Will not start

1999 HONDA TORNEO
120,000 MILES • 2.0L • MANUAL
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STEPHM92
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I left the car parked up for a couple of months so when I went to start it the battery was dead. so jumped started it and parked it back up. so couple of days ago I jumped started it again and left it running took the cables off moved my other car and by the time I got out the car had shut off tried starting it again and nothing. it just sits gurgling. I originally thought it ran out of petrol but wasn’t that. I took the battery out and charged it and still doing the same. I hear the fuel pump turn on and I checked distributor and don’t see blue sparks coming from it, so don’t think it’s that either! It’s fitted with a meta alarm system so I’m thinking maybe it immobilized itself. I’m just not sure what’s wrong with it and because it’s a rare enough car nobody seems to know anything about them.
May 12, 2019 at 3:46 PM
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STRAILER
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Hello,

When it is running we need to check to see if the alternator is working. here is a guide to help you do the testing:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Please run down these guides and report back.
May 14, 2019 at 11:12 AM
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STEPHM92
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The cars not starting at all just sits cranking! There’s no spark at all so I’m thinking maybe it’s the distributor cap so I’ve ordered a new one but if it’s not that then I don’t know what it’s going to be
May 14, 2019 at 12:03 PM
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STRAILER
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Yep this is a common problem, remove the distributor cap and look for rust colored dust inside which is a clear indication it has gone bad. Can you please shoot a quick video with your phone so we can see what's going on? that would be great. You can upload it here with your response. Here are instructions to change out the distributor. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.
May 15, 2019 at 9:46 AM