91 Honda Civic 1.5 won't start

pnkl80 · #1 Jan 27, 2006, 07:22 AM

I bought this car...it ran terrible. I had the fuel tank and lines drained due to contaminated fuel. then I had a tune up done to it by my friend who is a Honda Mechanic. It ran but continued to have a miss (w/ no noise) just a jerk in the car that I could feel and my passengers. If and when it would stall I would have a hard time getting it to start back up. The other day when I was driving home it started missing, and missing really bad...then the car lost all power w/ out a sound. The battery light came on and the oil light. i coasted to a stop. tried to start it. It turned over faster then normal (it usually started slow) but would never actually start. One of friends has suggested it may be the fuel pump. >>> Please help!

Lotta · Jan 27, 2006, 09:03 AM

It sounds like you may have a broken timing belt. On some hondas when the timing belt breaks then it can cause severe engine damage.

pnkl80 · Jan 27, 2006, 09:21 AM

If it is in fact the timing belt. And if it has caused severe engine damage...would it sound liek it while I am trying to start it or would this be something that would be discovered through a mechanic looking at it. ??? Thanks for your input.

Lotta · Jan 27, 2006, 09:42 AM

If the timing belt is broken then sound that it would make would be more of a high whinning sound. The timing belt moves the internal parts of the engine (ie. valves, crankshaft, pistons...) and keeps them in the proper position during the engine cycle. When you try to start it with the timing belt broken all that is turning would be the starter and not the rest of the engine. So the only sound that you would hear would be the starter rotating. Some engines have a small opening that you can look inside to see the timing belt. You can take out a spark plug and see if the piston is going up and down when you try to start it (need two people for this test) or just have someone try to start the engine with the spark plug out and see if you can feel air coming out of the spark plug opening. If the timing belt is broken then the pistons will not move up and down and you will not feel any air coming out of the spark plug opening.

Lotta · Jan 27, 2006, 09:44 AM

Do you know if the timing belt has ever been changed?

pnkl80 · Jan 27, 2006, 11:24 AM

I do not know. I am the 3rd or 4th owner. I bought this car for $500. It had not a drop of oil or coilant in it...I have brought it a long way but that miss was something I couldn't seem to get worked out. I would bet this is the original belt. I think it was the original everything when I got it. luckily it doesn't leak a drop of anything. so I hope when I track this problem down it will be the end of my mechanical problems for a long time.

pnkl80 · Jan 27, 2006, 11:26 AM

OH...and it doesn't make a bad noise when I try to start it, it sounds absolutely normal it just wont fire. but turns over with ease.

Lotta · Jan 27, 2006, 02:23 PM

If it sounds normal then check to see if you have spark going to the spark plugs. If not, then check the distributor. You may have bad/worn spark plug wires. If you are getting spark then you may not be getting fuel. Could be a plugged fuel filter or the fuel pump may be wearing out.

CroCivic91 · Jan 27, 2006, 03:29 PM

2 Lotta: It is not true that if your timing belt breaks that your pistons will not move up and down. Starter motor is connected to the crankshaft, and when you start the car, the crankshaft turns. Crankshaft is turning the camshaft (and hence the distributor) through the timing belt. If the timing belt breaks, your pistons will move, but your valves will stay where they are, because the camshaft will not move and hence the valves won't move...so they'll probably get hit by the pistons - causing SEVERE engine damage.

The easiest way to check for a broken timing belt is to take the distributor cap off (it's the black plastic thing from which 4 wires go out to the spark plugs - you remove it by unbolting 3 bolts on it - just make sure you leave the wires connected to it, since it's very easy to forget where each wire went), and have someone crank the car while you check to see if the rotor is turning. Rotor is connected to the camshaft, which is connected with a timing belt to a crankshaft. If there is no belt (broken or missing), camshaft won't get turned, and neither will the rotor.

Have you checked your error codes? Checked the FAQ for checking for fuel and spark?

Lotta · Jan 27, 2006, 05:23 PM

I meant to say the valves and not the pistons. (I was multi-tasking....posting here, reading other emails, sending a fax and talking on the phone)