91 honda accord wont start

[Rotore]

I jus recently bought a 91 4 door Honda accord. It would start but only if I gave it gas and would only stay on if I kept around 3400rpm it was missing the valve cover gasket and some bolts so I bought the gasket and found the bolts , replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, rotor and ignition coil. I thinking that timing is off since it does have compression and is getting fuel.

So think you guys can help me out and give me some input?

[newrider3]

Are you certain all the ignition parts you replaced are on correctly?

[Rotore]

yea i did it the same exact order/sequency it had in the repair manual

[anderkart]

Make sure you dont have still have any unattached vacuum/PVC lines and you might also try changing the fuel filter.

Is your dashboard check engine light staying on? (if not, make sure someone hasn't removed the bulb by seeing if it illuminates with the key turned fully on w/o starting the engine)

[Rotore]

no the bulb is still there and im guessing that there is a short curcuit because the battery dies quickly.

[anderkart]

Also check every fuse in all your fuse boxes. Look at the fuse info on the covers or owners manual, you might just find a blown or missing fuse that operates an idle solenoid or some such thang.

Does it act like your batteries going dead while driving or is it draining while parked?

[Rickracer]

Sounds like a MAJOR vacuum leak, fuel injected motors don't like vacuum leaks at all. :cool:

[Rotore]

Also check every fuse in all your fuse boxes. Look at the fuse info on the covers or owners manual, you might just find a blown or missing fuse that operates an idle solenoid or some such thang.

Does it act like your batteries going dead while driving or is it draining while parked?

already checked the fuses one by one there all fine and yes it goes dead when its parked.

[Rotore]

Sounds like a MAJOR vacuum leak, fuel injected motors don't like vacuum leaks at all. :cool:

where could i expect this vacuum leak to be? i've been going at it all week

[anderkart]

I'm not sure about trying this at 3400rpm, but get your engine to idle as slowly as possible, then spray carb cleaner around every possible vacuum leak source. If you detect any sudden change in rpm, you've just found your leak.

[Rotore]

It's efi dude and I can't even get it to start.

I Checkd spark it was fine I'm getting fuel to all cylindners and compression in all in cylinders so that's what brought me to think timing is off

[anderkart]

Maybe your timing belt is toast and skipping around. Looks like Honda recommended replacement every 60,000 miles... Whats yer compression tester and odometer reading?

[Rotore]

compression meets the standard for honda which is 170-190psi. i got 179 for the first cyl. 183 for the 2nd 187 for the 3rd and 177 for the 4th.

have no idea about the mileage he said the engine was swapped out 2yrs ago

[anderkart]

Cool, your compression kinda rules out the timing belt thing... for now.

Have you stuck a timing light on it (while cranking) to get a rough idea where your at?
Might be something special you need to know or do, if so you'll prolly find it here: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4DMUS_enUS221US222&q=91+honda+accord+setting+the++timing+



yes it goes dead when its parked.

Your draw on the battery issue may (or may not) have anything to do with your engine running problem.

Here's one old school method I used for years to find a draw:
First you need some easy way to visually see you've got a draw. First you remove either battery cable and temporally connect a 12-volt test light of some sort (I use ones with an #1816 bulb) in-line between the cable you've removed and its battery post.

At this point any amount of illumination from the test light bulb will be showing you've got a draw of enough amperage to run a battery down. Dim light=small draw, Bright light=stronger draw. (during the test, make sure your not chasing your tail with a hood, interior or trunk light staying on...)

Now if your showing a draw, the first thing I always suspect is aftermarket stereo's and poweramps. If they've got power wires attached at the fuse box start disconnecting those first. If you've gotta unplug the deck, do it that way. Suspect any aftermarket stereo/alarm/whatever wires connected to the batteries positive cable end too.
(all while keeping a close eye on that test light, when you disconnect the power that's feeding your draw, that lights going to suddenly go out!)

Again when you've got the doors open, you'll either need to pop the interior light fuse out or somehow defeat that door jam switch that's trying to turn the interior lights on. (don't chase your tail)

If you've still got the draw at this point, I usually remove every single fuse in every fuse box, one at a time (all while watching to see if that test light suddenly goes out) and then carefully lay them out in order to make for easier re-installation later.

Chances are you'll find one fuse that makes your draw go away. If you do, tell me what fuse it is.

If you don't, (leave all your fuses out) and disconnect all the alternator wires. If no draw found here: (leave those loose but make dam sure that big B+ power feed cant touch ground!!!)

Next while watching your test light, carefully unplug each and every relay you'll find under the hood and in the interior fuse box, and lay them all out in in corect order for re-installation later. (I've seen cars with 2 completely separate draw issues before, so I like to leave everything disconnected until the draw is located so I don't end up chasing my tail for hours)

Let me know what ya find man. I've been out of the auto electrical biz for awhile but this kinda stuff is all I did for 20 years. I remember some of those older Hondas used to drip battery acid down into a harness plug located under the battery, you might take a look down there too.

[Rotore]

Will do thanks dude I'll keep you posted if I find anything

[modelengineer]

http://www.superbike.co.uk/imageBank/b/bastard.jpg

LOL

[anderkart]

That's freakin hilarious Andrew. Is that a for real Aussie product or someones photo shopped joke?

[modelengineer]

Yeah it's real, I used to use it sometimes to start my old gokart. It also helped get the $70 car going. Hehehehe.

[anderkart]

What a great name for starting fluid. I laugh every time I see it and I'd buy the product just to have around the shop to show my buddies.

[Rotore]

That's awsome dude lol we have the same thing in puerto rico

[porsche930dude]

yea you should check the timing

[freakboy]

try hitting it with the biggest hammer if that dont work. grenade time!

[Rotore]

Bout to jus part it out dude

[1992suburban]

so as of right now will the car start??
if NO
is it getting spark on all plugs?
is it getting fuel to injectors?
are the injectors firing?
try unpluging all injectors and try to crank. (could be flooded I have seen this before)
now..
try unplugging the TPS sensor will it crank??
will it crank if you work the throttle???

[joey_crandall]

put the spark plug wires on the opposite way from what is says in the manual if its a chiltons or haynes, i had this same problem on my 91 civic.

[Rotore]

Well i got it to start but now it starts but i hace to keep it at around 3400rpm to keep it on?

[anderkart]

Take a look through this Honda diagnostic site, I think it'll hook ya up: http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/startproblems.html

[jr dragster Tyler]

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll33/juniordragster123/prod_1194479084.jpg