Check out some similar questions!

jAkUp · Apr 3, 2005, 09:01 PM

Please help guys, let me first say that I don't really know much about cars, just a little.

A few weeks ago my engine overheated because of a failed radiator. Me and my dad replaced the radiator, and discovered water was leaking into the engine, it occasionally ran a little rough on start, but that wasn't main concern.

Today we were going to try to solve the problem by tightening the head bolts, we checked out the timing belt and also changed the spark plugs because they seemed a little worn. After we put everything together, now the car will not start at all. It cranks, but does not fire up. It was later determined that we were only occasionally getting sparks... sometimes we will, other times we won't. Either way the car will not start. Very confusing to us since it worked fine just yesterday.

We tried the old spark plugs, checked the fuses, cables. I want to check the main relay, does anyone know where this is located on a 95 honda civic? Tried to take off rotor but it seemed stuck... might be able to pry off. Any ideas?

thebriggsdude · Apr 3, 2005, 11:19 PM

Water leaking into the engine? Did you check and make sure the gasket was still good, that may need replacing and may be wetting the plugs unless you pull them out and they are dry. Oh and have you also changed the oil, water leaking into the comb. Chamber will get into the oil. Not sure on the rest, I'm not familiar too much with hondas but don't pry off the rotor, that'll just screw it up even more. But of course I really never removed one.

labman · Apr 4, 2005, 08:03 AM

I am not sure about tightening the head bolts. You may add a cracked head to a bad gasket. On the other hand, the head may already be cracked. If the head gasket is OK, but just leaking a little, tightening the head bolts may work. If you have a very serious leak, likely the gasket is shot, and maybe the head too. This is very likely if it had a slow leak that suddenly got much worse. Are you sure the radiator was bad, or did it over heat because the gasket was bad?

CroCivic91 · Apr 4, 2005, 09:54 AM

Let me add the specs that Honda gives about tightening the head bolts.

If you have a 94-96 D15B7 Civic, you should not tighten it to more than 30Nm at first stage, and not more than 65Nm at second stage of tightening.

If you have a 95-01 D15Z3 Civic, you should not tighten it to more than 29Nm at first stage, and not more than 72Nm at second stage of tightening.

If you have a 91-95 D15Z1 Civic, you should not tighten it to more than 30Nm at first stage, and not more than 73Nm at second stage of tightening.

So, if you take the head off to replace the gasket, and you put the head back on, you should tighten the bolts in order like this:

INTAKE SIDE
8 6 2 4 10
9 3 1 5 7
EXHAUST SIDE

When tightening the bolts, tighten all of them in that order in 2 stages: first torque them to (for example) 29Nm, and when you tightened them ALL to 29Nm, go all over again from the 1st (on the given "chart") and torque it down to the next value (in our example: 72Nm).

If you need to convert Nm to lbs-ft, look at http://www.tdiclub.com/misc/conversions.html

For a quick list...
29Nm = 21.39 lbs-ft
30Nm = 22.13 lbs-ft
65Nm = 47.94 lbs-ft
72Nm = 53.10 lbs-ft
73Nm = 53.84 lbs-ft

jAkUp · Apr 4, 2005, 11:51 AM

Thanks for the replys guys, we used a torque wrench and just tightened a little... I have the honda book and it has all the torques to set and the order... thanks a lot for the guide crocivic, I will compare to what the book says!

Yes we knew the radiator was blown since all the liquid squirted out the top, we took a hose and was able to recreate that. I replaced the radiator and it ran fine... just, after the car would sit, the next time I would start it, it would be a little rough, and white smoke was emitting out of the tailpipe. After I stepped on the gas the rough start, and smoke would go away.

I do not think the spark plugs are even sparking at all.. but I will check later. We also tried starter fluid and the car still will not start...

thebriggsdude · Apr 4, 2005, 05:18 PM

Umm that white smoke may very well be some antifreeze/water leaking in. and could be wetting the plugs

danny phonsavath · Mar 28, 2007, 08:38 PM

I believe the timing might be off. Are all your timing marks aligned at top dead center? If u removed the timing belt you need to make sure that the timing is on or it won't start

whailey · Mar 28, 2007, 09:41 PM

First off Hondas have a bad habit of warping the heads when they overheat. That could cause the water in oil. Have the head checked and surfaced. That could solve some of your problems.

derrickwash · Aug 30, 2009, 08:34 PM

1995 Honda civic would not start change both of the clutch switch still don't do anything . I know it's not the starter,alternater,or the battery. Do what could it be.

jdmd15b2 · Nov 21, 2010, 09:59 PM

It could be you coil in the distributer. My car did about the same thing one day I drove it home and latter I tried to go out agen and the car would not start I have rebilt every inch of my 94 civic starting with a jdm motor but I think its you coil I know civics pretty good...