I recently bought a 93 Honda Accord in this no start condition. I've been googling and searching forums for help with this car. The distributor was bad, I replaced it. Previous owner replaced plugs, wires, and cap. I have good spark, 150 psi compresion in all cylinders, and I believe gas is getting to the cylinder. Even if it is not I've tried starting fluid in the intake. Still nothing but the very occasional back fire up out of the intake. The engine appers to be in perfect timing. I've checked for power to the ECU, appears to have power to the plug in th various terminals that are supposed to get power. I've tried a junkyard ECU and the same result. Could the both be bad? I can feel my main relay click twice when I turn the ignition to the on position. The best I can tell is that the timing of the spark isn't be adjusted and thats why it won't start. Is my ECU dead? If I take it to the Honda Dealership can they hook it up to something and tell me? The guys at the parts counter don't seem to know anything about that old of a car. I'm just at a point where I don't know what to try next and I don't want to just through parts at it and it become a money pit. Thanks for any help.

 

Two items come to mind. When you look at the distributor from the passenger side, start with the #1 cylinder wire and tell us the order of the wires to each cylinder clockwise. The cylinder on the driver's side is 1 and the passenger side is 4.

It is possible to install the distributor 180 degrees out of time. The key on the distributor is offset, so you should only be able to install it one way. You can install it 180 off and guess how I know?

 

Looking at it from the passenger side, the rotor is pointing approximatly 4 o'clock position. With the cap off the rotor pointing towards the corner of the inner plastic shroud when i use the timing mark to put the engine at TDC. From what i looked up the firing order is 1, 3, 4,2 if I remember right.

 

1, 3, 4, 2 is the firing order. When I installed my distributor 180 degrees off, I had the cap off and thought I had the rotor pointing in same direction as before I pulled off the distributor. Just want you to make sure the actual brush is pointing towards the correct cylinder.

If you get the engine to top dead center, you can be sure you have the distributor installed properly. Take out the #1 spark plug, turn the engine by hand until you feel compression on the #1 cylinder. Take the rubber plug off the bell housing to see the teeth on the flywheel. Align the mark on the flywheel to the marker to get to TDC.

Then verify the rotor is pointing to #1 cylinder spark plug wire.

 

I have done that. I aligned the white mark on the fly wheel with Y looking mark inside the housing. It is pointing right at cylinder 1 post on the distributor. I'm not sure my problem is mechanical. When I turn the key to the II position, or the on just before the start position, my cel light doesn't come on. I've checked the plugs for power to the ECU and the grounds. All appears to be right from what I have read it should be online. I bought a junk yard ECU to try. Same thing, no ECU light. I opened both up and I didn't see any signs of blackness/burn marks inside. They look perfect inside. So I'm not sure if I the one I bought happens to be bad also or the problem is somewhere else. I believe the ECU isn't doing its job and thats why it won't start or adjust the timing as I crank it over. I was wondering if it is definitly a ECU problem or something else before i lay out 250-300 dollars for a new one. Or could the honda dealership check to see if mine is good if I take the ECU up to them. That's what I meant when I said no CEL light, that it just doesn't come on or blink when I put the jumper in. Maybe didn't word my thread the best.

 

The crankshaft turns twice for every 1 turn of the camshaft. That mark on the flexplate (or flywheel if a manual trans) when lined up can be at TDC or 180 off TDC, because it is connected to the crankshaft. That is why I suggested pulling the #1 plug and feeling for compression as you turn the crank. When the mark lines up, you know you are at TDC.

Has the check engine light on your car always been out, or is this something new?

 

I'll check and make sure it's on the compression stroke.

I bought this car about a month ago. The inspection on it has been expired since 1/16. So it's been sitting. The guy told me it either wouldn't start one day or that it quit on him while driving. He claimed the fuel pump was what was wrong with it. It works just fine. So I don't know when exactly the CEL light quit working. It's never turned on for me.