I'm having a no start issue with a 1993 Honda Accord (2.2l 4-cyl).

The starter motor cranks and I can hear the engine almost catch (you can hear some burps) but nothing ever happens.

• Since the starter motor operates and the engine cranks I'm assuming the battery is totally fine. Headlights work, car interior lights work, dashboard lights up.
• The sound of the engine cranking seems fine in that it's not slower than it was before, this leads me to rule out a weak battery as the cause.
• The car was fine the day before but more than a week ago it exhibited a no start exactly like this but the car started fine on the third time I cranked the engine.
• This car was parked on an incline for a couple of days before this issue (and it is on an incline while this issue is ongoing).
• I pulled off the spark plug wires and found evidence of oil on all of them with one literally sopping wet with oil. The whole well is filled with oil as well.
• It appears the previous owner never replaced the spark plug wires (dated to 1992) and therefore I'm assuming the spark plugs were never replaced as well.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1. The spark plug wires must be replaced. Their age may be causing the issue.
2. The well seals are worn and oil has obviously infiltrated the spark plug wells. Parking on an incline may have allowed oil to enter the wells.
3. The spark plugs must also be replaced. I'm assuming they are old and gapped to hell and at the minimum, covered in oil.
4. The valve cover gasket as well as all of the spark plug well seals must be replaced.

I'm betting either the wires, the oil or the plugs are causing the issue.

Does anyone agree with my diagnosis or disagree? What I'm particularly interested in is any methods I can use to conclusively diagnose the issue. I know the oil is already a bad sign for both wires and plugs. I know the wires are old and by assumption the spark plugs are also old since the plugs would likely have been changed with the wires.

What I'm afraid of is sinking $70.00 into this only to find the issue is still there. Nonetheless I am confident these are the causes of the no start. I think I can verify before spending $70.00 by simply spending $10.00 to buy new spark plugs, cleaning all of the oil off and trying to start the car. If it works I'll buy the new wires and valve cover gasket and seals.

 

I would agree with starting there. What you can do before going there, not sure if you have already. When you turn the key to "on"/pos II, does the CEL come on for a few seconds and go off?...main relay check?

Then, if you can get it on level ground....Insert a new plug into the wire and ground the plug and check for spark at the plug. Very you have spark?

 

When you turn keyswitch to On, you should hear the fuel pump buzz for 2-3 secs and go off w/ the CEL. If you don't hear a fuel pum buzz, no start is fuel related issue.

If you have a timing light, attach to spark plug leads (and battery of course) and check whether light flashes. No flash means no spark.

In my experience, oil in the spark plugs does not cause problems, even w/ pretty heavy oil in the wells. You need to replace valve cover seals and valve train seals on LX models to prevent the oil accumulation.

good luck

 

Don't have a timing light. Only a multimeter. I would love to test for spark but I don't want to damage anything electrical like the ignition coil. I don't even know where to begin for testing spark. What's a grounded surface? Any unpainted metal surface? What if I'm wrong and I use the wrong surface?

Can't get it off of the incline because the car doesn't start.

Fuel pump comes on and buzzes, stops with CEL and the CEL goes out.

Everything on the dash is normal, I already checked for that. It's just that it doesn't start.

As for the main relay, I don't really understand how to test for it as I found the clicks hard to hear even when the car was working properly.

I can definitely hear the click when the fuel pump goes out. I can also hear a click when you turn the key ON position but I thought that comes from the ignition switch and not the main relay. I don't hear the click when the key is turned to start because the motor cranking drowns it out.

 

From your description, it is likely fuel supply is good.

If you can borrow or buy a timing light, attach to one spark plug lead and crank engine. No flash means no spark is generated.

Another easy check is to remove the connector to the distributor and check the Blk/Yel wire for 12V w/ keyswitch on. If voltage is missing, the ignition keyswitch is likely the problem, although could be damaged blk/yel wire.

good luck