K'netic

I don't have much time so I'll make this as quick and descriptive as possible.

Here's what's happening.

When the car is cold, I'll try to start it. It cranks for a few seconds, fires, runs for 1 second, then dies.

The only way I can get it to start and keep running is to hammer the gas and get the revs over 3500rpm, then it will usually run (for a while... sometimes it will die on me within the first few minutes of driving, sometimes it will run til I turn it off again).

Recently, it's been dying on me while I'm on the highway (long after it's reached full operating temp). Usually it happens while I'm cruising at lower RPM's (about 50mph in 5th). When this happens, the CEL comes on and it just dies. Every now and then it will go into limp mode and won't let it rev over 3500, but usually, it's just completely dead.

I've replaced the Main Relay, the Ignition Control Module (Igniter), and the fuel filter.

I've checked the CEL codes when the car dies, and here's what it gives me.

4, 8, 10, and 16

The weird thing it, they are all short flashes separated by a pause. I thought after you got past 10, it was supposed to substitute long flashes for 10 (i.e. Code 16 would be a long flash followed by 6 short flashes)

This has led me to think the ECU is going bad.

That's where I stand right now.

Anybody have any suggestions? Please?



Also, one other odd thing that's been happening...

I recently replaced a lot of bulbs with LED's (brake lights, turn signals front and rear, bumper lights, and gauge cluster lights) and now, when the headlights are off, the gauge cluster lights come on when I hit the brakes.

Does that make sense to anyone? Any chance it could be related to my other problems?


Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the help.

K'netic

Whoops... Forgot to mention...

91 Civic DX, D15b2, bone stock except for an axle-back exhaust, 270k miles.

4drEF

The short blinks are good. In the states, they started the long blinks in 1992.

looking at what the codes are, it seems you might have a faulty ground. Multiple sensors not related to each other.
Check the wires at the thermostat housing.
They are G101 in this crappy picture

4drEF

For your gauge cluster lighting up....
http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/341919...e-pressed.html

K'netic

Ok, I just checked that ground, and everything looked fine.

Just to be safe, I cleaned all the contact points with a wire brush.

I tried starting the car and it had the same old problem.

I checked the CEL codes again, just to be sure, and now it's only giving me 4 and 8.

I didn't think this motor had a CKP or a TDC sensor...

4drEF

Both of those sensors are inside the distributor except on the DOHC ZC motor.
Is your car stock or is was there an engine swap?
Any reason the wiring to the distributor would be incorrectly wired (engine swap, wire tuck, etc)?

Maybe try unplugging the connector at the distributor and tug/push on the wires a bit to make sure they are all seated in the connectors properly.

K'netic

Not that I can think of. Everything's as stock as a rock.

4drEF

4drEF

Oh dang -maybe try temporarily hooking up some wire from the negative battery post to the distributor housing.
Not having the valve cover post ground might be the culprit.

K'netic

I was kinda thinking along those lines as well. I noticed I'm missing quite a few grounds, now that I look at it.

Btw... Here's the "Before" shot of the engine bay.

Freemananana

iTrader: (3)

Those 2 on the valve cover are my guess.

That engine bay looks NICE by the way. Jeez, this and the guy doing the CRX restoration both have nice looking DPFI D series motors.

K'netic

Well, the problem is getting worse. The car died on me 10 times on my way home from work today. Always after I'd been holding throttle steady (cruising) between 2k and 3k rpms.

I grounded the motor at 3 places and ran a wire from the negative battery terminal to the body of the distributor.

Unfortunately there was no change at all.

I posted in my Honda Parts page on Facebook last night so I have a known good distributor and ECU coming my way on Sunday. Hopefully one of those will solve the problem. If not, I can only assume I'm losing continuity somewhere in the wiring harness... What a nightmare that will be.

K'netic

So... I ripped up the passenger side carpet the other day and I was so pissed I just left it up. I got home today and noticed something... The car was running with no CEL on and I looked down and noticed the ECU was still flashing codes 4 and 8.

I pulled the fuse and reset the ECU. Started the car, and it fired right up and kept running. Now, the car was still warm, and it's re-started for me ok in the past when it was warmed up. I'm not gonna get my hopes up, until I can test it from a dead cold start.

So does this make sense to anyone? If you throw a code like that, do you have to reset the ECU before it stops looking for problems in that area?