1994 Honda Civic won't start

Hi,

My 94 Honda Civic EX automatic will not start. It has plenty of battery juice, and turns over, just no ignition. Any recommendations? I'd like to try to fix this without going into a shop.

Related info: It's very humid, rainy. This happened a once couple months ago, and seemed to resolv itself w/o repair.

Thanks.

Reply to
hutchtoo
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Are you getting spark? Usually ignition problems that show up when it is humid or raining are related to your cap, rotor and wires. If it has been a while since they've been replaced, replace them. Use original Honda components - they are a little more expensive, but do tend to be better and last longer than aftermarket.

You if you are not getting any kind of spark, it could also be your ignitor. This is an electronic component inside your distributor and commonly fails on Hondas. Here's some really good info on it:

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Hope you'll fix it soon. Remco

Reply to
Remco

Looks like you are located in Waltham, Massachusetts. If it rainy and freezing I'd make sure the distributor seal is in perfect condition to keep the moisture out. Use dielectric grease to seal the ends of the plug wires.

In this image distributor seal is part #10

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Reply to
B Squareman

I agree about the moisture, particularly affecting the distributor cap.

I'd start with replacing the cap (the part costs about $20). Still no start, then change the plugs ($10-$20). Then the wires ($50-$75). Then the rotor ($15?).

If you have a voltmeter, you should be able to check the resistance of the wires.

Alternatively, post the age (in years and miles of each of the above), and people can comment further.

Agreed. A new ignitor will run about $100.

Buy OEM everything.

Reply to
Elle

=====================================

Hutchtoo,

Don't go off pursuing any untamed ornithoids. (wild goose chase). Electronic components don't fail overnight. Spark plugs don't get fouled overnight. We had the same problem on our Odyssey. One morning it just wouldn't start. Spun good, but no start. If I had realized that one of my injectors had simply dripped a load of fuel into the engine overnight, I would have opened the Owner's Manual and found the part about how to start a 'flooded engine'.

Hold the pedal to the floor crank the starter for up to fifteen seconds. When it starts to run, back off the pedal. It may blow a bit of smoke. Run a tank of Gasohol or a bottle of injector cleaner thru it.

'Curly'

Reply to
'Curly Q. Links'

"hutchtoo" wrote in news:6J-dndYBbPb2aY snipped-for-privacy@rcn.net:

It could also be a bad main relay.

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tegger.com is also a great Honda/Acura info database.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Good to know. Though both times this happened with a cold start (albeit in warm humid weather). Distributor assy seems to be the top suspect based on most of the feedback....

Reply to
hutchtoo

How conclusive is this test? I've heard varying opinions.

Greg.

Reply to
Greg

(I don't know how technical you are - please pardon anything here that's blatantly obvious to you.)

Have you checked for moisture in the distributor cap? That's the classic rainy-day ignition problem. (It's even been immortalized in song, by Ed's Redeeming Qualities: "And if your car won't start in the rain / New distributor cap".) Easy to check - label the plug wires (so you can be sure to put them back correctly!) and disconnect them from the distributor, remove the cap, and wipe the inside with a tissue or something similar to see if there's moisture inside. Cheap to fix, if it's just the cap - you can get a replacement cap and rotor for many cars from places like Carquest for under $20. (I don't know how much a '94 Civic's is, but it doesn't seem like something that'd be unusually expensive.)

My '93 Civic EX (manual) had that problem, and also occasional stalling. Initially thought it was the alternator because when the car would start, alternator output often would be fine initially but then drop.

Turned out that the ignition switch was bad, and some of the contacts were failing intermittently. Moisture seemed to aggravate the problem. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to diagnose this one myself - it was my shop that finally tracked it down, after I'd looked at the alternator and various other things - so I'm not sure what the best way to test for it would be. If removing the switch isn't difficult, I'd probably try checking it with an ohm meter for a reliable connection between the appropriate points at the various key positions.

Reply to
Michael Wojcik

"Greg" wrote

If you mean that a wire whose resistance is in spec is not necessarily fine, then I agree. But if the resistance is way high, the spark at the plug will be inadequate, and this may be the cause of the no start. (Note: I am going on the assumption people have all-in-one electric meter gadgets that include both a voltmeter and ohmmeter, among other testing features. I just called these gadgets "voltmeters" for short.)

Ways to check plug wires are discussed a lot on the web. Google for {plugs wires resistance check}, and see for example:

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(see the tips on wiretesting at the bottom)
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Reply to
Elle

"hutchtoo" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Actually, distributor cap and wires are both equally likely suspects. Moisture/insulation breakdown/cracks will all leak voltage to ground on wet days.

This is the sort of thing regular maintenance prevents 100%.

And use OEM. Forget the aftermarket shit. It's false economy.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

"hutchtoo" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

A symptom of a bad MR.(not humidity,though) even just whacking the MR can temporarily 'fix' it and get your car started.Lose fuel pressure and your car will not start,and you can crank until the battery is dead.

Yes,but it's very easy to resolder the main relay and *eliminate* it as a source of trouble.Much easier than messing with the distributor.

I note the others have you swapping parts right off the start. Parts cost money.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Jim Yanik wrote in news:Xns96C1C98B3E057jyanikkuanet@129.250.170.86:

You mean me? You're right.

I forgot the most obvious method of temporarily fixing a moisture problem: Wipe off the rotor and the inside of the distributor cap, wipe off all the plug wires. Spray wires with WD-40 (don't wipe WD-40 off). Reinstall. If it still won't start, then it's something else.

Reply to
TeGGeR®

"TeGGeR®" wrote in news:Xns96C1CEA23FB40tegger@207.14.113.17:

Not just you,and no offense meant to any of you.

The Honda main relay is such a common,frequent problem,and she DID say WARM along with humid,and beginning with a cold start;sounded just like the MR problem. It's a problem easily eliminated without new parts,IF one has the tools and skillset.

I think you folks saw the words 'humid' and 'ignition'(which I took to meaning "not firing up",or starting),and put together -ignition problems- (no spark),which IMO,are a bit less common than the relay problem.

I also think that if it were ignition problems,the 'starting' would be a bit rough,like misfiring,where she said it just cranked and didn't start.

I still could be wrong,and you folks could be right,though.

I just read it a little differently.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Easy to solder, but not easy to remove it from inside the dash.

Reply to
B Squareman

The OP's problem is due to moisture from his climate change. Leaky injectors would leak wet or dry, no?

The OP should check for sparks and observe the smoke from the tailpipe to fill us in to real nature of the problem.

Reply to
B Squareman

"B Squareman" wrote in news:U3SQe.967$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com:

It is if you remove the knee bolster.

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Reply to
TeGGeR®

That's the problem. Not too hard to find but really tough to extract. I'm going to have to go spend at least $20+ on wrench extensions to get this thing out...

Reply to
hutchtoo

Even with the bolster out, in the 94 civic there are other parts that prevent me from using my normal wrench. The main relay (I assume this is it, looks like the pictures on the page above) is to the left of the fusebox, wedged up against the left above the hood latch in a tight spot.

Reply to
hutchtoo

When I saw the words humid and ignition, I asked if he had spark or even a weak one. Usually my answers go like "does it do this?", "If so, check this..".

Since he then asked about OEM vs aftermarket parts, it was my (and probably everyone's) conclusion that he lost spark.

Humidity is actually a fairly common cause of a no-start. He could have easily have a cracked cap. Replacing this components periodically, especially if they've never been replaced, is just good maintenance.

To just swap parts is expensive but I don't think that was suggested.

Remco

Reply to
Remco

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