SpoonfedCivic

I have a 2000 Civic DX, originally an auto but converted to a manual using a y8 5spd. I have a 98 DX coupe manual cluster in the car that I knows works 100%. All the lights work as well as the temp and gas gauge. But the speedometer does not work at all. I've checked fuse #15 and it's fine, then I replaced the VSS. Still nothing changes... I then downloaded a wiring schematic for the wiring harnesses that plug into the back of the cluster. Checked all the wires and they seem to be fine with no breaks. Then for grins I borrowed an EX auto cluster and no speedometer or tachometer functioning on that cluster. So i also seem to not have a tachometer either. I'm at a loss and not sure what to check next. Any help would be great, thank you.

94EG8

You used a '96 - '98 engine harness didn't you?

SpoonfedCivic

The previous owner did the transmission swap, so I have no clue what harness was used. I'm not even sure what year EX transmission was used. All I know is the trans is a b000 s40, and the motor is the stock d16y7. I have no clue who the previous owner is. So I can't contact him to ask questions because the car was bought at a lot.

What would the engine harness have to do with the speedometer? Also tomorrow I'm going to see what ECU was used for the swap, because I can't get my OBDII scanner to connect to the ECU. It's giving me link errors making me think there is an OBDI ECU in it.

94EG8

Using a '96 - '98 engine harness with a '99 - '00 Cabin harness will leave you with no tach or speedometer. If you have an extra "A" plug that's what happened. See pic:



May also be a JDM ECU, or you may have a blown fuse.

SpoonfedCivic

So I need to look at the ECU anyways and see what harness is connected to it? How do I find out what harness was used? Sorry I've never messed with any of the cabin or engine harnesses before. Where is the engine harness located?

Also could that have anything to do with why the power wire for the fuel pump is wedged into the fuse box in the fuse spot for the fuel pump (SRS Unit)? These are the only concerns I have with this car.

Thank you so much for your help for once I feel I have hope of fixing this on my own. It's not actually my car but my girlfriends, and she is still learning to drive a manual. Right now she is using my GPS for a speedometer.

Also how do you tell the difference between a manual and auto ECU? If it has anything other than a P2E manual ECU I want to change it, right?

94EG8

Engine harness is connected to the engine, runs under the battery tray, through the firewall and plugs into the ECU, you'll also notice a green plug, this is what plugs into the cabin harness. Btw, the ECU is located behind the passenger's side kick panel.

Very well could be.

You're welcome, you should definitely be able to fix this. You may need to buy another engine harness though.

OBD2 auto ECUs have a 4th plug. The manual versions have the spot for the plug, but no pins.

Correct

SpoonfedCivic

Ok I went out and checked the ECU on the car and to my surprise, I'm thinking the car has both the 96-98 engine harness, AND the stock auto ECU. I took some pictures for you to either confirm this for me so I can take the next steps in fixing the issues.




And in this last picture there seems to be a green wire in the first plug that is bare and starting to break, any clue as to what this wire is? I'm going to fix it regardless.



Once again thanks for all of your help, you have been a life saver!

Red_Army

that is indeed still an auto ecu.
so get the manual one , fix that wire/wires and see if it fixes it.

94EG8

That's a '96 - '98 Engine harness alright. It's not the stock ECU though, it's actually a '97 Auto ECU.

I want to say brake light switch. From taking a very quick look at a pinout.

You're welcome

SpoonfedCivic

Man that is a releif!! Now I need to find, a P2E manual ECU and a 99-00 engine harness. Finding the parts will be the hardest part.

SpoonfedCivic

I have the proper ECU on the way. But the harness is proving to be harder to find. I was wondering does it have to be the DX/LX manual harness, or can it be the EX harness as well? I'm finding the EX harness all over the place.

94EG8

The ECU you got is a '99 - '00 Right? The plugs are different and you'll need a conversion harness if using a '99 - '00 Engine harness.

You can use an EX harness, but honestly they're even harder to get, and you'll need to modify it. You'd need to convert it back to a 3 wire IACV and manually wire in the secondary O2 sensor (EXs have the wiring for this as part of the cabin harness, on the CX/DX/LX it's part of the engine harness) also forgot to mention '99 - '00 distributors use a different style plug, so you'll either need to cut and splice plugs or get a '99 - '00 CX/DX/LX/EX distributor.

SpoonfedCivic

Ok so I need to get a 99-00 ECU, 99-00 DX engine harness as well?

Which means that the engine in the car is probably not the original because the engine harness that's in it now is not only for an auto, but a 96-98 auto? Which means the engine is from a 96-98 because of the distributor plugs into the 96-98 harness?

Hmmm..... The plot thickens if what I'm assuming is correct.

94EG8

Correct, can come from any '99 - '00 CX/DX/LX really.

Sometimes it's really hard to tell what the previous owner did, or why it was done. You're theory is logical though.

SpoonfedCivic

I was wodering if I could use my 99-00 ECU with the 96-98 engine harness?

SpoonfedCivic

Ok, I figured out that the 99-00 ecu will not fit the 96-98 engine harness. BUT now I'm wondering something else. Since the car is using the 96-98 ecu and harness. Does that mean the last owner swapped in a 96-98 cab harness to get the 96-98 ecu to work? Or does the cab harness not matter? Are the green plugs the same between the 96-98 and 99-00 engine harness? From the picture above the green cabin plugs are different. Let me know thanks!

I'm guessing I still have the 99-00 cabin harness because going back to the original issue the speedometer and tach not working. Because the 99-00 cab harness does not work with 96-98 engine harness.

SpoonfedCivic

I went out earlier to look at the cab harness plug to get an idea of which one it could be. I'm thinking now that the cab harness was also replaced with a 96-98 harness. Also I found another spliced wire on the cab harness next to the green plug. Here are some pictures I took, please somebody get back to me on what cab harness is installed in this car, be it the 96-98 or the 99-00 cab harness. Also if anybody could tell me what the spliced wire is that would be great as well.

Thanks.

You can see the second wire and plug next to the green plug on the cab harness:
[IMG][/IMG]

Here is a picture of the cab harness and green plug as it sits in the car now:
[IMG][/IMG]

That spliced wire on the cab harness going into the green plug:
[IMG][/IMG]

94EG8

Cabin harness is a '99 - '00. Green plug is the same, but pinned somewhat differently IIRC. The extra "A" ECU plug is what tells you the year of the harness. You'll want a '99 - '00 D16Y7 5 speed ECU.

SpoonfedCivic

Ok so my cabin harness is fine, that makes me feel better. I already have the 99-00 P2E manual ECU, and the 99-00 D16Y7 manual engine harness will be in my possession this next week.