I had a chance to buy an 88 civic dx hatchback for my 16 year old step daughter. I told the guy I would give him $250 for it if I could get it running. It has 177,000 miles on it. First thing I had to do was replace the fuel pump. Next problem was the main relay I replaced that. I got it running after it had sat for 4 years. I thought I had it all going good. Took it for a ride around the block. Seemed good, its a Honda. I go there today (1 week later) to pay him and pick it up. I turn it over and over, it won't start. I shot in a little bit of started fluid, really didn't change things much maybe a little bit of spitting and sputtering, trying to start. Finally I held the choke butterfly open and gave it full throttle while trying to start it. After spitting fire out in my face a couple of times it started and was running rough. After about 30 seconds of running rough right out of the blue it sounds great. Took it around the block twice, everything seems fine. Turned it off and back on about 10 more times, seems great. Take 10 minutes to pay the guy, start it up and drove it like 15 miles home. On the way home the check engine like turns off, I think great the computer is working fine now.

Bring the daughter outside to see it and get her started on cleaning the thing up. It sits for like 2 hours I go outside to move it across the street and it won,t start. Turns over fine. Has spark at all plugs. The only thing that doesn't look right is the throttle body. When you turn it over it looks like alot of fuel is spraying into the throttle body. Do you guys have any idea what is going on with this thing. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Sorry for the long post.
Mitch

 

any pictures of the unusual spray and possible hose leaks?

 

I can get some pics tomorrow, but it just looks like fuel is spraying in there. While I'm turning it over fuel is spritzing out around the choke butterfly (top butterfly).

 

The engine may be flooded, causing low compression. Check whether the motor oil smells strongly of gasoline. If so, drain and replace.

 

is it fuel injected? You sure it's fuel that's shooting out? It could be your fast idle valve (idk if you have one) shooting out coolant because it's busted.

 

It is gasoline. And your low compression theory makes sense because it sounds like it has no compression while it is doing this. When turning over the engine at first I thought the starter wasn't engaging because it was spinning so freely. What will draining the oil do for me? I am not questioning you at all, just trying to make sense of this thing.
Mitch

 

Yes trustdestruction I guess it is fuel injected PGM. I think this is like a throttle body injection set-up?
Mitch

 

Gasoline that fails to combust in the cylinder can leak past the piston rings and mix with the engine oil. A large volume of such non-combusted gasoline will dilute and thin the engine oil. The thinned engine oil will reduce compression in the cylinders and prevent starting.

Also verify that the timing belt did not snap. Use a flashlight to peer into the hole for the oil fill cap while a buddy cranks the engine. You should see evidence that the camshaft is spinning.

If you have both fuel priming and spark, another possibility is that the timing belt slipped. In this case, check whether the cam and crank are still synchronized at TDC1.

 

That makes sense to me RonJ. When I was trying to start it today the first time it was coughing like it was out of time. When it finally started, it was rough when I heard a little snap and then smoothed out. I guess after work tomorrow I will drain the oil and check the timing belt. Am I to assume this is a non interference motor and will not hurt the valve train if the timing belt has indeed slipped?
Mitch

 

Unfortunately, Civics have interference engines.