Starting Issues

[UKCivic]

I have a Civic MA9 with the 1.5 VTEC-E engine. Its done 155K and runs well and is regularly serviced. Lately it has been getting very erratic at starting - nearly always in the morning. Mostly it starts first time but sometime's it'll be an absolute swine to start, usually when its cold or damp.

The battery is strong and the starter spins over well, and its recently had new sparks, leads and fuel filter replaced. When it misbehaves I can crank and crank almost flooding it and nothing happens but it seems to catch just when I release the key. When it does catch with much blipping of the throttle it'll struggle into life but once running its fine. The other morning I flattened the battery twice and on the third time (when the weather had dried up) it stated first time. I can hear the fuel pump priming and get a strong smell of petrol, with no sign of any leaks, so fuelling doesn't seem to be the problem.

From reading the forum I gather the common culprits are dizzy/coil/ignitor, main relay or the lambda sensor. I'm thinking the lambda sensor as fuel economy also isn't as good as it once was, even allowing for increasing fuel prices. Just wanted to know if anyone agrees with this diagnosis and if anyones got a used five wire lambda sensor which seem to be unique to the D15Z3 and D15Z1 engines and are consequently a bit pricey new. Thanks in advance

[civicturbo79]

I would say you have a dizzy fault . If it was the o2 sensor they stutter under part throttle .Rich.

[joelufc20]

take the dizzy cap off and the rotor arm. sand the terminals down and the metal bit on the rotor arm. clean the cap out with some spirit. make a gasket out of some rubber or foam. rescrew back on. should start fine.