How To Do A Cylinder Balance Test (1.6L Honda Civic)

Misfire Troubleshooting: The Tutorials

There are quite a few things that can cause a ‘dead’ cylinder. The next step is to check for the three basic things the cylinder needs to function, which are 1.) Spark, 2.) Fuel, 3.) Air.

To further help you along, in your troubleshooting, here are some more specifics:

1. Ignition system problem. For example:
   • Bad distributor cap.
   • Bad spark plug.
   • Bad spark plug wire.
   • Engine oil leaking onto the spark plugs from the valve cover.
2. Fuel system problem. For example:
   • Bad fuel injector.
   • Fuel injector not being activate by PCM or due to a short in the wiring.
3. Engine Mechanical. For example:
   • Low engine compression.

The above list may seem like troubleshooting a ‘dead’ (misfiring) cylinders is hard but with a good diagnostic strategy, you'll be able to find the root cause of the misfire.

Here are my suggestions (and the diagnostic strategy I use):

1. Test the ignition system first.
   • The ignition system is usually the culprit behind most of the misfire (‘dead’ cylinder) Conditions.
   • You can find an in-depth tutorial on how to test the ignition system on your Honda Civic here: How To Test The Igniter, Ignition Coil Accord, Civic, CRV, and Odyssey (at: easyautodiagnostics.com).
2. Test the fuel injectors second.
   • After eliminating the ignition system as the cause of the misfire, the next step is to make sure that the fuel injector is not fried internally.
   • You can find an in-depth tutorial on how to do a fuel injector resistance test here: How To Test The Fuel Injectors (1.6L Honda Civic).
3. Test the engine compression third.
   • After making sure that the ignition system is providing spark and the fuel injector is injecting fuel into the ‘dead’ cylinder, the next step would be to check that cylinder's compression.
   • You can find an in-depth tutorial on how to test the engine compression on your Honda Civic here: How To Test Engine Compression (Honda 1.6L).

The above list of tests can be modified to suit your particular diagnostic, troubleshooting needs (since there really isn't a specific cookie cutter way of diagnosing a car).

More 1.6L Honda Civic Tutorials

You can find a complete list of 1.6L Honda Civic tutorials in this index:

• Honda 1.6L Index of Articles.

Here's a small sample of the tutorials you'll find in the index:

• How To Test For A Blown Head Gasket (Honda 1.6L).
• How To Test The Alternator (1996-2000 1.6L Honda Civic).
• Testing Shift Control Solenoid Valves A and B (1996-2000 1.6L Honda Civic).
• How To Troubleshoot A No Start (Honda 1.6L).
• How To Test The Igniter, Ignition Coil Accord, Civic, CRV, and Odyssey (at: easyautodiagnostics.com).