# 2000 Honda Civic trouble starting

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** civic, honda\
**Created:** [June 18, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398 "2018-06-18T15:59:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ChristopherRoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@ChristopherRoss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristopherRoss)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/1 "2018-06-18T15:59:48Z")

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If my car sits overnight, first thing in the morning, it will start. But after driving maybe 30 mins I’ll turn it off and it won’t start again. If i let it sit for maybe 30-45 mins, it’ll start up with a strong gas smell. What’s the problem??

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/2 "2018-06-18T20:20:15Z")

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Maybe leaking injectors. A fuel system clean might bring them back or replacement might be needed.

Is the check engine light on?

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/3 "2018-06-19T01:49:39Z")

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What happens when it doesn’t start again? Does it at least turn over, but fail to start and run? Does it not turn over at all for a while? The answer is important.

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**Author:** ![ChristopherRoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@ChristopherRoss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristopherRoss)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/4 "2018-06-19T02:18:12Z")

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It turns over but doesnt start and you can smell the gas so i know its flooded.

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/5 "2018-06-19T02:23:45Z")

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When that happens, floor the accelerator pedal while continuing to crank.

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**Author:** ![ChristopherRoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@ChristopherRoss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristopherRoss)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/6 "2018-06-19T02:43:28Z")

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Getting it started isn’t the problem. What is the reason?

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/7 "2018-06-19T02:47:36Z")

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> [@ChristopherRoss](#):
>
> Getting it started isn’t the problem.

That’s not what the title of your post states?

Tester

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/8 "2018-06-19T03:00:29Z")

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Which is it; won’t start or getting it started isn’t the problem?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChristopherRoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@ChristopherRoss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristopherRoss)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/9 "2018-06-19T03:30:22Z")

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The car starts first thing in the morning on the way to work. It takes bout 30 mins to get to work. Lets say when i get there and turn the car off, and try to crank it again, it turns over but doesnt start and i smell gas

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/10 "2018-06-19T03:31:20Z")

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My guess is the ignition system is failing when it gets hot. The gas smell occurs b/c if there’s no spark, the injected fuel during cranking just goes out the tailpipe. Easy enough to verify, when this happens check for spark at a spark plug. A pretty common reason for this symptom is a failing crank position sensor.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChristopherRoss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@ChristopherRoss](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChristopherRoss)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/11 "2018-06-19T03:32:16Z")

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Thanks George

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/12 "2018-06-19T03:50:27Z")

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If flooring the gas pedal while cranking gets the warmed-up engine to start, the problem is likely a leaking injector, causing a too-rich condition. Flooring the gas pedal would not have any effect on the ignition system. Checking for spark as George suggests is a worthwhile test to do IFF flooring the gas pedal has no effect on starting when warmed up.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 3:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/13 "2018-06-19T03:53:38Z")

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If there were a leaking injector, wouldn’t the cylinders that didn’t have a leaking injector still fire?

Tester.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 11:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/14 "2018-06-19T11:15:20Z")

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I suspect there is a lack of spark and the gas smell is because all of the injectors are pulsing.

Many Hondas have had issues with ignition switches. Some years in this era are under a recall for this problem although I don’t think (?) your 2000 model is covered. You might do a net search on that.

Recall or no recall, many Hondas suffer from the switch problem anyway.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/15 "2018-06-19T16:12:16Z")

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That main relay problem prevents the fuel pump from working though, so the gas smell seems to point away from it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Camshaft700](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Camshaft700](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Camshaft700)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/16 "2018-06-19T16:12:54Z")

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2000 should still have distributor ?

Common things main relay solder joints  
Things to check for are testing for spark  
IGN modules and coils common

Testing if injectors are pulsing  
Or listening to see if fuel pump is priming on key turn when it cranks no start

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/17 "2018-06-19T21:59:27Z")

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The problem might be vapor lock.

Have the residual fuel pressure checked to see if it’s in spec.

Tester

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2018, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/18 "2018-06-19T22:05:58Z")

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I’m an amateur at this, but how about the engine temp sensor being faulty, so the fuel injection is operating as if the engine is cold, and enriching the mixture, so it’s flooding the engine.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2018, 12:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2000-honda-civic-trouble-starting/119398/19 "2018-06-20T12:06:31Z")

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Could be - or coolant is low and not being sensed.

Flooring the engine while cranking will usually overcome flooding. We are waiting to hear.
