civic won't start

Sounds like everything is there for it to fire.

But then you wouldn't be getting spark, right? Fuel pump is working, since you say that fuel is going in.

The timing is the only thing in question at this point. Are you sure that it's correct? You don't say what years, so does it have distrubutor? Is #1 cylinder at TDC when rotor is at wire #1? If it's solid state, there is a chance that the computer is fubar and not firing when it should. Timing would really need to be bad to not fire up at all.

Have you tried spraying starting fluid into the intake and turning over?

Does it fire at all? Anything sound like it's trying to fire up?

Isn't it true that all cars will start and run without the computer? Mine is supposed to. They go into some sort of fall back mode which will get you home with lower fuel efficiency and higher emissions.

I'd remove the spark plugs and wipe them dry. If the engine is getting both fuel and spark the problem could be the air-fuel mixture, spark timing, or valve timing. My car has a carburettor and automatic choke which can be fooled by hand. I don't know how it might be done with a fuel injection system. The valve timing is governed by the timing belt connecting the crank shaft and cam shaft. The spark timing is governed by the distrubutor which also runs off the cam shaft. So it's important that the timing belt is on right. As the other poster wrote, the distributor rotor has to point to the #1 cylinder spark plug when when the engine is in TDC (top dead centre) position on the compression stroke.

Hope that's not too basic. Afraid my knowledge is limited to pretty basic stuff. :)

My vote is on the timing... The engine has two top dead centers, one on the compression stroke when the valves are closed and one on the exhaust stroke.

You can put your finger into #1 sparkplug hole and feel for compression as you turn the engine over by hand with a wrench on the crank pulley or something. As the crank comes up to the timing mark, you will feel the compression under your finger.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Plug wires to the right plugs?

fasci> my civic was running rough, felt like it was running 3 cylinders, so to

May be, but my 92 civic just died when computer got fried...

To OP - why are you not 100% sure your timing is correct? Why don't you make sure it is? And I second plug wires, too, as well as all other connectors double-check.

I fear the ignition coil was zapped

- the picture is from my son's car when he used the starter to turn the engine without the coil going anywhere). The test you described is from the olden days when ignition coils didn't handle the amount of power they do now. Many modern coils can't handle it, and that definitely goes for Hondas. Mike

Didnt see this suggestion in the previous posts:

If I remember right it IS possible to install the distributor 180 degrees off. Check and make sure the dist. rotor is pointing to #1 when on the compression stroke at TDC.

-SP

fasci> my civic was running rough, felt like it was running 3 cylinders, so to

Yep... A common mistake. OTOH, being a mere 15-20 degrees off can cause you heartburn too..

JT

Speedy Pete wrote: