k so i have a 93 civic lx, 4 door, with a stock D15b7.
im not a civic junkie, but i know what i need to know.
this is my first civic and im very stuck!

about 10-30% of the time my car just will not turn over. no matter what i do, ie: play with the spark plug wires, pump the gas, pump the clutch, it just wont go, but if i just give up and wait about about 10 or 20 minutes and try again it will usually start up no problem...

also about 30% of the time, when the car is started, my check engine light comes on and the car runs like **** ie: shakey and very slow acceleration, also if i let it get up to 4-5k RPM the car will begin to jerk, like it about to stall and im forced to throw it into the next gear. i replaced my O2 sensor thinking that was the problem, i also cleaned my spark plugs, and the plug wires... i've installed a more efficient air intake, but i still cant find out the issue.. im thinking fuel injection or i have a pressure problem.. a felow classmate suggested my head gasket.. but it may also be my distributor.. but it is only a year old. anyone?? please help! it needs to be solved before winter!!

 

How many km's on the car?

You say 20-30% of the time the engine won't turn over. By that do you mean you turn the key and nothing happens? (the engine is not turning over, the starter is not doing anything) OR do you mean the egnine cranks over but is not firing and will not start?

It could be a number of things. If the ignition system (spark plugs, wires, distributor, cap & rotor, coil) is all good, then I'd look at the fuel system next. When was the last time the fuel filter was changed? Could also be dirty injectors. Could try running some fuel injection cleaner through it.

Is there any excessive smoke coming out the tail pipe of blue or white colour?

 

theres 270k, but its very very clean, all my filters have been changed, no smoke, it doesnt burn oil, and yes it cranks, but it just wont spark up.

 

I would check your battery cables. Mainly your ground at both ends.

 

i have brand new grounds!!

 

Pull one spark plug out, connect the ignition wire to it and let it rest touching the valve cover (so it can ground itself). Get someone to crank over the engine and watch the plug to see how strong the spark is.

If the spark it gives off is strong (should be blue/white and very visible) then it could be a fuel system issue.

Check the fuel pump fuse and relay. If they are good and the fuel filter is good, then check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail.

To check the fuel pump relay, when you first turn the key to the 'on' or 'running' position (not starting the egnine) you should be able to hear it click on and then off again after a few seconds. If you hear nothing you may have a bad fuel pump relay. You should be able to hear the pump buzzing as well. May need someone to turn the key while you listen as it can be hard to hear.

 

my plugs are fine. their sparking up no problem. so it must be a pressure... but what i have noticed, is if the car starts up. and the check engine light comes on. it will run like ****, so ill just suck it up and run it anyways, but after about 5-10 minutes, if i turn the car off. and turn it back on. majority of the time, the car starts up and runs perfectly normal... so its more a an anoyance than a problem...

 

I would pull the code, the ECU will have them stored. Start from there and it might help you in the right direction.

 

Sounds like bad dizzy. Or bad igniter or coil or both. If you are getting spark what is the colour of the spark?

 

Have you tried Turning the car to run... waiting for the engine light to disapear, than trying to turn the car over?

A good Fuel Injector cleaner is about $20 and connects to a vacuum line.

Check your code, with your OBD1 it's very easy, youtube for videos.

I was going to say check your Negative/Ground to battery, but you knocked that one.

The Distributor and stuff is outta my league. But I know you can meassure the voltage of it to check your ingitor

Good Luck!

 

If it's throwing a light and running like garbage, then you need to pull the code and that should tell you whats happening.

You didn't state before that sometimes it runs fine with no CEL... Oh wait you did! I didn't see that before.

 

To make a spark plug jump the gap at atmospheric pressure it takes about 3-4000volts. To make it jump the gap in the engine with compression it takes about 8000-18,000volts. BIG difference. Just because it jumps the gap on the valve cover doesn't mean ****.

My recommendation: bring the car to a mechanic for a proper diagnostic. Replacing parts is going to wind up costing you more than a one or two hour diagnosis.

 

thanks guys opened my eyes to some stuff i never would of thought of..
know of any really good diagnostic places in the south/east end of brampton?

 

If your in Brampton check out Dave Stirk. He's on Highway 10 between Sandalwood and Fisherman drive. My dad has been going to him for years, and he does very good work, and is an honest mechanc

 

Turn your car off. If you pull the carpet back under the glovebox/on the side wall, you will see two connectors loose. Take paperclip/piece of wire, bend it into a "U" and stick both ends into the two-pin connector. Turn your key to ACC position. Your engine light will flash in a series of long and short flashes. Count them. Ex. long-long-short = 21
Then refer to this:

 

To the OP: try to pull the code first to determine the problem.

Then, if you still can't fix it or diagnose the problem your self, take it to a trusted shop.

 

It depends on the OP's level of skill.

Don't know what your shop charges, Chris, but most shops charge at least around $100 per hour.

If he pulls the code, can replace the part himself and it solves the problem (which will most likely be the case) he then saves himself $100-$200 in labour costs alone.

 

im a little confused with all the codes and ecu stuff, i know nothing about that stuff actually... could someone put it into plain english for me, sorry for my rookieness, but im really trying to get this problem fixed.

 

Follow the steps in jamie1985's post above.

If that is too difficult for you then take it to a trusted shop for diagnosis/repair.

 

ya i am getting it done, my dads already lined me up a diagnostic through a customer of his. so i should be getting it done fairly soon.

is it done through a computer while driving the car? or is put on a dyno?

i beginning to think its a gasket, i found oil on a spark plug, quite a bit actually. my car seems to stall on its own once a day (while idling) once a day. and seems to of had the CEL on very frequiently,(i've noticed, you can usually predict the CEL will come on because the car will have some troubles firing up.) mind you it does go away after running the car for a while, killing it, and starting it back up.

and i'd say 2-4 times a week, the car just will not turn over. ill try numerously, give up. come back 10-20 minutes later. and it will most likely fiire up no problems.