99 GSR simply wont start (please read)

[SnailOnARampage]

Thanks for your time...anyways here is the deal.
The other night I drove my car (99 gsr...completely stock and unmodified (except for CAI) to work. It ran fine. I got off work, came out to go home, and the thing wouldnt start. I looked at the gas gauge, which was a little low (had about 3 gallons in it)...i thought that might be the problem, so I went and got a gas can and brought a few gallons back. That didn't fix it...so, after checking all the basics.. IE spark plug wires etc...and also checking to see if it had spark (which it did) I decided the timing belt must have slipped a tooth or something. I pulled the valve cover off...everything was fine the tdc mark is matched up to both sets of marks on the cam gears. I ended up replacing the spark plugs (the old ones looked kind of bad), and after cranking it about 50 times it started. On my way home, it ran normal part of the time...but under high load low rpm conditions...it hesitated and stalled. I pulled it into the garage...and I havent been able to get it started since.

So here is the current state of things:
*The car won't even give a hint that it wants to start...it just cranks and cranks and cranks
*I replaced the fuel pump with a known working one
*I checked for spark on all 4 spark plugs...all 4 spark nicely and are in the right order
*I took the fuel return hose off to make sure it was sending fuel back (it was)
*I checked to make sure that the timing wasnt somehow 180 degrees off.
*I tested the MAP sensor by mounting it on my 97 LS...the 97 LS ran just fine with the map sensor from the GSR
*I tested the ECU by plugging it into my 97 LS...it ran wonderfully
*There is fuel getting into all 4 the cylinders (I can smell it on the spark plugs)
*all ground wires are hooked up
*compression is at 170 all across the board
*I used the timing gun...the no 1 cylinder has about a 7 degree advance when its cranking

For whatever reason....it appears as though the car is getting either too much or too little fuel ( i have no way of really checking).

Does anyone know how a defective IAT or coolant temp sensor would affect it?

Any input would be wonderful...thanks in advance

[radeonamd]

well, same thing happened to me, worked fine got home then decided to go somewhere and didn't start. it was the battery.

[slow_99integra]

Check both of your o2 sensors, the ones before and after the cat. If these are bad they will make the car run either Too rich or too lean. If you were running too lean would the knock sensor have thrown a check engine light? Also don't forget the fuel injectors one or all could be open all the way or closed completely.

[SnailOnARampage]

Battery is brand new...and besides the car cranks just fine.
I am almost certain it is a problem with the fuel system...but the actual cause of it is still a mystery.

*It isnt the fuel pump - I just changed it with one I know works
*its VERY unlikely to be the fuel injectors - yes they die...but not all 4 of them at the same time
*unlikely to be the fuel filter - fuel still comes out of the return line


*could possibly be the fuel return pressure regulator ( I will check that today)
*could be the IAT or coolant temp sensor (map sensor works and ECU works)
*could be a loose connection between one of the sensors and ECU

Any other ideas?

[superbluecivicsi]

*I checked for spark on all 4 spark plugs...all 4 spark nicely and are in the right order

im assuming you checked that you are recieving a strong enough spark.

*compression is at 170 all across the board

that is really low for a b18c1. low but runnable. i would recommend a leakdown with this result.

*I used the timing gun...the no 1 cylinder has about a 7 degree advance when its cranking

what does 7 degrees mean when it is cranking?????????????????ignition timing should be at 16 degrees btdc. + or - 2 degrees.

*its VERY unlikely to be the fuel injectors - yes they die...but not all 4 of them at the same time

how do you rule out the injectors, if they die sometimes? how did you rule out it is the injectors?

[Greenblurr93]

umm main relay?

[~ls/vtec~]

my b18c1 did that a few times. it was in my civic. what happened was that the ignitor in the distributor went out. i have burnt the coil on certain occasions. but thats a cheap and everyday thing. now the ignitor is a different story. check the spark again, because like superbluecivicsi said, your spark may not be strong enough. then again my friends gsr used to do that too. but his was redlined in third and some fag dropped it into second instead of fourth. kind of put a hole in his second piston. broke 4 valves. bent a crapload of valves. cracked the cylinder wall. and then with the broken valves beat the crap out of the combustion chamber on the head. he ended up buying my b18 out of my civic. anyway let us know how it goes. and if anybody is interested in pics let me know. i have the disassembled engine in my garage

[SnailOnARampage]

Originally Posted by ~ls/vtec~

my b18c1 did that a few times. it was in my civic. what happened was that the ignitor in the distributor went out. i have burnt the coil on certain occasions. but thats a cheap and everyday thing. now the ignitor is a different story. check the spark again, because like superbluecivicsi said, your spark may not be strong enough. then again my friends gsr used to do that too. but his was redlined in third and some fag dropped it into second instead of fourth. kind of put a hole in his second piston. broke 4 valves. bent a crapload of valves. cracked the cylinder wall. and then with the broken valves beat the crap out of the combustion chamber on the head. he ended up buying my b18 out of my civic. anyway let us know how it goes. and if anybody is interested in pics let me know. i have the disassembled engine in my garage

Hey yeah you were right. It turned out to be a bad ignitor and/or coil. Yeah it was really silly because it sparked just fine when the spark plug was out of the cylinder. Anyways I am glad its fixed now. Thanks a lot everyone!