01 Prelude no start

[sonikaccord]

I purchased a 5th gen Prelude on Saturday with a no start issue. The previous owner stated that it will run as long as it's being fed starter fluid. I didn't get a chance to see that for myself because the starter (conveniently) died. I have since, checked the voltages to the ECU, injectors and main relay and all those are fine.

Now I believe it is a fuel delivery issue. Here is what happens when I try to start it. The engine will crank for a few seconds, stumble for maybe half a second and then die. When I prime the fuel pump a few times, it will stumble for about 2 seconds and die. I believe it has a clogged fuel filter. I have purchased one, but not yet installed it because the damn engineers at Honda decided to put it in a really open and easily accessible location under the brake master cylinder.

Continuing... I have not checked the fuel pressure at the rail yet.
What do you experts think the issue is based on my symptoms? Could a filter really clog that badly?

[F22Chris]

I doubt a filter would clog it that bad, man. Check fuel pressure and I'll get on ProDemand when I can to get you specs. Check injector continuity for the hell of it.

Pics of the car! How much did you get it for?

[sonikaccord]

Edit: I forgot to mention I found some crap stuck in the banjo bolt of the fuel filter. It seemed like a plastic type of material and it was thin enough to fit through the holes in the bolt...I may have to clean the rail and injectors out too.

I'll get a few pics up later today

For $2500. It came with 2 H22a's, mainly disassembled. One is an assembled block the other is fully disassembled and missing the crankshaft. It's probably at the seller's house somewhere. An extra set of wheels, black Prolines. A Euro-R manifold

Lowered on XXR (somethings), Tein coilovers, rebuilt H22a4 and transmission(don't have proof of that but the engine is clean.), DC Header, dark blue paint. It's pretty nice.

The bad:
Won't start
Needs clutch slave cylinder
Needs brakes bled
Needs headlight bulbs
Interior is spray painted black (yuck)
The engine bay was spray painted black with all the accessories still in the bay.
Some stickers that need to be removed

[F22Chris]

If here was plastic in the banjos, you might need to go through the fuel system completely. Still, I'll get psi specs for you to check the pressure.

[sonikaccord]

Thanks Chris, it would definitely help.
So got a couple more things...
The hood fell, so now it has a small dent. Yay, idgaf. It's a beater to use while I put the CB under to do some much needed repairs and mods.

It's hard to get pictures cause it's always dark by the time I get to work on her.

I got the fuel filter off, shook it around and heard rattling(fuuuuuuuuuuuu). So it sounds like the element broke? And now who knows what got into the system. I tried to start it a couple times, and it did start longer but still dies. After a while, the starter stopped. (I love problems) I think this one may be a relay.

[F22Chris]

38-44 psi without vacuum.

I guess it's the same for like all Hondas.

[sonikaccord]

Sounds about right. What brand fuel pressure tester would you recommend? If I'm going to get one, I might as well get something decent.

Edit: Some shitty pics I took Saturday, the bumper is off so the car could fit on the trailer...that was a task in itself.

[F22Chris]

Looks good man. I like the tails. As for the tester, OTC makes a good one. It's got better fittings than the SnapOn one my uncle has. The SnapOn one uses plastic where the OTC uses brass. Take your pic, they all break.

[sonikaccord]

They all look like they come from the same factory, just with different brand names. I ordered a couple other things as well. Noid lights, spark tester, starter trigger just to make life a bit easier and might as well add to my tool collection.

I took off the fuel rail, inspected the injectors, put 12V on them and they sound good. All read 12 Ohms. Obviously I wasn't expecting all 4 injectors to die/go bad at once. And after further reading, ignition switches on these cars tend to go bad so I'll check that out as well.

[sonikaccord]

Video of what's going on https://youtu.be/C0JbcJJDZ9U

[F22Chris]

Try the tps/ignition cylinder? Maybe it's that super common thing where when you jiggle the key the car shuts off? But worse obviously..

[sonikaccord]

I replaced it for shits and giggles, nothing. I did notice that the time that it starts is repetitive. Every 4 or 5 cranks, it will start and then die. Like it will find tdc, start the car and lose the timing then die. No CELs. I also found the PO's thread on prelude power which I may post in to see what they say.

I have a 2001 honda prelude base model 5spd
I just recently dropped a used 2000 prelude base motor in it bc my last one bent a rod.
I dropped the motor in smooth sailing and i test start the engine with no radiator, evap system, or accessory belts hooked up. Engine cranked and ran and idled just fine. Before it got hot i shut it off and continued to hook up the rest of the parts. Once allllll was in place no plugs unplugged i started again only this time the engine will fire and shut right back off. Here is what i have checked and replaced

Crank sensors
Knock sensor
Cam sensors
Distributor + plugs and sparks
Cleaned the injectors professionally
Checked all grounds
Ignition coil
Fuel pump and all lines including the rail
Immoblizer unit.

I even went as far as putting a new ECU and ignition and immobilizer in there just in case the ecu was bad
Im running out of ideas any suggestions would help greatly. When you put a test light on the injectors on the ON position they show full power. But as you are cranking they only pulse it seems to be once out of the four times they should be firing. When the light pulses on the injectors the car cranks over thens shuts off.
If you shoot brake cleaner into the manifold the car runs perfect. So that must be the issue but what is causing it?? Yes i replaced the fuel pump relay and the pgmfi

Well the service manual is pretty explicit about CKP/TDC issues: "If the circuit checks out OK electrically, check the timing belt and cam timing." So off to pull the valve cover whenever I get the time.

[F22Chris]

So you think it's timing? Might as well get a manual adjuster if you don't already have one.

[sonikaccord]

Actually, it could be old gas. He did say in another thread that it was sitting for 2 years because he bent a valve. And that would explain the carb/brake cleaner running the car "perfectly." I have to see that carb cleaner will run the car for myself. That should be quick and easy, I'll probably do it tonight

Edit: No injector pulse according to the Noid lights. Runs with carb cleaner. Cool, now to make a checklist and run through all the possible causes of this failure.

Edit:Edit: So I believe I have narrowed it down to an immobilizer issue. Not only does the immobilizer cut the starter, but it also cuts injector pulse. I will have to check maybe one or two wires for continuity. It would make sense as the key that I have only unlocks the driver's door and works in the ignition. It isn't (shouldn't be) a valet key as those are gray for the Prelude. I'm betting that the immobilizer control unit was swapped with it's corresponding transponder without programming the ECU for the new immobilizer control code. I would prefer to do this the "right" way but damn that'd be half of what I paid for the car!

[F22Chris]

Can Honda flash the ECU?