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Change out a HOSE. Now the car won't start. WTF? Any help?

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Old 12-18-06, 09:31 AM
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Change out a HOSE. Now the car won't start. WTF? Any help?

The hose in between the turbo housing and the CRV was split. I replaced the hose, but in doing so I had to remove the heat shield that was above it in order to have access to the hose. After I put the hose and the heat shield back on, I went to start the car, but the car didn't start. All I did was change a hose! I figured it might be the battery and when I took it to Advanced, they said it was low on amps. They charged it and put a load on it. They said the battery tested good, but when I hooked it back up to the car, it did the same thing, It's cranking and turns over, but it still didn't start. Did I mess up something when I put the heat shield back on? Any ideas on what I could've done?
Old 12-18-06, 11:25 AM
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Bump. Anyone?
Old 12-18-06, 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by MavrickFD
The hose in between the turbo housing and the CRV was split. I replaced the hose, but in doing so I had to remove the heat shield that was above it in order to have access to the hose. After I put the hose and the heat shield back on, I went to start the car, but the car didn't start. All I did was change a hose! I figured it might be the battery and when I took it to Advanced, they said it was low on amps. They charged it and put a load on it. They said the battery tested good, but when I hooked it back up to the car, it did the same thing, It's cranking and turns over, but it still didn't start. Did I mess up something when I put the heat shield back on? Any ideas on what I could've done?
Just a couple random thoughts... When you removed the heat shield you didn't accidentally remove any grounding wires and not reattach them? Also, check all the electronics in that area, it's possible if your engine harness is brittle maybe one of the wires broke while you were working in that area and your ECU isn't getting some sensor data it needs... I assume the CEL isn't on right?
Old 12-18-06, 12:17 PM
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Did you run the car for a minute to move it to do the hose? If so, it may be flooded. Do a search on "flooded" - lots of threads on how to recover from this.

Dave
Old 12-18-06, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by ArmitageGVR4
Just a couple random thoughts... When you removed the heat shield you didn't accidentally remove any grounding wires and not reattach them? Also, check all the electronics in that area, it's possible if your engine harness is brittle maybe one of the wires broke while you were working in that area and your ECU isn't getting some sensor data it needs... I assume the CEL isn't on right?
Thats what I was thinking. But I looked only at the grounding wire that was closest to where I was working at and it was attached. It got dark before I was able to look any further. I really hope I didn't mess up any thing serious when I was putting the heat shield back on.

Originally Posted by ArmitageGVR4
Did you run the car for a minute to move it to do the hose? If so, it may be flooded. Do a search on "flooded" - lots of threads on how to recover from this.

Dave
I ran the car up to move it to a closer parking spot to my apartment for about 10 seconds before I removed the hose, but how would that cause it to flood?
Old 12-18-06, 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by MavrickFD
I ran the car up to move it to a closer parking spot to my apartment for about 10 seconds before I removed the hose, but how would that cause it to flood?
When the car is cold, the fuel mixture is richer. Shutting off the car quickly during this time can cause the engine to be flooded with rotaries. This is usually the most common way they get flooded.

It doesn't happen often, but it can happen. I would try to deflood the car and see if that helps.
Old 12-18-06, 05:10 PM
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When I try to start the car, I can smell fuel in the engine bay. From what I hear, it doesn't sound like i'm getting spark because the engine cranks and I know there is fuel but no combustion. Could flooding cause this? Is it the spark plugs? They only have 15,000 miles on them.
Old 12-18-06, 05:19 PM
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Most likely flooded - if you start the car bone cold, move it, then shut it off, you can flood the car.

You probably have a light case of flooding - I'd try to start the car with the gas pedal to the floor. You will REALLY need to crank the car - like crank for 5 seconds, stop for a bit, crank again.

If that doesn't do it, a fresh set of plugs (or just leading plugs) is a good idea. I usually change mine around 15,000 miles anyhow just to keep top performance.

