2002 Civic starts, but won't run
 

I'm just buttoning up all the engine work I've done on the 2002 Civic LX (D17a1, 188k miles) I've been working on. I had to put a new head gasket in it.

Anyways, I'm having some difficulty getting it to run. When I key on, I hear the fuel pump turn on and back off. I then turn the key to start it, and it fires up. Then, it immediately dies. It fires for about 2 seconds, then falls on its face. I obviously have fuel and spark to start, but one of them stops shortly after. I've pushed the gas pedal down (has a throttle cable), and if I start it, it will rev up a little, but again quickly just dies. There is no sputtering or rough idle, it just clean cut dies. It will do this time after time after time, very consistent. I pulled the plugs, they were wet. I checked and there is spark on all 4 cylinders. There is no engine light, but I'm not sure its run long enough to generate any codes either.

My first thought is that it is fuel related. I'm getting fuel for the initial start up, but not after. I don't know why this would be though. I think I'll grab some starting fluid and see if I can get it to idle with starting fluid. If thats the case I know its the fuel system.

Ideas?

A friend at work agrees its fuel related. I mentioned that each time I key off and back on, the fuel pump primes again. This means I'm loosing fuel pressure in a very short amount of time.

Have you checked that the flexible tube between the MAF and throttle plate is intact?

My engine doesn't have a MAF sensor, it has MAP and air temp. They're integrated into the throttle body and air filter housing and are hooked up.

Not positive but when you crank it it gives battery power to the coil, then once it is running it goes through a resistor or it used to. If so thats your issue. Check the connections at the coil first. Could be a fuse. I'm not even sure it's done this way anymore.

regards
mech

Does your immobilizer light turn off? (the green key on your dash)

Double check that all the sensors are connected, especially the crank and cam positioning sensors. These could cause similar hard-starting issues and they were disconnected when you did the head gasket.

I have no idea on this. It has individual coil packs.

Yeah, the green light does turn off.

I'm pretty sure all the vacuum lines are hooked up. All the sensors are plugged in. I checked that last night after it didn't start the night before.

In my experience the fuel pump always primes when I key off/on. No matter how much fuel in the tank, no matter if I key off/on a couple times in a row.

This video on youtube seems to describe the same situation as yours:

watch?v=i6x31RU1S_I

In the video, the guy found that the timing belt was off by one tooth.