[zerostar]

Hey there, my friend has a 1996 Civic, it has around 150K miles, she was driving home last night and the car totally died on her. She said it just cut off, no jerking like out of gas and no loud noises or sounds.

I went there after work and took a peek and am 90% sure there is no spark (I am going to verify this when I get off tomorrow)

My initial reaction is telling me first check the ignition control module then perhaps just replace the whole distributor assembly. (around $250 on this car)

Any other ideas or diagnostic steps I should check? I am no mechanic by any means but have done plenty of things on cars before so I got a pretty good feel for them. Let me know what you think and where you would start.

[centerchannel68]

It's probably what you mentioned.... but to check, unscrew a sparkplug, plug it back into the wire, and hold the tip of the plug against the engine block, away from any oil or gas. Have someone crank it over.... if you see a spark, then spark isn't a problem. Other possibilities include a timing belt, in which case there's no possible way it could build compression and fire, since the valves would be open at the wrong time. But yeah, check for spark first. My sister's (now my car) 1992 Accord just up and died when she was driving, and it was the distributor or something along those lines.

[zerostar]

Haha thats exactly what I was going to do to check for spark, but yeah I think thats it and from what I have read it most likely the Ignition Control Module, so that will be step 1. If it is the timing belt will compression be just low? I have a meter so I can check that as well.

[phantomdragonz]

if the timing belt snapped, you better hope it's a non-interference engine... otherwise you might as well buy a new car or have the engine rebuilt...

I would also check the engine fuses... that can cause a dead car like that too...

Zach

[centerchannel68]

well, generally timing belst don't snap, they slip. And don't worry about the engine... most engines these days are non interference, and even if it isn't, it doesn't necessarily mean your engine is toast. If it is the timing belt, you might not even get ANY compression. I'm guessing it's the ignition though. Go test that and report back.

[sek929]

Unless it's a DOHC engine a timing belt snap wouldn't be a big deal.

[xMetal]

Do any electrical items (i.e. lights, radio) work? If not, you might have a fuse/main relay issue.

[G4ME]

Originally Posted by centerchannel68 

well, generally timing belst don't snap, they slip. And don't worry about the engine... most engines these days are non interference, and even if it isn't, it doesn't necessarily mean your engine is toast. If it is the timing belt, you might not even get ANY compression. I'm guessing it's the ignition though. Go test that and report back.

can't you bend/break a valve if the timing is gone and you try and turn her over?

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by G4ME 

can't you bend/break a valve if the timing is gone and you try and turn her over?

Yes.

I say good possibility it's the timing belt.

[andi*pandi]

I'm not an expert, but I'm going to place my money on timing belt.

[Kevin]

That is why you replace the belt every so many miles needed or not.

[zerostar]

Originally Posted by xMetal 

Do any electrical items (i.e. lights, radio) work? If not, you might have a fuse/main relay issue.

Everything in the car works, just no spark at the plugs.

I am hoping for ignition module. My first thought was actually timing belt, but I am hoping something cheaper & easier for her to fix at this point.

I will surely follow up and let you know.

[zerostar]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

I'm not an expert, but I'm going to place my money on timing belt.

Any reason you say this instead of something in the ignition? As far as I know the car has been running the same for the past several months, wouldn't a loose/slipping belt run rough of and on?

[andi*pandi]

If it's been 50-60k since you last changed the timing belt, you never know when it will fail. When it happened to me, there was no warning. 70 mph and then... nothing.

[zerostar]

Yeah I doubt she has changed it in a while.... My wife's car says 100K for the belt, but at 70K I am getting ready to change hers.

Wouldn't the simplest way to check the belt be to remove the distributor cap and turn the engine over, if the rotor doesn't spin belt is off, correct, or is my logic flawed... I am pretty sure this is a non-interference engine so no harm there?

If its spinning, I should try the ICM and go from there... If not, timing belt, and I don't know if I am up for that so a tow to a shop may be in order.

[Goldfinger]

Shouldn't you hear some kind of bang when the timing belt goes ? It's bends all your valves and whatnot, no ?

[Kevin]

Not always.

[zerostar]

So I guess from reading online I found out that this IS an interference engine, so her constant turning it over may have harmed the engine? Will my turning it over to check if it is indeed the belt harm the engine any more?

[phantomdragonz]

Turning it over with a broken or slipping belt will severely damage the engine... it will need to have AT LEAST a top end rebuild/ replacement

as suggested, turn it over while the Distributer cap is off, if you see the thingy spinning your timing belt might be ok... if it does not spin... well you are SOL...

Zach

[Railroader]

Could possibly be a plugged fuel filter as well.

[zerostar]

Also on my list

[centerchannel68]

Again, not always. If it is the timing belt, and it's broken, it might not have broken with the valves open... in some interference engines it's actually pretty hard to damage your engine. But I still say it sounds like ignition.

[zerostar]

Going over tomorrow morning with tools, will update.

[G4ME]

hopefully you won't cause more damage then good

[olePigeon]

I'm guessing it's the solenoid, only because I just finished watching War of the Worlds. It also sounds funny.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

I'm guessing it's the solenoid, only because I just finished watching War of the Worlds. It also sounds funny.

haha, sweet guess.

but back in the real world where folks like me don't really get cherry '67 fastback 'stangs to toss around corners, I'd go for the timing belt sitchu.

happened to me one night on I-95 in my lowrider Isuzu P'up. I remember it costing quite a few hundred dollars. I think we bent some stuff. This was yeears ago.

[zerostar]

Well cam was cranking so wasn't the timing belt. Low juice on the ignition coil so I first changed the igniter, no dice, returned that and changed the distributor cap (was burned up really bad and the rotor was shot) and the ignition coil and started right up. I also changed her plugs because they looked 200K miles old... easy....

She got lucky and came out with a bill of just under $130. I told her we need to inspect the timing belt to see if its ready, she thought she just did it but doesn't know enough about it to be sure.

The really shitty part is there was no seal on the distributor cap and she just had the whole distributor replaced last year. The ignition coil was rusted and I am sure the last few weeks of rain did it in. What a shitty thing to do, charge $350+ for a distributor, leave the old busted-ass cap and rotor then on top of that leave off a 10¢ seal and cost this girl $130 and almost a long walk home. Plus I am sure the plugs weren't pretty last year either.

Her throttle feels a little rough so next I'll clean that out and perhaps an injector cleaner is due too. But she is now purring like a kitten.

Thanks everyone!

[centerchannel68]

(told you guys it wasn't the belt).

[bstone]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

I'm guessing it's the solenoid, only because I just finished watching War of the Worlds. It also sounds funny.

I had a rusted terminal on the remote solenoid on my 93 Explorer XLT. No spark, but I had electricity. Cleaned it off and all is well again.

[IceEnclosure]

Originally Posted by zerostar 

Well cam was cranking so wasn't the timing belt. Low juice on the ignition coil so I first changed the igniter, no dice, returned that and changed the distributor cap (was burned up really bad and the rotor was shot) and the ignition coil and started right up. I also changed her plugs because they looked 200K miles old... easy....
Thanks everyone!

that **** musta looked like ass, fo rill.

[V12]

the intake may have become loose, happened to me. It will cause the car to stall or do that.