Dale
Old 12-18-06, 05:21 PM
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Yep, it sounds flooded. It's just one of those annoying things that comes up from time to time.

15000 miles on plugs in this car is actually getting long in the teeth, even for platinum plugs. Flooding ruins plugs not by wear, but by saturating them with fuel so that they won't make a spark. I humbly suggest you buy a new set of non-platinum plugs, so that if you flood again you've only lost $12. I don't like to play the unflooding game with new platinum plugs. Then after 5k put in a new set of platinums.

Check out the unflooding procedures on www.fd3s.net. Basically you remove a plug and crank. It suggests adding ATF to the holes as well, but that seems to be more for engines with low compression, so you can probably skip that.

Dave
Old 12-18-06, 05:26 PM
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Yeah, I don't think you'll need to introduce ATF or oil into the cylinders. Cranking with the gas pedal to the floor tells the ECU not to inject fuel - that will help get the fuel out of there, and many times you can get it to start on that remaining fuel.

BTW, Advance Auto Parts usually has the plugs in stock, and they usually have the platinum plugs for not much more than the regular plugs.

Dale
Old 12-19-06, 07:21 AM
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LOL, Flynn. Flooding your engine?? Tsk, Tsk. If you need any help, give me a call.
Old 12-19-06, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
BTW, Advance Auto Parts usually has the plugs in stock, and they usually have the platinum plugs for not much more than the regular plugs.
Wow, you're right. $7 for plats, $6 for standard.

When I went to advance the difference was much more. I think the price for the standard plugs has gone up quite a bit.

Dave
Old 12-19-06, 08:19 AM
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Yeah, the plain plugs used to be like just under $5 - I used to buy them in quantity from Pep Boys, but I don't think they carry the NGK's any more.

I think the platinums used to be like $8-9 or something, too.

Platinums just last a little longer - that's it. I've always wanted to figure out if the extra life was worth the extra money - if it's substantially longer, or just marginally longer.

Dale
Old 12-20-06, 01:10 PM
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Bought some standard leading plugs and installed them but still no luck. About to do what the write up said on fd3s.net. Hopefully it'll work. If it doesn't, im pretty sure I'll be back here asking more questions. So far, thanks guys
Old 12-21-06, 07:48 AM
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I took off all the spark plugs to find out that they were black on the ends of them. I replaced them with some standard plugs and cranked the engine with them NOT installed and also with the fuel pump fuse disconnected, to hopefulluy get any excess fuel out with out putting anymore fuel in by following the procedures that was told on fd3s.net. I then looked in the engine bay, but did not find any evidence of fuel. I tested one of the new plugs just to see if I had spark, which I did. After that, I installed all of the plugs, reinstalled the fuel pump fuse and cranked the engine, but still, it wouldn't start.

I really don't want to stray from it being possibly flooded but how do I test my fuel pump. People say that you can hear your fuel pump if you turn on your car before cranking it, but I can't hear it. Does anyone know how to short it by using a jumper wire in the diagnosis box? I just want to see if it's working to eliminate the possibility of it being a fuel problem.

I'm really starting to feel discouraged because my car has been out of commision since Sunday and it really sucks that I don't have a car to use. Thanks AcesHigh. I'll try your procedure next and hope it works. If not, I'll still be taking suggestions. Thanks fellas
Old 12-21-06, 08:49 AM
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Connect the diagnosis connector terminals F/P and GND with a jumper wire
Turn the ignition switch on for approximately 10 seconds
Old 12-21-06, 11:15 AM
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And for the fuel pump test, don't forget to put back in the FP relay.

Dave
Old 12-21-06, 02:37 PM
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This thread can officially be closed.

I finally got my baby to start . Did what AcesHigh told me to do and it worked for me. Took a good half hour of repeating the steps of cranking then putting in WD-40 into the boost gauge nipple on top of the manifold. Thanks for everybody's input. PROBLEM SOLVED.
Old 12-21-06, 03:17 PM
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Congrats dude!
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