Driving fine and car died, now won't start but cranks - please help?

[Brennan]

Hello again 3geez!

It certainly has been a while, last time I was on here you guys helped me to do a manual transmission swap! By the way, that transmission is still in there and running strong!

Now, to the rest of the car, particularly the engine.

Car is 89 Accord LX-i. 227,000 miles.

I was driving last night, and suddenly the engine sputtered for just a sec, drove normally for about 3 more seconds, then seemed like it was out of gas and sputtered to a halt. Had my dad bring me gas, got it to start but it ran like absolute crap, as if it was only on 2 cylinders. Almost immediately it began smoking from the (red hot) catalytic converter, so I turned it off and pushed it about a mile home (ouch).

Figuring it might be a clogged cat, I was going to take that off and try running it without it, but upon doing so the 6th and final nut stripped. I put it back together, and talked to an exhaust place which said that I might try punching some holes in the exhaust line before the cat and seeing if it would help, so I did, but no better.

Now it's refusing to start at all, and of course all this cranking wore down my battery to nothing, so now I'm having to try to jump it every time I need to start it.

I checked a few things, all fuses are good, cap, rotor, wires, plugs were all done not too long ago. I read of someone having problems due to a bad rotor, but mine looks fine. I put more gas in there just now and still nothing. It cranks fine, but never catches.

This car has always started RIGHT up, no matter if it's cold or hot. One issue I have sometimes is that it starts...dies, starts...dies. But then it always starts strong after a few rounds of that. Anyone have any idea? I know you've probably heard this a million times but I need the car tomorrow and it will not start no matter what I do. I was thinking maybe I got water in the gas tank, but I'm not sure how that would've happened.

I do tend to run low on gas because I'm a broke college student, and when this happened I was pretty low. Could it have sucked something into the engine? I checked at the fuel rail and there is pressurized gas, so the pump is working at least. Also the fuel filter was replaced not long ago, so that shouldn't be a problem.

To summarize:
-Car was driving fine, then sputtered to a halt as if it was out of gas.
-Put in gas, it started again but seemed like only 2 cylinders. Catalytic converter got red hot and started smoking.
-Put holes in exhaust line before cat to try and bypass it, now car only cranks and won't "catch" / start.

I'm open to any ideas folks! If we can get this fixed in the next couple of days I'll toss $20 toward this site through whatever means necessary.

[Vanilla Sky]

Sounds like you have either a dead fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter sock. Check to see if you're still building pressure. Have you tested for voltage at the fuel pump?

[Legend_master]

Does the fuel pump relay click when you turn the key to the II position?

[Brennan]

Sounds like you have either a dead fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter sock. Check to see if you're still building pressure. Have you tested for voltage at the fuel pump?

Would either of these lead to the catalytic converter smoking? For me, that's the weird part. I loosened the fuel line at the rail and it depressurized. Are you thinking that the injectors aren't getting power? How can I test that? I have a multimeter if that helps.

Does the fuel pump relay click when you turn the key to the II position?

I believe it does. I listened for that slight "whrrrr" for about 2-3 seconds at the fuel rail when in position II and I can hear that. Is that what you're referring to?

Thanks guys!! Appreciate the help!

[Oldblueaccord]

Red hot cat means way to much fuel or restricted exhaust.

Check the com9uter for codes, instuctions top of the page.

Im guessing it so rich it fouled the plugs so it wont start run we well.

Wp

[Brennan]

Checked the computer, nothing showing up, and no Check Engine Light.

Had my mechanic come over, he found that if he took off the first distributor wire it would start and run on 3 cylinders. So I replaced the cap and the rotor, and she purred back to life on all cylinders.

Only (minimal) issue now is it wants to sputter in 2nd and 3rd occasionally. I'm thinking the #1 cylinder spark plug might be damaged, but I'll have to check that. If you look back at my first posts here, my car would sputter like hell under any load and it turned out to be horribly worn spark plugs.

Thanks guys!

[Dr_Snooz]

Don't take the car to that shop anymore. Holes in the cat. Good grief.