Engine flooding

TINTINMILOU

MEMBER
1987 HONDA CRX
65,000 MILES

My 1987 Honda CRX with 65,000 miles has run great. All of a sudden one morning, it would no longer start. After lots of attempted diagnosis, and replacing the coil, igniter, distributor cap, rotor, plug wires, I took it to my mechanic and he says the engine is flooding. Why would it start doing this from one day to the next? Now, occasionally it will start and run fine, and then I have to crank the engine for a full minute or more before it will relucantly catch and run.
How do I fix this?

3 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

That would depend on whether the flooding is due to non starting or the carburettor/injectors is/are not functioning correctly.

If it is flooding because of no sparks and repeatedly cranking the engine, problem should have been solved by replacement of the parts mentioned.

Have you confirmed that there are sparks at the plugs?
Is this a carburetted or fuel injection model?

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Thursday, September 15th, 2011 AT 8:29 PM

TINTINMILOU

MEMBER
2 POSTS

It's a carburetted engine. And yes, I'm getting spark. I pulled the top off the carb, and the float chamber looks clean, and float and needle move freely.

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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 3:51 AM

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

At the side of carb there is a sight window. Ensure the fuel level is midway between the glass window when engine is off or running. If the spark plugs are not sooty, you could be starving of fuel instead of flooding.

Flooding can occur if there are vacuum leakages or the auto choke is stuck closed.

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Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 AT 2:43 PM