1988 Honda Accord LX-i quit running. Failure to start.

[skifreak]

Help please all you Accord smarty pants types. 1988 Honda Accord LX-i won't start. Here is what happened.

My son was driving the car and for about two weeks or more, complaining of hesitation and stumbling. I rode with him and confirmed that under most throttle positions, the car would stumble. Still started and ran, but stumbling frequently.

Then, it suddenly quit while driving.

The engine will turn over easily but will not start. It occasionally coughs, but will not start.

Here is what I have checked so far.

I checked for spark by pulling the spark plugs on #2 and #3 cylinders, holding them against the valve cover while my son cranked the engine. There was blue spark on both of them. I did not check for spark on #1 and #4 cylinders since I guessed that they would likely have spark as well.

I checked for fuel pressure by hooking up a fuel pressure gauge to the banjo bolt on the fuel injection rail. Tests confirmed fuel pressure (when key was in the "on" position) of about 38-40 psi. I repeated this test by turning the key off, bleeding the pressure, then turning the key back to the "on" position. Again, multiple test revealed 38-40 psi at the fuel rail.

There is no check engine light. No trouble codes from the ECU under the driver's seat. When the key is switched to the "on" position, the ECU will flash a red light for a second, then the red light goes off with no flashing. Just on for a second, then off.

Now what? I have spark. I have fuel pressure. I am hoping this has happened to someone, somewhere, out there and they can tell me their remedy. Or, some guidance as to what to check next. I was thinking of checking the timing next, but not sure exactly how. Maybe distributor issues? Maybe crankshaft position sensor?

I have owned this car since 1995 and have kept meticulous service records up until its current mileage of 280k, so I can tell you anything from the car's history. It was my baby until I gave it to my son a couple of months ago.

I will not let it die on me this way. We have come way to far in life together.

Thanks for your help.

[Shane86]

Distributor

[Oldblueaccord]

make sure the timing belt is intact and recheck the TDC position.

[skifreak]

Hey Shane86, are you suggesting that the distributor is faulty even though spark is making its way to the plugs? I would prefer a way to test it rather than spending money on a new distributor and a guess. I have been down the "throw money and parts at it" road of repair and I am not too fond of it.

Also Oldblueaccord, I can check the timing marks on the camshaft to see if it has skipped a tooth. A long shot, but it is free to check.

[Oldblueaccord]

Yes if it skipped a tooth or two it still will spark but it might not be in time enough to fire the motor over.

Long shot is put new plugs in it and maybe its a gas issue.

[jjsamc]

Things that I remember caused hesitation and stumbling without giving a code on my 1986 LXi over the years:
-Distributor.
-Clogged fuel injector.
-Oxygen sensor.

[Shane86]

Hey Shane86, are you suggesting that the distributor is faulty even though spark is making its way to the plugs? I would prefer a way to test it rather than spending money on a new distributor and a guess. I have been down the "throw money and parts at it" road of repair and I am not too fond of it.

Also Oldblueaccord, I can check the timing marks on the camshaft to see if it has skipped a tooth. A long shot, but it is free to check.

Yep even though you got spark doesn't mean the distributor is good. it's happened to me before

[Demon1024]

I've had position sensors fail more than once, it's in the dizzy. I'd look up how to check the different things in that first after a compression test or checking if starting fluid will make it "run"

[Dr_Snooz]

Yep. That part is not available separately, so if it has failed, it's new dizzie time. There is a test for it on p. 12-30 of the manual. There's also a distributor inspection on p. 24-12 of the manual. You can test the igniter following p. 24-9. At this age, these dizzies are usually afflicted with multiple issues and parts are not available. If there's an issue, just buy a new one (not reman) and throw out the old.

[skifreak]

So, I tested compression. Here are the numbers.

Cylinder 4: 175 psi
Cylinder 3: 150 psi
Cylinder 2: 165 psi
Cylinder 1: 165 psi

Not bad for a motor with 270k on the clock. While all the plugs were out, I regapped them (2 were out of spec) and checked for spark. All of them had spark. There was a definite smell of fuel also.

After compression, I checked timing. I am not sure I did this correctly, since the car would not start, but I was looking for the white mark with the vacuum hoses in place and red with the vacuum hoses removed. I would call this inconclusive since the car would not start or idle for me to time it correctly.

So, it has spark, compression, 38psi at the rails and smells like fuel with plugs removed.

Distributor? I will check those pages in the manual and see what I can find.

It WILL live again!

[skifreak]

I just sprayed starting fluid down the intake (air filter removed) and nothing. No hint of catching.

I even tried starting it with the air filter removed. Nothing.

I know everyone here is thinking distributor. Does this sound like a distributor problem, even though there is spark at the plugs?

[Shane86]

Is the cam and crank timing lined up? If so i say distributor

[Dr_Snooz]

If starting fluid did nothing, it's definitely a spark issue. Either a broken timing belt or a distributor.