New poster here.... so thanks up front.

93 Civic CX 370,000 miles
this motor installed 4/09 about 38,000 miles ago

Here's what happened:
Started car and backed out of driveway, forgot something and turned car off.
Came back in 5 minutes; car wouldn't start (it will turn over)
I'm not getting any spark. I can hear the fuel pump and smell gas in one of the chambers. The CEL is not staying lit. It goes off normally after 2 seconds.

I've jumpered the ECU and the CEL light stays on. It doesn't flash a code.

I've replaced:
distributor cap
rotor
coil
ignition module (igniter)

I've checked:
main fuel relay
fuses
timing belt
grounding
ignition switch
TPS
MAP sensor


Tonight I borrowed an ECU from a 92 Civic with Vtech. It still wouldn't start (but I'm not sure if the Vtech ECU would've worked with my CX anyway) So that really wasn't conclusive.

I'm running out of stuff to check. The distributor itself could be bad. Anyone have any ideas or similar experience?

I've read through the old threads and don't see anything that looks similar to my issue.

 

A VTEC ECU will work in a non-VTEC car at least to get it started. Or vice versa.

Stripped timing belt, blown coil, or the screw that holds the rotor on are common causes of a sudden no-spark. Take the cap off and make sure the rotor is still attached. Hold a grounded test wire near the coil output spring and have someone crank. Watch that the rotor actually does turn. The coil should fire strong blue sparks. Weak yellow sparks = bad coil. Don't count on an ohmmeter test to prove the coil is good.

No sparks at all there, measure that the distributor is getting power on the black and yellow wire while cranking. If the power is there but no sparks, it could be a bad ECM, parts stores can test them.

 

I determined the timing belt is OK. The coil has been replaced. The rotor is new (and therefore screwed down).

Are you saying that I could take my ECM to Autozone and they could test it?

 

Do the power to the distributor test and the sparks direct from the coil test. You could test your ECU by plugging it into the other guy's car. The problem is rarely the ECU. If the CEL cycles on and off that generally shows the ECU has power and ground and basic functionality.

 

checked the distributor and coil (coil is new)

right now, thinking crankshaft position sensor b/c everything in the distributor is new except that. unfortunately, i can't buy one separately but have to get a new distributor, so the $150 I've spent (cap, rotor, coil, igniter) are all for naught.

if it ends up being the CPS, then I'll post

 

The 3 distributor sensors can be checked with an ohmmeter. Also usually a code will be set if one is bad.

Remember that no electrical device can work if it doesn't receive power. I'm also not sure how you're so confident your ICM and coil are OK. New parts don't necessarily always work. Also the coil (even a new one) is prone to blow out by firing it into an open circuit (e.g. spark wire disconnected).

 

Ended up being the crankshaft position sensor which required a new distributor (because the CPS is not sold separately). I had already bought the cap, rotor, coil and igniter. Oh well.

Thanks for the help.