My 1998 Honda Civic has spark and sounds like it wants to start. It's a 1.6L 4 cyl. How do I check fuel injection system?

This model has 2 crankshaft sensors and a TDC sensor one sensor is for spark and the other is for injection. check for injection pulse.

Check all of the fuses on your fuse panel under the hood. Pull them out and clean them and put them back in unless you notice that one is blown, then replace it.

You should have close to 12 volts and then it drops to 0. That is the ecu priming the fuel system. Once you start yu should have 12v constant to the same wire. If your fuel pump is functioning ok, scan ur ecu for trouble codes. If there are no codes look into your coil and your icm in the distributor. Very commo for failure. Once the car dies, remove any spark plug wire on the plug side and put a plug into the end of it. Put the electrode of the plug close to a bolt on the valve cover and get someone to start the car, see if the plug is sparking. If it is you have a problem with fuel delivery, may not have injection pulse. You may also have a main relay failure

no start , crank perfectly
so , got spark?
the ECU has programming (ROM) and in fact kills all fueling with no spark , (even if it thinks there is no spark, even if spark is ok)
all ECU use a way to read back spark quality, (ALL){LAWS}
how honda does it in code, i don't know , see C R O M E forum)
turn the key over means nothing to me.?? sorry, it doent/
try saying what postion? cranking? or just keyon.
now some more EFI rules.
The EFI (some) do not activate the pump relay until cranking.
some do just key on for 3 seconds, read the FSM, its free.
need a link to the free manual? read the ECU logic on that.?
and prime has a special meaning, it means purge air,
its not for fuel. some system send a fast prime pulse. to clear air from the pressure lines, this plus does not inject.
that is how EFI works,

the flow
1: key on, ECU sends prime pulse, (air purge)
2: some ecu, run pump for 3 seconds, and pressure hits 35psi? RTM.
3: all ecu activate pump cranking and running.
4: now check pressure. !" 36 psi FSM stated spec"
5: now crank, if the ECU sees no spark errors, it injects
6: if the ECU sees WOT. it stops injection to clear a flood, cranking.
those rules cover most ECU made.

honda this year has a special feature called,
Fuel Cut-Off Control'
if this messes up, it i can cut fuel
does this help?
even better is this site, (has all the facts..)
http://honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=810101

How many miles are on it? Did you have the timing belt changed at 90,000 miles? Is there spark to the spark plugs? Do you have fuel pressure at the fuel rail? A broken timing belt will make the car sound alot different than normal when cranking.

Has it had a recent tune up? Spark Plugs, wires, air filter, fuel filter, eng. oil, pcv, fuel injection. Believe it or not makes a big difference with something as simple as that.

Have you checked the valve adjustment for that cylinder? Is the cam opening the valves OK? Take the spark plug out, is it bad? oily? Check the compression. should be 120-150psi.

If you have spark but will not styart without atarting fluid the you need to replace fuel pump and fuel filter if you have spark and no fuel your car will nit start and vice versa.

simply add a can of SEAFOAM(parts store) to a 1/2 tank of Premium gas, and let it idle for 5 minutes. You've got water and corn by product in your lines from the ethanol gas. Common problem now EGS(ethanol gas syndrome). Give it a chance to work.

Next things to check are fuel and spark, remove a spark plug and with the wire attached crank the motor, if you see spark in the plug then it's not a spark issue and probably a fuel problem. If there is no spark could be bad plugs or wires, or distrubitor cap. To check fuel remove injector cover and crank motor, if there is no fuel coming out then check fuel filter, fuel pump.

Good Luck