By Bill Davidson ( - 64.12.103.39) on Friday, November 24, 2000 - 01:11 pm:

Hello ,I hope someone can help me,I just bought a 1986 civic si last week and the car broke down allready.The problem is it just quit running .the first thing i checked was to see if i was getting gas ,yes it is getting gas. next i checked to see if i had any spark from the coil ,all i could see was 1 faint spark every time you tried to start. i tried a new coil and it does the same thing.does anyone out there have a clue as to why i am only getting 1 spark out of my coil.

By Charles R. ( - 207.104.157.131) on Friday, November 24, 2000 - 09:33 pm:

A quick thought, The cam IS turning when you crank the engine, right? Check the timing belt. I'd pull the cap and check that the rotor actually turns as well. Check for broken wires or corroded connections between the distributer and the coil. You know, the cheap and easy stuff first. To me, it sounds like a problem with the trigger in the distributer. Check for anything amiss inside the distributer. A service manual should be able to give you info on what functional tests (resistance, continuity, etc.)to perform and, if it's passing them.
Good luck.

By Bill ( - 152.163.197.81) on Saturday, November 25, 2000 - 05:27 am:

Thanks for the info Charles.I did make sure the cam was turning, i did not take the distributer off yet to see if it is actuly turning.I will have buy one of those ohm meters and check the coil and wires next.maby that new coil was also bad,all i know is that new coil did the same as the old one did ,just 1 faint spark and thats it.Thanks again.

By Adrian (Civicguru) on Saturday, November 25, 2000 - 06:10 am:

Sounds like your ignitor may be dead.

By Bill ( - 152.163.197.52) on Saturday, November 25, 2000 - 09:07 am:

Hello...Well Charles i went out to take the distributer out because the rotor was not turning.I could see that the cam is turning by taking the oil cap off,but the end of the cam that turns the distributer is not turning,so i guess i have a broken camshaft from what i can tell.am i correct on that or not? I still dont understand why that coil puts out 1 spark,isnt it suppose to have a connstant spark.Maybe i need a new igniter too like you said Adrian.As you can tell i am kinda new at this mechanicl stuff.Thanks for the help.Bill

By Charles R. ( - 207.104.157.182) on Saturday, November 25, 2000 - 03:11 pm:

Without getting into all the details, a coil really only makes a spark the moment power is applied OR taken away. It's the transition of the power, not the power itself, that produces the spark. That's what points do. They simply turn the power on and off as the distributer turns. magnetic triggers do the same thing, but in a different way. The one single spark you are seeing is the moment power is being applied. Since the distributer is not turning, its' mag trigger is not shutting the power off(and on and off and on...). With the "dizzy" connected, you could turn the rotor by hand to see if the setup is working (dizzy might need to be grounded). I'm sure it is and you do indeed have a broken cam.
If you don't have a service manual, now's the time to get one. At this point, it's a matter of taking things apart and making sure nothing but the cam is hurt. You'll need the manual for the proper tightening values once you are ready to put things back together.
This mechanical stuff really isn't that hard. It's a lot like the models we put together as kids. Most of the pieces only fit one way (some, like the cam "clamps" (towers)however, must be put back exactly where they came off) and the manual serves as instructions (you do read the intructions, right? ;) ).
Just take it slow, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
Good luck.
Charles R.

By Bill ( - 205.188.197.44) on Sunday, November 26, 2000 - 07:15 am:

Thanks Charles and Adrian for all the advise.I did buy a manuel the other day.So now its just a matter of waiting for the rain to stop, so i can get started. since I dont have a garage,but i do have a rain suit though,lol,owell i guess it could wait untill tomorrow. you guys are so helpfull Thanks again, Bill Davidson

By errol on Sunday, November 26, 2000 - 01:35 pm:

Bill; I have an extra 'si' head and manifold that has been sitting in my garage for a few...
sometimes the 'oil jet' inbetween the head and block gets plugged from not changing oil and the oil doesn't get to the cam journals (like hardening of the arteries). So the cam seizes in one or more journals for a split second (timing belt jumps or tears a couple of teeth off) or for good. Take the valve cover off and then the cam towers and inspect the journals. If they are scored look for another (good) head. Don't go on the cheap because if the scores are deep enough you'll loose pressure to the others. check the PCV valve also (should be 'clean and rattle') errol

By John S. ( - 209.223.82.10) on Monday, November 27, 2000 - 08:55 am:

Yeah, 3rd Gen Civic heads are notorious for this problem...one of the rare cases where in trying to fix a problem on earlier models, they actually created one. I don't know how hard it is to get to that check valve, but if possible it might be worth reaming it out to a slighly larger size...and of course change the oil often...but most of us are always playing catch up on someone elses F-up's, yes/no?

By Ramon ( - 207.5.4.95) on Monday, November 27, 2000 - 03:38 pm:

I had a 87 crx si and the cam siezed and broke off on the timing belt side right at the first seal took a while to figure this one out.

By Bill ( - 205.188.197.47) on Tuesday, November 28, 2000 - 03:52 pm:

Hey Everyone,well the rain has stopped and the cold and snow is here.But we did have a chance to take that cam out today ,and you guys are right ,the cam snaped in half on the middle journal,and ruined the head.So we started to take the head off today,We couldnt get it all the way out yet,got to buy a few more tools .we havent started to look for a used one yet,but from what im hearing i might have a hard time finding one if this is a common problem,maybe i will get lucky.I see that Errol has a spare one but im sure Errol lives far away from me.I live in the southwestern part of Michigan U.S.A.Thanks again Bill

By ray balaster on Tuesday, November 28, 2000 - 11:29 pm:

bill,
i have a cam for your civic...if the rest of the head is still ok...
and, convieniently i will be passing through michigan on sat. dec 2.

ray

you may call me if you wish to find out more...
501-293-3104

By Bill on Wednesday, November 29, 2000 - 04:20 pm:

Ray thanks for the offer but that head is realy damaged,we found a junk yard near by ,and they say they have 5 to chose from,Bill

By errol on Wednesday, November 29, 2000 - 10:22 pm:

Bill how soon do you need the head?(I'll haveto 'dig' it out) and i live in memphis and work for a airline that i can ship it to an airport or your door. email me for a price p.s. I would get a new cam just in case. Pulling the head shouldn't take too long(it took me 1.5hrs to pull a 88 civic head), and change the timing belt and water pump and maybe your 'front' crank and cam seals if there's any evidence of a leak. and check your tensioner to see if it 'rolls' quiet and smooth while your in there, as you can see it can bite you in the vertical crack if something like not changing oil and not doing preventitive maintenance is left undone (sorry for the long post) .e.

By Bill on Friday, December 01, 2000 - 01:53 pm:

Errol I just picked up a head at the local junkyard.They didnt have one that was just like the other one put they said it would work.the new one has 12 valves and mine has 8 valves.Everything else seems to look the same.Thanks for the offer .BILL

By beshwey (208.169.247.250) on Saturday, February 03, 2001 - 06:24 pm:

i think you have to check the belt inside the motor(not the water pump belt)..this problem happen to me ..so to check this belt without opening the motor ..open the sperataer(distributer)cap ,let someone try to turn on the car & observe if there is a rotation inside the distributer,if not change the belt,to prevent pistons from being damaged