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Car wont start - ideas

R

Riknos

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Location
United Kingdom
Car
2001 Accord SE Exec
Hi guys,

My car wont start and I need some help!

It cranks but wont fire. I bought a new battery, checked the plugs sparked on the block and they were fine, but dirty, so bought new ones, still nothing.

Car is definitely getting fuel as I can smell it - suggested I had flooded the car but new plugs still didn't work.

It's a 2.0 auto. Any ideas what else to check? I thought perhaps fuel filter but the fact the brand new plugs I put in were wet with fuel suggests they're getting fuel.

What about too much fuel? it's stationary so perhaps air/fuel mixture isn't enough to start?

Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Cliffordski said:
Are you saying the old plugs sparked on the block but the new ones don't?
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Not checked the new ones - ***uming they did as they're brand new out the box, but the old ones were working fine so I've eliminated the plugs not sparking being the issue, is what I was getting at, Sorry.
 
Does the immobiliser sign flash when trying to start?
 
freddofrog said:
when was the last time the engine was running ?
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About 3 weeks ago it was started for about a minute on the drive

4 weeks before that it was being run every day by the previous owner

edgeoftime said:
Auto gearbox? try waggling the stick about, could be the inhibitor out of sync. i.e it stops you starting whilst in drive.
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I thought something similar so changed to neutral and tried starting and didn't work

F6HAD said:
Does the immobiliser sign flash when trying to start?
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No immobiliser sign flashes the bsttery light and oil light stay on and that's it.
 
Did it start cutting out when it was working? As it could be the ignition switch which is a common fault on these cars.
 
exec said:
Did it start cutting out when it was working? As it could be the ignition switch which is a common fault on these cars.
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Not that I know of - I've only driven it for about 12 miles since I've owned it!

The ignition switch is something I hadn't heard so will investigate - but if I can hear the starter turning over and fuel getting to the plugs etc then doesn't that mean the ignition switch is okay?
 
just a bit more info:

New battery. New plugs. Air filter fine. Can hear the starter working. Bought the car on the fuel light and drove 10 miles before putting fuel in. Thought a blocked fuel filter with crap from the bottom of the tank but Fuel is getting to the plugs so can't be that?

The Accord doesn't need the brake pedal pressed when starting - does it?
 
you also said that the plugs sparked on the block, but I would re-check that. If you are definitely getting a spark then it can't be an electrical issue preventing that.

Maybe it just keeps flooding i.e. it's permanently enriched too much (you said the plugs were wet, they shouldn't be)
 
freddofrog said:
you also said that the plugs sparked on the block, but I would re-check that. If you are definitely getting a spark then it can't be an electrical issue preventing that.

Maybe it just keeps flooding i.e. it's permanently enriched too much (you said the plugs were wet, they shouldn't be)
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Well yeah after cranking the car for about 8 seconds with brand new plugs I took them out and they smelt of fuel and were slightly discoloured - they weren't exactly dripping with fuel, so I guess it could be running too rich - Is there a way of resetting this/ the ecu by pulling a fuse?
 
Sorry, I don't know much about the 6th gen, only 7th gen (plus general knowledge on petrol engines of course)
 
I’ve previously had the same issue with a 6th gen auto. Flippin tried everything and she still didn’t start, well cut a long story short I had the car checked by my dad’s old pal. He was a retired mechanic in his sixties.(He’s sadly passed away)

He said the cat has had it and that’s stopping the car from starting. I had the car recovered to a local garage and asked them to disconnect the cat, they thought I was wasting my time doing this however on my insistence they did it.

Hey presto she started up straight away. :)
 
immy786 said:
I’ve previously had the same issue with a 6th gen auto. Flippin tried everything and she still didn’t start, well cut a long story short I had the car checked by my dad’s old pal. He was a retired mechanic in his sixties.(He’s sadly passed away)



He said the cat has had it and that’s stopping the car from starting. I had the car recovered to a local garage and asked them to disconnect the cat, they thought I was wasting my time doing this however on my insistence they did it.



Hey presto she started up straight away. :)
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Interesting, thanks. I guess it can't do any harm to try - although I imagine all the bolts are long since rusted and I wont be able to take them off, but something to try, cheers.
 
I can't imagine the Cat doing that, unless the sensor was stopping it, perhaps detach the sensor and see if it starts before trying to take the cat off.

BTW How many miles has it done and has the timing belt been changed?
 
exec said:
I can't imagine the Cat doing that, unless the sensor was stopping it, perhaps detach the sensor and see if it starts before trying to take the cat off.

BTW How many miles has it done and has the timing belt been changed?
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144k, previous owner was a Honda mechanic who said he changed it about 20k ago, can inspect it though just to be safe.
 
Riknos said:
144k, previous owner was a Honda mechanic who said he changed it about 20k ago, can inspect it though just to be safe.
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Should be fine in that case. Have a look at the main relay, they can go and will stop car starting.

Check these vids out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viIZ8k60awY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBUYs539cy4
 
Have you tried starting it with the throttle fully open? These cars are prone to flooding if started only for a couple of minutes.
 
wookie said:
Have you tried starting it with the throttle fully open? These cars are prone to flooding if started only for a couple of minutes.
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I did try that and had no luck. It was at the same time as using the brand new plugs so no risk of them being too wet also.
 
7th gen onwards has coil packs, if the 6th gen has a rotor arm, try putting one of the leads onto a spare plug and check for spark on that plug while engine is turning over. If you see a spark, then it's either the timing has gone wrong, or it's a fuel issue.
 
freddofrog said:
7th gen onwards has coil packs, if the 6th gen has a rotor arm, try putting one of the leads onto a spare plug and check for spark on that plug while engine is turning over. If you see a spark, then it's either the timing has gone wrong, or it's a fuel issue.
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Yeah I already tried checking the plugs for spark while turning the engine over and they all sparked fine.

Could it be bad fuel? it can't be blocked fuel filter or I wouldn't be able to smell fuel in the bores / see it on the plugs after cranking? Or could it be partially blocked?
 
check the spark with the engine cranking, do not ***ume that the check you made with the plugs out is relevant when you are trying to start the car with the plugs in. As I say, keep all 4 plugs in, and connect one lead to a spare plug. If there is a spark on the spare plug and you do not hear any attempt in the other 3 cylinders, then it has either developed a timing fault, or there is a fuelling problem.

when you have tried that, if you did see a spark on the spare plug and there was no firing in any of the other cylinders, put the lead back onto the plug which is in the engine, then crank the car with your foot to the floor for about 30 seconds.

If you still don't hear anything at all, then IMO it is probably a timing problem that has developed.
 
Have you tried removing the plugs, cranking the engine to clear excess fuel from the bores then refit plugs then try starting?
 
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