Hey guys, so I was hopeful that I fixed the problem that my 00 civic was giving me when it started from time to time. Sometimes it would crank and barely catch and run at a really low rpm for like 10 seconds and then rev up to the right rpm and other times it just wouldn't want to start and it would take a few times to get it to catch. I did a tune up on it (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and PCV valve) with all Honda parts, one of my friends works for an Acura dealer so he got me a discount ... Anyway, it's been good for a few months now and recently it has been doing it again. Last week especially, when I would go to start it, it would crank and seem like it didnt want to start but as soon as I let go of the key, it would sputter and barely run and then rev up to normal idle, and other times it would just do what it had been doing before. My friend at the dealer thought that the tune up would get rid of this issue, but I guess it must be something else. Do you guys know anything else that could make the car do this? I've tried putting fuel injector cleaner in when it does it a lot and I can't tell if it's helping or not. Could this be a fuel pump issue, I ask because when I get past like 320 miles on a tank, probably around 1/8 of a tank or maybe a little more, the car cranks for a while before it starts and the fuel pump does not sound the same as it normally does when it kicks on when I turn the key to the "on" position. Thanks a lot guys, any help is much appreciated!!

- Craig

 

The problem could have numerous causes. If you suspect the fuel pump, then it might be informative to measure the fuel pressure. I think you should also check whether the ignition timing is off.

 

When was the last time you changed your fuel filter?

 

I thought that the dealer had replaced the fuel filter when they did the 60k service on it last May, but I just looked at the work order and I don't see that on there anywhere. I need to have it inspected this month so maybe I will have them check the timing and the fuel pressure while it is there since its almost the end of the semester and I'm kinda short on time, I would do it otherwise. How hard is it to change the fuel filter? I've never done it before... Thanks guys!

- Craig

 

 

Thanks guys, I'm taking my car to get inspected Friday and I told the service guy about the problem and he said that the mechanic would take a look. I hate asking them to do it because I would much rather do it myself but with finals coming up soon I just don't have the time to do it. If they can find something and its going to cost a lot to have them do it, I will wait and try to do it myself when I'm done with finals. The service guy seemed to think that the fuel filter was in the tank and a lifetime part, but other places I've seen and the picture you posted, show one in the engine compartment, and I looked this morning and it's definately on the firewall. The service schedule I've seen says to change it around 60,000 miles, so it would have been done (hopefully) when I had the service done last may. Hopefully since I used the Honda parts to do the tune up last time they won't just assume that that is the problem and they may actually find something this time... Thanks again for the help guys! Much appreciated


- Craig

 

Ok, so I took the car to get inspected and I asked them to look it over and see if they could find anything and I explained the problem to them. They called me and said thatit was running like a champ and they could not get the car to do anything like I was explaining to them... go figure [:@] Anyway, they said it could be fuel, spark or compression related and they all checked out fine so they said to call them if it did it again. So the last 2 tanks of gas I've put in some fuel system cleaner each tank hoping that back to back treatments would do something since the bottle said that it may have added benefits.... I'm not usually one to listen to bottles but at this point, it's really frustrating me so what the heck. I've gotten through half a tank since my most recent fill-up and now the car is doing it again. I really don't know what to think anymore and I don't want to call the dealer because 1) I'm a broke college student haha and 2) they can't ever find anything anyway. Sorry to keep asking, but does anyone have any idea what could be goin on? Thanks so much.

- Craig

 

My non expert take on it.

It sounds like either a fuel or a spark problem.

Next time it does it, have someone else start it while u check the fuel line pressure and spark.

Intermittent problems are hard to fix and find cause the mechanic does not know unless it does it for him. Or you too.

It sounds more like a fuel than a spark problem to me based on what u said.

I would check the plug wires and wires running to coil and distibutor just in case.

Check for lose electrical connection in engine compartment. Check for lose or cut emissions hoses in same.

Check wires to fuel pump and follow their path all the way through. Do the same for the gas lines to see if they are bent or squeezed off.

If you did not replace gas filter do so.

See if distributor cap is cracked or broken, same for rotor.

 

You could replace fuel pump to see if that does it.

A lot of mechanics without a definate source for the problem will just start replacing stuff until they find the bad part. And they say well the part I replaced was bad also.

My car I would replace the gas pump. And clean out the gas tank too.

Sadly gas stations pump waterinto your tank sometimes. And if thats the cause you may be going to the same station all the time so they are always putting water into your tank. Are you??? Try a different station or use a bottle of that stuff for water with every fill up and see if it goes away. If so gofill up esewhere..

 

I've been tempted to replace the fuel pump but I don't have the money right now so I'm waiting until finals are over andI start working again. I do usually fill up at the same station and as mentioned above, the car seems to run and start fine when I put that fuel system cleaner stuff in it so who knows, maybe that's it. I guess this summer I can replace the fuel pump and see if that helps at all... I just hate to spend the money if it's not really what is wrong, you know? Thanks for your help man.

- Craig