Hi guys,
My sons 99 Accord LX is acting up again. Brief history for those who don't know me. I did the top end of this engine a while back and had some issues. The great guys here helped me solve the problem but now a new issue: The car has been getting interrmittant CEL's for engine misfire. Now a code po300 random multiple engine misfire and blinking CEL. I reset codes and car operated well for a time. A couple of days ago, son came home from work with engine overheating. Turned out to be a bad heater hose. Replaced heater hose and all seemed well for a little bit then engine began running rough and code po300 again. Then car would not start at all. Checked plugs, were flooded with fuel from trying to start. Dried plugs and reinstalled. checked distributor cap. Turns out cap got wet when hose burst. Dried cap and reinstalled. Tried to restart car, very hard to start but after flooring the gas pedal car started and began to pick up 1 cylinder at a time until it was running normal again. Cleared codes and all seemed well. Next day car quit on my son again when he went to shopping center. Once again plugs very wet. Dried plugs and car started right up. Car ran normal. After about an hour of sitting, same thing again. I dried the plugs once more and car started right up. No CEL's. Now car will not run no matter what and plugs again wet. Checked for spark and had spark but was not very snappy. Spark was dull red not blue. Not wanting to spend alot of cash on changing coil and ignition module I purchased a complete used distributor and installed it. Plenty of spark and car is in time. Checked timing marks they are fine. (belt is new) Car still will not start and plugs wet again. I am now thinking fuel system problem. (What else could it be?) Could it be the fuel regulator? Fuel pump? I'm baffled. BTW car has plenty of compression cyl # 1 155 lbs cyl 2, 3 and 4 are at 160 lbs.If anyone has any ideas on what to look for please reply to this thread. Thanks in advance for your help
Paul

 

Suggest checking spark w/ timing light attached to lead/s. No flash means no spark.

If spark is confirmed as good, next step would be to check fuel pressure on fuel rail. Low fuel pressure would cause no start and could flood the plugs. Fuel pressure fittings can be difficult to find.

A cruder fuel pressure test is to crack the banjo bolt immediately after turning ignition switch to On. You should get a large spray of fuel from cracked banjo bolt. This only proves that pressure is probably OK, but does not rule out too low pressure.

Check fuel pressure regulator vacuum reference line. If it smells of fuel the fuel pressure regulator diaphragm has ruptured. This might cause hard/no start.

good luck

 

Was the coil replaced?

 

Yes the coil was replaced when I replaced the distributor. It was a salvage unit however.

 

I would try swapping the original ignition module back into the used distributor. Also closely inspect the wiring inside of the distributor.

Do you have a timing light?

 

I did get the engine to fire up tonight. Car had new bosch platinum spark plugs, but being they got so wet I decided to replace them. I went to walmart and bought the cheapest autolite copper plugs they had and installed them. It was difficult to start but it finally started by my holding down the pedal. When it runs it seems to run fine BUT..... I noticed a lot of white smoke after this start up. I checked the radiator and sure enough it was low. I looked at the dipstick and found the level to be way too high and oil milky looking. Looks like he blew the head or head gasket. The wet I was seeing on the plugs smelled like gas but maybe was coolant. That would explain the multiple misfire and then the no start but when I did a compression check all cylinders were fine. Shouldn't I have a had a low reading in two adjacent cylinders if it blew? Tomorrow I will do a pressure check on the cooling system to see whats going on.
If you guys have any other ideas, please post. Thanks again for all of your help.
Paul