'88 Civic starting problem

I don't know if he tried any of the ECU readings. First thing I did when I got
there was test for the injector power, since he already had the meter out, and
noticed the excessive voltage drop... and proceeded to find the source of that.

 

If it can't pull any liquid in, there's nothing to offer resistance to the pump,
is tehre?

Besides, the pump is out now, and the intake filter is clean.

 

If it can't pull any liquid in, there's nothing to offer resistance to the pump,
is tehre?

Besides, the pump is out now, and the intake filter is clean.

 

Well, anyone who cares to speculate wildly and make fools of themselves are
welcome to do so...

Buddy picked up another fuel pump from an '89 Civic but it proved to not fit the
tank - the assembly projects straight down from the mounting plate, rather than
on an angle like the one that came out, and hits the bottom of the tank. Back to
the wrecker...

 

Well, anyone who cares to speculate wildly and make fools of themselves are
welcome to do so...

Buddy picked up another fuel pump from an '89 Civic but it proved to not fit the
tank - the assembly projects straight down from the mounting plate, rather than
on an angle like the one that came out, and hits the bottom of the tank. Back to
the wrecker...

 

Okay, quick update... new fuel pump in, took care of the voltage drop
problem... now we're getting an ALMOST-start. It cranks, it tries to
catch, it won't quite take off.

ECU gives a code 16 ("Fuel Injector System: defective circuit or
unplugged / defective fuel injector".)

Both injectors appear to work when independently powered. Both
injectors seem to click while cranking. Looking down the TB throat,
there's definitely gas being fed in from the main injector - hard to
tell if the aux injector is doing anything. Holding the choke open
manually helps a bit, but it still won't quite "catch".

Lots of spark on all cylinders... firing order is correct as far as
I've been able to determine without having found the EXACT manual for
this specific car (1-3-4-2 clockwise from the bottom-left when looking
straight at the top of the distributor cap). Getting regular "puffs"
from the exhaust so there seems to be steady compression from all
cylinders.

Odd thing is, the plugs appear dry when I pull them out, so they're
either firing or not getting any air/fuel mix, which doesn't make any
sense unless the intake valves aren't working... and if that was the
case I'd think I wouldn't get the "puffs" out the exhaust, if it wasn't
drawing in any air.

So near, yet so far away... *sigh*

 

Okay, quick update... new fuel pump in, took care of the voltage drop
problem... now we're getting an ALMOST-start. It cranks, it tries to
catch, it won't quite take off.

ECU gives a code 16 ("Fuel Injector System: defective circuit or
unplugged / defective fuel injector".)

Both injectors appear to work when independently powered. Both
injectors seem to click while cranking. Looking down the TB throat,
there's definitely gas being fed in from the main injector - hard to
tell if the aux injector is doing anything. Holding the choke open
manually helps a bit, but it still won't quite "catch".

Lots of spark on all cylinders... firing order is correct as far as
I've been able to determine without having found the EXACT manual for
this specific car (1-3-4-2 clockwise from the bottom-left when looking
straight at the top of the distributor cap). Getting regular "puffs"
from the exhaust so there seems to be steady compression from all
cylinders.

Odd thing is, the plugs appear dry when I pull them out, so they're
either firing or not getting any air/fuel mix, which doesn't make any
sense unless the intake valves aren't working... and if that was the
case I'd think I wouldn't get the "puffs" out the exhaust, if it wasn't
drawing in any air.

So near, yet so far away... *sigh*

 

wrote in

Wanna take a second look at that Main Relay?

 

wrote in

Wanna take a second look at that Main Relay?

 

yeah, no kidding...

 

yeah, no kidding...

 

Already did. All working fine. Came out of another working Civic, in fact.

Like I said, the injectors ARE working, they ARE spraying fuel (at least, the
main injector is).

 

Already did. All working fine. Came out of another working Civic, in fact.

Like I said, the injectors ARE working, they ARE spraying fuel (at least, the
main injector is).

 

Do you have anything useful to add, or are you just here to be a nob?

 

Do you have anything useful to add, or are you just here to be a nob?

 

So you've for sure got spark, for sure the igniton timing is correct, and
for sure the ECU is driving the injectors correctly now?

Does the car start with a shot of ether?

A code 16 sometimes does actually mean a defective injector.

 

So you've for sure got spark, for sure the igniton timing is correct, and
for sure the ECU is driving the injectors correctly now?

Does the car start with a shot of ether?

A code 16 sometimes does actually mean a defective injector.

 

Heheheh, funny story...

Wanted to try that, but buddy didn't have any in the shop, and at that point we
didn't have time to go pick some up.

That's what I figured, but they seemed to bench-test fine.

Anyway... buddy just called, he got it going: new plugs and a fresh battery and
it fired right up. Apparently the Bosch Platinums that came in the thing were
bunk, despite showing good soild spark when tested outside the engine(???).

Would be interesting to see if the ECU is still giving an error code. I'm
wondering if it might have been stored from when the bad fuel pump was still in;
I can see how the pump dragging down the voltage could affect injector
operation, since all three are on the same circuit off the main relay, and the
ECU might read the lack of input signal from the injectors as a "bad" unit(s).
Or it may have even stored that code from when we tested the injector wiring
with them disconnected? How long does the ECU hold codes?

So, another mystery solved... once again, I thank you all for your assistance,
especially the masterful TeGGeR

 

Heheheh, funny story...

Wanted to try that, but buddy didn't have any in the shop, and at that point we
didn't have time to go pick some up.

That's what I figured, but they seemed to bench-test fine.

Anyway... buddy just called, he got it going: new plugs and a fresh battery and
it fired right up. Apparently the Bosch Platinums that came in the thing were
bunk, despite showing good soild spark when tested outside the engine(???).

Would be interesting to see if the ECU is still giving an error code. I'm
wondering if it might have been stored from when the bad fuel pump was still in;
I can see how the pump dragging down the voltage could affect injector
operation, since all three are on the same circuit off the main relay, and the
ECU might read the lack of input signal from the injectors as a "bad" unit(s).
Or it may have even stored that code from when we tested the injector wiring
with them disconnected? How long does the ECU hold codes?

So, another mystery solved... once again, I thank you all for your assistance,
especially the masterful TeGGeR

 

So, once again Bosch does it again.

JT