 600) and flutters with dieing sometimes or is laggy with power when I accelerate. I feel ya man. Good luck to ya.
 


Dominick

EM1crew.com
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
thanks man. how do you get around with your car like that?
Mine only cuts off if it feels like it. haha. Its really random, the engine will sputter then go back up to 600ish rpm. If its cold out, then when I acclerate, sometimes there will be no power and seem like the car is off. But then it kicks back in and were all good.

But otherwise, its purely random and its based on luck. haha
 


James315

New Member
sounds like both you guys have tps problems i had both of you guys symptoms very recently and thats what it was for me my car would either start then die then when it didnt die i would randomly lose power also sometimes it would idle really low like 500 600 rpms and sometimes it would idle at like 1500 but anyways i would check your tps may not be bad but could need calibrating more than likely if has never been replaced its bad.
 

RonJ

Banned
What ECU are you using?

What CEL codes are thrown?

Are you saying that you have a low idle problem? Is that what is causing the engine to die when warm?
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
I will check out my tps tomorrow, I have a strong feeling that might be it.

And the ecu I am using is P2P : 96+ OBD-2 Civic EX Coupe as far as the codes I know it's not the right computer for the engine which is a d16y5 manual, I am unable to have it checked as the car dies right after start. But with James315 pointing out the low idle I did have a low idle and at times when I would press in the clutch to brake the idle will jump to 1500 and go down. As far it causing to die I don't think so, because when it's warmed up it at regular idle 800 - 1k at least.
 

RonJ

Banned
You are using a D16Y8 ECU with a D16Y5 engine. You should swap a Y8 head on the Y5 block and then the ECU would be a match.

The engine does not have to run to pull the CEL codes. Jump the service connector and read the blinking CEL. Click the CEL link in my signature.
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
I had a mechanic come out and check it out, when he read the codes it was throwing codes for a automatic transmission. so that wasnt no help and he figured it out by finding out there was a loose screw securing the distributor, its pretty crazy of how something like that can cause and engine to die and stuff:shock:

But that's what my dad says I have to get home and test drive around the block to make sure

UPDATE: car does not actually start no more :(
 
Last edited:

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
Here's a video of what it does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQqEBzM9e_Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player

we thought it was the coil but it's recently been replaced so we have other way to figure out whats causing the problem

Battery is new
Fuel filter is new

Here's another video of what it did the other day, I put the phone in the back seat so you guys to hear the pump prime which you can't hear lol. Just watch the first 40 seconds. The car will run then eventually die out the first video is what's its doing right now, no start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X8uyQJJmlM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
everything seemed fine but when I took out all four plugs the tips were covered in oil and smelled like it. I just looked into and found out it might be orings :(
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
Here's another look


Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

What do you think? I put new spark plugs in, started and choked and died at first after that I started it again and running like nothing happen, but after driving around to see if anything was to come up I stopped and turned the car off and turned it back on and it died again and I restarted it again and was running fine again... weird:???:
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
Yeah I know but I been driving my car with that ecu for about a year now and it runs fine. I don't see why the ecu would be the problem
 

RonJ

Banned
Pull the CEL codes yourself. You don't need a mechanic for that.

Replace those old spark plugs with new properly gapped NGK plugs and then check for spark.

If you don't plan on taking any advice, then don't waste our time trying to help you.
 

Logan98036wa

New Member
Registered VIP
5+ Year Member
well you can hold your wheel on with 2 lug nuts for a year but at some point down the road it wont work anymore. if its the wrong ecu maybe it cant correct what is happening. check it out put the right one in and see if it helps
 

civic_noobie

New Member
5+ Year Member
Pull the CEL codes yourself. You don't need a mechanic for that.

Replace those old spark plugs with new properly gapped NGK plugs and then check for spark.

If you don't plan on taking any advice, then don't waste our time trying to help you.
I got one flash from the CEL so thats the oxygen sensor 1.

As far as the spark plug test I don't have anyone to help me out with it will do it later in the evening and once it stop sprinkling over here.
 


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