Battery blew, now no spark...help

[EASY RIDER]

Hi Everyone!

I have a 90' Honda Civic hatchback, 1.5L, 4spd, with 108K miles.

Short version is we have no spark after a blown battery.

Below is the long version.

Driving down the highway yesterday my car battery blew real bad. Acid oozing out sides...it was cooked.

Put in new battery and we have good power. Car turns over strong and power to everything as it should.

But car won't start. No spark.

At the moment the battery blew, a puff of smoke shot from under driver's side dash, just under steering wheel.

Checked under dash for anything obviously wrong, like burned wire, but all looked fine.

All fuses are fine.
ECU is fine
Main relay is fine
We replaced coil with new coil, but still no spark

Has this ever happened to anyone? If the battery blows, what would it likely short out that still allows power to everything and for the car to turn over fine, but prevents spark?

The "check engine light" is not on.

Our last hope is to replace the whole distributor. An expensive gamble, but not sure what else to try.

Thx for any suggestions!

(Edit to original post: I just realized this is not the correct forum for car questions...My bad, I'm new at this. I'm not able to delete this whole post, otherwise I would).

[greaseyjockey]

The only time I've ever seen a battery explode is from overcharging. Thats probly what smoked whatever smoked under the dash. you could check the coil signal with a test light, but i think you have bigger problems.

[Terry454]

It takes three things to make an internal combustion engine run:
1) Fuel
2) spark at the right time
3) compression

If you are sure you have 1 & 3 -- you are sure right? -- and you say there is no #2 and you replaced the coil. What triggers the coil? Powertrain Control Module or the like? I don't know Hondas but you have to go backwards with electrical tester and see what has failed.

As greasejocky said batteries usually only explode from overcharging, and if there was over voltage there is no telling what electronics that surge destroyed.

[gatchel]

My guess was the main relay but you've tried that...

[Dmaxman]

The "check engine light" is not on.

Does the check engine light come on with the key in the run position? The igniter in the distributer was common to fail in those years.

[Milton Shaw]

Sounds like overcharge got the battery and then the battery shorted out the ignition switch which is usually on the base of the steering column. Get a wiring diagram and check for voltage at dist, ecm, fuel pump. etc. The switch usually has at least three different sets of circuits that it's connecting. One set is probably burned out. Its very possible for the engine to crank, accessories to work and still have the circuit for the ignition/ecm to be burned out.

[Brentocool]

Check fusible links at the battery. and get a alternator too. As for smoke

[ddawg16]

Did you get the smell of anything burning?

As the guys noted above, about the only thing that causes a battery to do that is over charging.....good chance that overvoltage took out a few other things.

My vote is that the alt is toast (reg shot)....you just don't know it yet because you can't get the engine to start....

I would disconnect the alt and get it checked....

And remember....if you saw smoke....something blew....you don't get smoke without something being damaged or blown. Smoke is the last step before fire.

[larry_g]

If smoke emanated from under the dash, I would not start replacing items under the hood. The problem may be under the hood but figure out the under dash problem first. Here is where having a good trouble shooting procedure is crucial to saving the pocket book. I second following the fusible link and the main power to the under-dash equipment.

lg
no neat sig line

[71flh]

I would wonder what could smoke as described under the dash, and figure out a way to flush and neutralize the battery acid under the hood. Maybe a garden hose and a fertilizer mixer w/ baking soda?

Its an old car, but the acid seems a bigger long term danger than figuring out the electrical problem.

Not to mention the original question of possible overcharging...

[2LTim]

Overcharging will NOT cause a battery to "Blow." It can cause it to fail/melt, but to make it blow requires a spark or source of ignition. In this case, probably a bad intercell connector inside the batt.
As for the "No Spark" problem, Diagnose first, replace confirmed bad components second. With proper test equipment, anything can be tested. The first thing I would look for is power to the ignition system. It gets really hard to face that guy in the mirror in the morning if you throw a distributor and ignition coil at it only to find in the end that $2 worth of fusible link was the culprit.
Tim

[Brentocool]

Overcharging of the battery by a defective or malfunctioning alternator will result in the battery reaching an overcharged state. When overcharged, the plates inside the battery shed material and lose their capacity to hold electricity. The battery resists further charging, and the excess electrical charge builds up and is radiated as heat. This has the effect of making the entire battery feel warm or hot to the touch after the engine has been running.

A battery being overcharged by a faulty alternator will create abnormal amounts of hydrogen gas. If the battery is poorly vented, or is a fully sealed type, this buildup of hydrogen gas can cause the sides or top of the battery to swell outwards, warping the battery's casing.


Seeping or leakage occurs when an alternator overcharges the vehicle's battery and hydrogen gas builds up within the battery, forcing electrolyte out of the battery through its vents or around the vent caps. In severe cases, the battery housing can become cracked or develop leaks, allowing the liquid electrolyte to leak out


So yes with these conditions if the fumes get bad enough the battery could blow up! Spark plug wire.Etc!!