CrossCountry

I'm trying to test whether or not my ICM is bad. According to the haynes manual, you disconnect wires, and then check for voltage between black/yellow and ground.
If the wire is disconnected, how does that tell one anything about the ICM? I'm confused.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering how to remove it. There are supposed to be some bolts holding it to the distributor, but I don't see them.

Also, the 95 engine was replaced with a 96 engine. It ran great for a while, but I'm wondering if there is a difference in OBD and if that confusion finally caught up with it. The last day I drove it, it drove beautifully, and then in the morning it wouldn't start. But it does crank.

I'm thinking it's a bad main relay, but a mechanic thinks it's the ICM because there's no fire, and the battery light doesn't come on when I turn the key on.

Any ideas? The 15amp fuse for the ECU was blown, replaced that, but it still won't start.

thanks for your help.

Bently_Coop

Typically the ICM blows the coil. Do you have spark? Link below is a trouble shoot guide from the FAQ.


https://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-d...blems-2919450/

CrossCountry

No spark.
There is voltage between the white/blue wire and the ground. So I figured the coil was good. But I'll check it when the sun comes up anyways.

I don't know how to check between the PGM and igniter - isn't the PGM the main relay under the dash??? If so I'll need a much longer wire to test with!

Your info says to test ignition unit after testing ignition system, fuel & emision system - I don't know what tests they are talking about.

Former User

Does the fuel pump prime?

Any CEL or CEL codes?

Have you checked whether the timing belt snapped or stripped?

Did you Ohm test the coil?

Coil and igniter unit tests:

Advanced Ignition Troubleshooting - Team Integra Forums - Team Integra

CrossCountry

I'm not sure if my ohm meter works right. for the first coil test, I put it on Ohm rx1 and get 8, then put it on rx10 and get 7
instead of digital, it has a needle, and above the 8 it says 40, 200, and 1.3 I think the 1.3 is the ohm reading... so above 7 it would be 2 (cuz the numbers go in opposite directions.) Maybe I should get a digital one lol.

the second coil test, the needle doesn't move at all. So, I'm guessing the coil is half bad?

timing belt is good. nobody in my town can read codes, and I think they're mixed up anyways since the car is part OBD1 and part OBD2... or, something like that...maybe.

fuel pump doesn't prime by itself, but if the car is partially hot wired then it will, so I know the fuel pump is good.

I'll put new igniter in 2moro and let you know what happens then.

The screws to get the igniter out were such a pain to get to (underneath), one was stripped, so I had to take the distributor off so there was room to catch the screw with vise-grips and untwist. Then I made a slot for a flat head screw driver with a hacksaw blade... hopefully next time it will be easier!

Former User

Get a digital multimeter.

Rx1 is the appropriate scale.

You need to use a high scale like Rx10K

Just jump the service connector. You can use a code reader for an OBD2 ECU but not OBD1 ECU.

What car do you have? Add this info to your first post. Sounds like a main relay or ECU problem.

CrossCountry

I have a 95 Honda Civic, with a 96 civic engine in it. The OBD, ECU, anything electric are what came with the car.

Finally found and started reading manual for my multi-meter, I no doubt destroyed it by testing it on incorrect settings and leaving battery in when not using.

Replaced the igniter, and battery light is still off... so, would a bad coil prevent the battery light from turning on?

Thanks for all your help.

CrossCountry

I went back and looked at the fuses.
I thought the mechanic fixed the ECU fuse by swapping it with another one, instead, he "fixed" it by wrapping some wire around the base of the fuse.

I put a good fuse in, and the car works! I'm so glad his "fix" didn't work, because if it had, that fuse could have overheated and blown the whole ECU! (I think, because fuses are there to safe gaurd things like that.)
So now I'm wondering if the igniter was bad after all???

Lesson learned - I need to recheck fuses, even when I think they've been checked.

Bently_Coop

F that "mechanic" would recommend you not go to them again. Tell your friends the same.