Topic: help with a 89 civic

[rusky]

Since this is an open forums. I have an 89 civic, and all of a sudden the car dont start. I checked the sparks. I am not getting any spark in any spark plug. I checked the distributor, it looks fairly new. So i dont want to spend 100 bucks on it yet. Any one have any ideas what else to check. Thanks

[ColinMc]

is it turning over? is it barely turning over...has it been sitting a while?

bad coil? just to randomly guess lol...
pop the cap off and check for corrosion?

idk need some more info about it...

[jsaab2748]

Does the distributor rotor turn when the engine is cranked? Make sure it does. If not, then niether is the camshaft, indicating a broken or stripped timing belt.

[rusky]

sorry forgot to add, it turns over fine. I drove it the night before it decided not to start. I checked the distributor cap for corrosion, almost none. The timing belt is good, i took off the valve cover and made sure. I was thinking some fuse or something simple.

[Alan F.]

I say check the coil wire to the distributor, verify the coil is getting power too, then try a different coil if you can.  But remember parts stores don't accept returns on electrical parts...maybe you know someone with a similar car you can borrow a coil from for testing? Maybe an inexpensive coil from a junkyard?

And if you've been cranking it trying to start it be aware that you just may get a backfire out the exhaust when you DO get spark to the plugs, some fuel has probably made it into your pipes during the cranking...BOOM!

-Alan

[Duke McDukiedook]

Bad coil.

[rusky]

Thanks for all your inputs. I probably check, replace the coil then.

[Alan F.]

Is it me, or do coils always tend to fail on rainy days?

[Duke McDukiedook]

Cold ones too.

[ColinMc]

Or if you are lucky, just when you are pulling in your driveway in a snowstorm. My 97 Jetta GLS I used to have...ugh

[bert96]

If you don't have spark AND fuel,it's probably your main relay,it's under the dash on the left side.I changed mine on my '93 but the other years seem to have the same problem too.


http://media.photobucket.com/image/civic%20main%20relay/ajohnmeyer/IMG_4816.jpg


Yours, will looks pretty much like this


Bert

[bert96]

Here's a better pic.

http://autorepair.about.com/library/graphics/005.jpg



Bert

[mark]

all these guesses and nobody said "igniter"?



bad coils are incredibly rare.

good luck.

[Alan F.]

all these guesses and nobody said "igniter"?

bad coils are incredibly rare.
good luck.

Does an 89 civic have one?

If you don't have spark AND fuel,it's probably your main relay,it's under the dash on the left side.I changed mine on my '93 but the other years seem to have the same problem too.
http://media.photobucket.com/image/civic%20main%20relay/ajohnmeyer/IMG_4816.jpg
Yours, will looks pretty much like this
Bert

Yup always carry a spare relay for troubleshooting when you have a Jetta.

Or if you are lucky, just when you are pulling in your driveway in a snowstorm. My 97 Jetta GLS I used to have...ugh

Yeah I had a 94 GL.........UGH is about right.

[mark]

all these guesses and nobody said "igniter"?

bad coils are incredibly rare.
good luck.

Does an 89 civic have one?

yep. and that's what the pic is. used '89-'91 IIRC.

[Alan F.]

bad coils are incredibly rare.

I guess you've never had a Jetta...

[mark]

I guess you've never had a Jetta...

no. and if I had, I would probably be too busy replacing their busted cheesy window regulators to notice a bad coil.

 

[Alan F.]

I guess you've never had a Jetta...

no. and if I had, I would probably be too busy replacing their busted cheesy window regulators to notice a bad coil.

 

I was at least smart enough to choose one without power windows.