My car just randomly died while I was driving...

FenixDown · #1 06-07-2006, 09:41 PM

I have a 94 civic LX. The owner before me was an older guy who changed the oil like clockwork and as far as I know, kept up on all the other maintenence. I haven't missed an oil change and I've had the car for almost a year. Haven't ever had ANY problems whatsoever, the engine wasn't acting weird at all before this happened, or anything.

So anyways, I was driving and I'd just left my apartment parking lot and was driving down the road for maybe 10 seconds when the engine just shut off. Didn't make any funny noise that me or my friend heard... just turned off. I was still moving so I coasted into a parking lot and parked it. When I tried to start it again, the engine turned and everything but the car wouldn't start. I tried this for awhile but to no avail. I popped the hood but I couldn't see anything wrong with it, so me and my friend pushed it back. I just went and looked at it again and tried to start it, but it still won't work.

I just changed the air filter so thats not the problem and the gauge is still showing a little less than a 1/4 tank of gas. I'm at a loss here... anyone have any idea what the deal is?

eurobeaner · #2 06-07-2006, 11:53 PM

check fuses, and check if your getting gas... your fuel pump might have went out, OR your ecu could have crapped out on you. i have had an ecu do it, and i have had it be a fuel pump also, and the only reason i say fuses, is because it could be a $2 fix!

nitebeest · #3 06-09-2006, 02:42 AM

My first guesses would be 1) fuel pump and 2) fuel filter. Though I think if the fuel pump went out it would have died before you could even get it in gear and out of the original parking spot. If the fuel filter has never been changed though it could be clogged and not enough fuel could be getting to the engine. Give them a shot. And check the fuses like eurobeaner suggested. With any luck that is where your problem lies.

superbluecivicsi · #4 06-09-2006, 09:42 AM

as with any ohter car that will not start.

check spark? fuel? timing? power?

those will lead you to the problem

Pavlo · #5 06-09-2006, 05:15 PM

I am about 70% sure it is coil, dizzy cap, and the rotor. Change spark plugs while you are at it. It id doesn't fix, then you'll still be glad for replacing everything.
And do not replace just the coil, it will break again.

superbluecivicsi · #6 06-09-2006, 08:28 PM

check fuel, spark, timing, and power before throwing any money at it

FenixDown · #7 06-09-2006, 08:33 PM

Not really sure if this is too important or not... but I forgot to mention that I'd just finished driving it to the store and back not 5 minutes earlier before this incident. I had got some stuff and forgot to get milk so I went to make a trip back up there right after I got back to my house when this happened and it worked perfectly fine then.

superbluecivicsi · #8 06-09-2006, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenixDown

Not really sure if this is too important or not... but I forgot to mention that I'd just finished driving it to the store and back not 5 minutes earlier before this incident. I had got some stuff and forgot to get milk so I went to make a trip back up there right after I got back to my house when this happened and it worked perfectly fine then.

so did you check spark, fuel, timing, and power yet then??????????????

nothing isnt going to happen unless you start checking

FenixDown · #9 06-10-2006, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbluecivicsi

so did you check spark, fuel, timing, and power yet then??????????????

nothing isnt going to happen unless you start checking

LOL, I haven't had a chance to yet. :P I've been working, but tomorrow I'm goin under the hood. What do you mean by check fuel and power? I'm assuming "spark" means the spark plugs... what do I need to look for on those? And I don't think I can check the timing unless theres some way a person with out those super-cool timing checker thingamajigs can do it.

barkercustoms · #10 06-11-2006, 09:07 PM

i going with broke the timing belt. everyone forgets about this belt untill it breaks.

fiberglasscivic · #11 06-12-2006, 01:50 AM

EDIT: To check your 'spark' you need two people. Pull the plug on one cylinder and hold it close to a metal part of either the engine or the frame. Have your friend try to start the car. While they're trying you should see small sparks appear at the end of the wire. Check each wire. If you don't see sparks on all of them, then you either have a bad coil, dizzy, or wires. If you have an automotive electrical tester, you can use that to test the wires. Connect the dizzy side to the positive terminal of the battery and check the plug end for power. If you don't get power make sure that your tester is actually touching the metal for the plug and make sure you are still touching the positive terminal at the dizzy end. No power means bad wires. If you don't have a tester, buy a set of wires and test them like you tested the wires the first time. If you get spark where there was none before, your wires were bad, if not then you got a prob with the dizzy or the coil.
Post up when you've checked that.

polacek · #12 06-12-2006, 11:36 AM

Don't forget about the ignitor. Costs $100. Located within the distributor cap.
The same situation happened to me once. Parked my car for about and hour. Started it, ran for 5 seconds and died. If you have the shop manual, it tells you what readings you should get from different locations on the ignitor. I am going to bet that that is the issue, but try all the other items above. When you find out the issue, please post for myself and others.
I had an issue once where the car sputtered, ended up being the fuel filter.

FenixDown · #13 06-14-2006, 11:40 PM

I checked for spark a bit ago and I got nothin. I had read in a few other places that it might be the main relay, but I eliminated that as being a problem. I also read in a few places that it could be the ignitor. I'm thinking that is probably the problem. I haven't done that test with switching the plug wires out with new ones though. I'll try that first. If that doesn't fix it, what should I try to swap out next?

edit: I don't have any of that electrical testing stuff. All of my tools consist of a socket set and a buncha screwdrivers...

polacek · #14 06-15-2006, 12:36 AM

Voltmeter with ohms is all you need, some cheapie, $3. If you have a Harbor Frieght, go there. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90899
Checking the ignitor is easy to check.
Good luck

fiberglasscivic · #15 06-15-2006, 06:16 AM

Have you checked your oil recently and have you noticed a problem with overheating, even a small amount?

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD