Questions and Answers

Honda Civic Is Not Getting Any Spark Q. Sir, I have a 1989 Honda Civic Hatchback, 1.5 liter engine, manual transmission. Have owned this car since new, now has 222,000+ miles. The engine spins but no fire. No suspicious sounds from the engine valve train. I input a small amount of gas in the throttle body opening but still no fire. Replaced distributor cap and distributor rotor, then igniter, still won’t start.

The distributor housing was replaced about a year ago, probably less than 1,000 miles. This was due to a TDC error flash on the ECU and rough running. Passed CA smog test in Oct. 2003, has been running fine until it quit in the Post Office parking lot while at idle.

I read my Chiltons manual, checked the coil and voltage to the coil and igniter, check good. White wire from igniter has no ground, wire diagram in Chilton’s say’s only to PGM-ECU. Can you help me? I think that this is a great web site for the help you have offered others. I will try and check the main relay while waiting for your posting.

Thank you very much,
Bob
Hayward, CA

A. The white wire on the igniter goes to the PCM. The PCM creates the ground to cause the spark to fire at the right time.

What you can do is take one of the spark plug wires off, stick a spark plug on it and lay it on a good ground. Turn the key ON and with a jumper wire connected to the white wire, flash it quickly to ground. If you get a spark, then the ignition system is good and the PCM will need to be replaced.

The Main Relay does not enter into this ignition system. And from what you say you've done, the PCM is the only thing left.