[Ryanjung44]

Hi! So I recently bought my first project, a 2002 Acura rsx type s that needed a clutch/flywheel replacement. The car was running great before just not rolling around too much because of the worn out clutch. The car is currently cranking but doesn’t even seem to try to turn over.


The car was sitting in my garage for a couple of months while I changed the ac belt, spark plugs, clutch/flywheel, and couple suspension parts. After I put it all together the car wouldn’t start!

what I have done after the car was put back together was checking for spark, fuel where I have seen both cases work. Tried to check compression will retry it ASAP.
I have taken off the intake manifold to take out the starter and see if it pops out and spins properly. Fixed a coolant temp sensor that was broken. Now I took of the valve cover and the chain looks good but still confused.

I am completely lost and would appreciate some help 🙏🏼

 

[Brotatochip]

Was the coolant temp sensor a quality replacement? Incorrect coolant temperature reading could prevent a start.

 

[TedR]

Sounds like you may have dislodged some wiring during the clutch replacement or the battery is dead. Do you have a good known battery that is fully charged?

Please clarify as I am reading two different scenarios in your post. When you turn the key is the engine spinning? If not, do you hear a click?

 

[Ryanjung44]

Sounds like you may have dislodged some wiring during the clutch replacement or the battery is dead. Do you have a good known battery that is fully charged?

Please clarify as I am reading two different scenarios in your post. When you turn the key is the engine spinning? If not, do you hear a click?

I can hear the car spinning I check battery voltage with a multimeter. And I did check codes after I replaced the coolant temp sensor and I think it should be ok. Most of the wiring are at eye level when the air box is out and I don’t think I misplaced any of them.

 

[Ryanjung44]

Just checked timing, seems good. Heard compression from the top while turning it over manually.

 

[TedR]

So, if the engine is turning over and the car ran before the clutch swap, I would start tracking down the wiring for ignition and fuel. Look for any loose connections or broken wires.

 

[Ryanjung44]

So, if the engine is turning over and the car ran before the clutch swap, I would start tracking down the wiring for ignition and fuel. Look for any loose connections or broken wires.

Well for ignition I took out every single spark plug and the corresponding ignition coil, and cranked the car over and saw brought spark in each. And as for fuel, I have tested one by one all into a little cup and saw some what even sprays.

 

[Ryanjung44]

So, if the engine is turning over and the car ran before the clutch swap, I would start tracking down the wiring for ignition and fuel. Look for any loose connections or broken wires.

But will do a re check in a second

 

[LotusElise]

I can hear the car spinning I check battery voltage with a multimeter. And I did check codes after I replaced the coolant temp sensor and I think it should be ok. Most of the wiring are at eye level when the air box is out and I don’t think I misplaced any of them.

What I've understood is, the car turns when ign. key meet step 2 in start speed (around 200-250 rpm), but don't fire up to speed up to idle speed (700-900 rpm). Is that correct?

Well for ignition I took out every single spark plug and the corresponding ignition coil, and cranked the car over and saw brought spark in each. And as for fuel, I have tested one by one all into a little cup and saw some what even sprays.

That would mean, fuel and ignition are there, but no combustion. Does air flow freely as it should? E.g. did you plug in the IACV connector so that the IACV can to it's thing? Or maybe you forgot a lump in the intake path, ....

 

[Ryanjung44]

What I've understood is, the car turns when ign. key meet step 2 in start speed (around 200-250 rpm), but don't fire up to speed up to idle speed (700-900 rpm). Is that correct?

That would mean, fuel and ignition are there, but no combustion. Does air flow freely as it should? E.g. did you plug in the IACV connector so that the IACV can to it's thing? Or maybe you forgot a lump in the intake path, ....

Yea I can see the speedometer jump up abit when I try to turn the car on.

 

[Ryanjung44]

What I've understood is, the car turns when ign. key meet step 2 in start speed (around 200-250 rpm), but don't fire up to speed up to idle speed (700-900 rpm). Is that correct?

That would mean, fuel and ignition are there, but no combustion. Does air flow freely as it should? E.g. did you plug in the IACV connector so that the IACV can to it's thing? Or maybe you forgot a lump in the intake path, ....

When I was manually spinning the engine with a breaker bar I could hear air releasing from cylinder 1 the one that I had the spark plug taken out of. And believe that I should have compression. And timing matched up

 

[Ryanjung44]

What I've understood is, the car turns when ign. key meet step 2 in start speed (around 200-250 rpm), but don't fire up to speed up to idle speed (700-900 rpm). Is that correct?

That would mean, fuel and ignition are there, but no combustion. Does air flow freely as it should? E.g. did you plug in the IACV connector so that the IACV can to it's thing? Or maybe you forgot a lump in the intake path, ....

Going to check a IACV right now if it’s clean and plugged in

 

[Ryanjung44]

everything looks clean, and the IACV is all plugged in.

 

[LotusElise]

Yea I can see the speedometer jump up abit when I try to turn the car on.

The speedometer I hope not (would be VSS) or do you mean the engine speed indicator?

everything looks clean, and the IACV is all plugged in.

Ok, assuming it does work correctly and I assume the engine sees some partly successful combustion events as you say the cockpit shows some action during the start up procedure, so it does not only run on starter speed (200-250 rpm) the issue could be in the control area (TPS, MAP sensor check) and the air feed or exhaust flow area.

I would recommend following:

• Read out the values of TPS and MAP
• unplug the catback from the header and try to start the engine. You need one person to check manual if exhaust is coming out the header and how warm and fuel wet it is. After confirming there are no obstacles there, assemble it and test it at the muffler end too.

On all that starting events, check your spark plugs fouling and color condition as well as battery. A 2nd battery in parallel would help to endure better for the primary. Also check the temperature of the starter. Don't run it to hot, the insulations of the coil pack would shortcut by melting.

 

[Ryanjung44]

Wondering what this broken wire is. It’s located under the actual fuse box and near the battery

 

[LotusElise]

Wondering what this broken wire is. It’s located under the actual fuse box and near the battery

Does it belong to the chassis or engine harness? If the grew wall is the firewall I assume more to the chassis harness.

Could you check what sensor signals you get of the ECU?

 

[Ryanjung44]

Update: Now I am just to assume that this is an mechanical issue, had someone come by and rescan it with a nice scanner... no codes. Did more test on compression mainly surface level things. Came to the conclusion that there is no compression. Can hear everything working good and maybe he can’t hear the pistons reacting with the valves.. was told next steps was to take off the valve cover, check timing again + extra stuff under covers. I guess I’m gonna check whatever I need to check but still pretty lost

 

[Ryanjung44]

Car was running great before when it was not at my house. Just not moving from the position due to clutch not grabbing. Haven’t driven a single time but it won’t start. What could it really be???

 

[LotusElise]

Now I am just to assume that this is an mechanical issue, had someone come by and rescan it with a nice scanner... no codes

Please share what you have seen on the scanner. The ECU is not an almighty, sometimes it helps to see what the engine parameters tells one.

 

[Ryanjung44]

Scanner showed nothing. No codes or nothing that looks weird about it.