I think I have a common problem

chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
in Engine & Drivetrain
Today I was driving, took a right hand turn, and the wagon died.

Lately it's also been having idle problems. Like it'll ride at 700, then drop to like 300-400 and burst up to like 1.5 then back down to 700.

For your info:
All electrical in car works fine.
Tried jumping it.
Engine turns fine, just as good as ever.
Tried push starting it.
No fuses are blown, not even the 80amp or w/e it is in this car.


I have been a little more rough with the car lately, such as taking it up to ~5kRPM passing people in traffic.

I let it cool down and went back to try again, no luck.



- I read around, and the idle problem and the just turning off problem are common, but appear to not be related? Unsure...
Also does the main fuel relay have another name? Wondering what to search for on autozone website.


Anyway thanks.
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Comments

  • skinnyskinny Senior Wagonist
    When you crank the car over are you hearing the fuel pump prim? It could be the main relay going out.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    skinny wrote:
    When you crank the car over are you hearing the fuel pump prim? It could be the main relay going out.

    I tried listening, trust me.
    I live in Dallas area, and there's was tons of traffic even when I went late at night, so I couldn't hear anything.
    Some people won't understand, but man the city is loud.
  • stampernstampern Senior Wagonist
    I'd start with main relay. You can pick them up for like $10 at a junk yard. All 88-91 civics have the same relay, so any wagon, sedan, crx or hatch will make a good donor.
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    Check and clean your grounds. And have your battery tested. It's free, and you'll kick yourself if you do other things, and it ends up being this.

    Everyone was saying main relay for my car. I had power for accessories. But not enough to start the car. Dead battery wont jump either. Cleaned my grounds while the battery was being tested. Starts and runs great every time now.

    Though, it still might be a main relay lol
  • unlimited02unlimited02 Senior Wagonist
    if it's the not ur main relay then check ur dizzy... ur "it nighter" sorry can not spell" might be bad too...
  • JakerJaker familEE
    But he says it cranks just fine:
    chriswf wrote:
    For your info:
    All electrical in car works fine.
    Tried jumping it.
    Engine turns fine, just as good as ever.

    Does this means the motor cranks and turns over fine , just won't start? If so, why did you "jump" it?
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    I tried jumping it juuuust in case

    Also, when I turn the key, I don't hear a humming but I hear a click of some sort (coming from the dash I think).

    Also I went to Autozone, and they have 3 Main Relays... Which do I need?
  • doitdubdoitdub familEE
    chriswf wrote:
    I tried jumping it juuuust in case

    Also, when I turn the key, I don't hear a humming but I hear a click of some sort (coming from the dash I think).

    Also I went to Autozone, and they have 3 Main Relays... Which do I need?
    Bust yours out and repair it with some solder. Cheapest fix... http://crxcommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t=12484
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    Well, I don't see any damage on the relay. Don't know what I would have to replace or solder.

    We did the dist.. All of it. It was burnt on the inside to the point where stuff fell out when we opened it.
    Also, there is no spark. Still think it is the relay?
  • The_HeadThe_Head familEE
    I don't think the main relay is associated with spark. If you were going to get a new one, that is one of those things I would get from Honda, just my opinion though.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    The_Head wrote:
    I don't think the main relay is associated with spark. If you were going to get a new one, that is one of those things I would get from Honda, just my opinion though.
    How sure are you? I don't know where else to turn and it's my only car till my 4e tercel is done.

    Anyway,
    Here's the old dist..
    See that toasted piece? Which is the reason why I replaced it....
    874.jpg
  • doitdubdoitdub familEE
    If your distributor burnt up, can you find a known working one you can try? Unfortunately if the coil (looks like a coil in the pic?) burnt up, it could have messed up a few other things as well. Our distributors are pretty touchy.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    I replaced the distributor too.
    And the rotor.
    And the cap.
  • skinnyskinny Senior Wagonist
    I'm sorry but traffic or not you should be able to hear the fuel pump nit has a distinct sound.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    skinny wrote:
    I'm sorry but traffic or not you should be able to hear the fuel pump nit has a distinct sound.

    I'll try again.
    I've heard them before, and I'm also told I should hear 3 clicks coming from the relay.
    Turn key on it will click once then when a light goes out it'll click again, then when you start it, you should hear 1 more click.

    Lots of testing to do today...
  • skinnyskinny Senior Wagonist
    Haha good luck man. Make sure to check your grounds to.
  • doitdubdoitdub familEE
    What kind of shape are the plugs and wires in? Might be worth a checking those out, and seeing if you've got a strong spark.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    Replaced the main relay, nothing. Relay has its click anyway.

    No spark, think I said that already. Dist spins, but nothing.
  • The_HeadThe_Head familEE
    ECM maybe? doubtful though.
  • 89ac_EE289ac_EE2 Wagonist
    ignitor in the dizzy might be bad, had the same thing happen to me
  • The_HeadThe_Head familEE
    Oh, I thought it was a new distributor though.
  • 89ac_EE289ac_EE2 Wagonist
    oh hmmmm.........switch out ecu's, see what happens?
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    Damn. Ecu huh?

    Hey, if my friend has the d15 in his crx, can I rip his out and try it?


    If not, or if so, where should I scoop up a new ecu at?

    Oh yeah, and it was a full new dist, cap, ingitor, and rotor.
  • The_HeadThe_Head familEE
    If he has the same 1.5 as you and is still stock (meaning no MPFI or OBD conversions), then it should work.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    The_Head wrote:
    If he has the same 1.5 as you and is still stock (meaning no MPFI or OBD conversions), then it should work.
    Hmm, like mods done to the chip?
    Pretty sure it's a bone stock CRX.

    Also, the fuel pump is priming. Not real loud, had to lift up the seat and put my ear to the car.
    Either way, fuels moving...

    Think the filter could just suddenly halt the fuel input? Wouldn't it gradually slow the fuel down?
    Either way, I think the issue still resides in the spark. More testing to come tomorrow.
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    Hey guys. I did some more testing today... And found I am getting power to the black/yellow dist. wire.
    Which is good.

    What does the blue wire do?
  • The_HeadThe_Head familEE
    Off the top of my head, I believe that is the RPM output.
  • Carguy717Carguy717 New Wagonist
    Easy way to check spark is pull a plug connect the wire to it and ground the threaded part of the plug to the valve cover. Hold it down with something to insulate yourself from the spark and have a friend crank it over. That should tell you if you are getting spark, if not go back from there. Hope this helps.
  • ls_ef_juggalols_ef_juggalo New Wagonist
    no spark from my experaince with my civics has been the ignitor almost 75% of the time. my wago actually died about a week ago and it was the ignitor. if it comes down to it either try his dist or ecu on yours or yours on the crx since u know his are good. oh just as a note dont know about anyone else but i have gotten a dist from autozone and right out the box the ignitor was bad
  • chriswfchriswf Band Wagon
    Hey Juggalo. I fixed it.

    I bought a "new" dizzy unit (ignitor and all) from AutoZone. Turns out they sell you refirbished ones. So, I took the ignitor out and had O'Riellys check it (for free!). The ignitor, in the "new" box unit was bad.

    I traded it in at AZ for another one. Still couldn't get it to work... Then I realized that when I slapped this one back on I forgot the rotor (shut up, don't laugh).

    Reinstalled rotor, turned it on and poof! .... Not poof, more like VROOM!!!

    It works now.

    RonJ from some regular civic forums walked me through loads of testing. He practically fixed it with my hands.

    I'm glad, tired of driving my wifes Tc, such a girl car...

    But thanks to everyone else too.
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