How To Test A No Start Condition (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V)

Testing a 'no-start' problem can seem hard (if not impossible). Well, I can tell you from personal experience that troubleshooting a no-start condition on the 2.0L Honda CR-V is pretty easy.

In this tutorial, I'm gonna' present a way of troubleshooting a no-start on the 2.0L distributor equipped Honda CR-V. Yes, there's a method to the madness!

You'll able to diagnose the: ignition system, the fuel pump, and the timing belt. To see if these components are behind the no-start problem.

You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Probar Un Arranca Pero No Prende (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V) (at: autotecnico-online.com).

Difference Between A No Start And A No Crank Condition

It's important to know what the difference between a ‘no-start’ and a 'no-crank' condition is.

Since this tutorial focuses only on testing an 'engine cranks but does not start' problem, I'm gonna' explain the difference between both types of problems.

When the engine cranks but does not start: Your Honda CR-V's starter motor is cranking the engine but the engine is not starting.

When the engine does not crank: Your Honda CR-V's engine does not turn over when you turn the key to crank and start the engine. This is usually due to a bad starter motor, bad ignition switch, bad neutral safety switch, or the engine is locked up.

If the engine in your 2.0L Honda CR-V does not crank, I suggest that you start off by testing the starter motor. The following tutorial (although for a 1.6L Honda Civic) will help: How To Test The Starter Motor (Honda 1.5L, 1.6L) (at: troubleshootmyvehicle.com.

No Start Condition Basics

What makes testing a no-start condition easy is the fact the one of three things is usually missing and keeping the engine from starting.

To be a bit more specific, your Honda CR-V's engine is not starting because either: spark is missing or fuel is missing or there's no engine compression.

So, this means that we have to perform 3 basic tests to get to the bottom of the no-start problem. We need to:

Test the ignition system: We need to make sure that each cylinder is getting spark. This simply involves testing each spark plug wire with a spark tester.

Test the fuel system: We need to make sure gasoline is reaching the cylinders. This involves two tests: a Noid light test and a fuel pump test.

Test the engine compression: We need to make sure that each cylinder has a normal compression value.

In the following pages, you'll find a basic testing guide so that you can find out what's behind your 2.0L Honda CR-V's no-start problem.

What Tools Do I Need?

To find out what's behind your Honda CR-V's not start problem, you're gonna' need a few specialized tools.

Here's a basic list of what you'll need:

• Spark tester.
• Noid light set.
• Fuel pressure tester.
• Engine compression tester.

I'm gonna' suggest that the spark tester that you use be an HEI Spark Tester. This tester is the most accurate tester on the market and isn't expensive. You can find out more about it (and where to buy it) here: HEI Spark Tester. Or you can take a look at this section: Where To Buy An HEI Spark Tester And A Fuel Pressure Gauge.

You'll notice that I didn't include a scan tool in the list. This is because, although having one comes in handy, you don't really need one to test a 'cranks but does not start' condition.

As you can see, none of these tools will break the bank. Most of these you can borrow from your local national chain auto parts store (after leaving a small deposit).

Let's turn the page and get testing.

TEST 1: Testing For Spark And Fuel Injector Pulses

The very first thing I'm gonna' ask you to do is to test for spark with a spark tester and test the fuel injector pulses with a Noid light.

Right off the bat we need to make sure that the engine is being fed spark and that the fuel injection computer is activating the fuel injectors.

If spark and the fuel injector pulses are present, then we can move on with testing the fuel pump pressure.

NOTE: If you've never done a Noid light test, then you can find out more about it and where to buy a set here: How To Use A Noid Light And Where To Buy It.

Here are the test steps:

1. 1

   Connect the spark tester to spark plug wire for cylinder #1.

2. 2

   Connect the Noid light to the fuel injector connector for cylinder #1.

3. 3

   Have your helper crank the engine as you observe the spark tester and the Noid light.

4. 4

   The spark tester should spark and the Noid light should flash On and OFF as your helper cranks the engine.

5. 5

   Repeat this test on the remaining 3 cylinders.

Let's interpret your spark and Noid light test results:

CASE 1: You got spark and fuel injector pulses at all 4 cylinders. This is the correct and expected test result.

This test result tells you quite a number of things. Namely that you can eliminate the ignition system as the cause behind the no-start problem your 2.0L Honda CR-V is having.

Your next step is to test the fuel pump's pressure. For this test go to: TEST 2: Testing The Fuel Pump's Pressure.

CASE 2: You got NO spark and NO fuel injector pulses at all 4 cylinders. This test result usually tells you that there's something wrong with the ignition control module or the crankshaft position sensors (all located inside the distributor).

Your next step is to test the ignition control module. For the 1997-1998 CR-V, see this tutorial: How To Test The Ignition Control Module (1997-1998 2.0L Honda CR-V). For the 1999-2001 CR-V, see this tutorial: How To Test The Ignition Control Module (1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).

CASE 3: You got NO spark but got fuel injector pulses at all 4 cylinders. This usually tells you that the ignition coil (inside the distributor) is defective.

Your next step is to test the ignition coil. For the 1997-1998 CR-V, see this tutorial: How To Test The Ignition Coil (1997-1998 2.0L Honda CR-V). For the 1999-2001 CR-V, see this tutorial: How To Test The Ignition Coil (1999-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).

CASE 4: You got spark BUT NO fuel injector pulses at all 4 cylinders. This usually tells you that power is missing to the fuel injector connectors.

This test result lets you know that the ignition system is NOT behind the no-start problem your Honda CR-V is currently experiencing.

Although it's beyond the scope of this tutorial, your next step is check the fuel injector circuits with a wiring diagram.