I have a 92 civic lx that won't start. It all happened when the battery died, took it to a shop and it wasn't rechargable so I replaced it with a new one. While installing the battery the positive terminal ripped off while I was tightening it to the postive post of the battery. I was able to start the car a few times just to check if it really was the battery. For a temp fix until I could get a new terminal I got some aluminum foil and placed it between the terminal and post. Since that temp fix I can't start the car anymore. Got a new terminal and it still won't start. It has a pretty strong crank, new battery, has spark, has fuel but won't start. No error code. I swapped the ignitor and coil from a working cx distributor and it still won't start. Fuses are good cylinders aren't flooded. I kinda have a feeling it's the ecu. But I don't think it's that too because the check engine light will come on for a few seconds when you turn the key to the on position (that's why I assume the ecu is fine but you know what they say about assumption). I do have a cx and a dx ecu, both m/t and the lx is a/t. Will it start blow up if I swap it to the lx? Just want to double check on this. Thanks.

 

...alternator

 

When you turn the key on and the check engine light goes out do you hear a click?

 

I guess it could be the alternator huh. But I doubt it. And there is a click after the check engine light goes off.

 

.....a car cant start without an alternator

 

The car is now starting fine. After changing the coil and triple checking everything, I got mad and just started cranking the motor at wot for about 30 seconds. I wasn't going to stop until the motor was running. I asked my friend why it decided to start and he told me it's because the cylinders needed to build compression. Thanks for the help.