goldievt

My wife has a '93 Civic DX with 100k miles that (generally) runs great. This week, the check engine light came on and the car died (no power, felt like the key had been turned to the off position). She tried to start it again but no luck. I went to pick her up + meet the tow truck and decided to try to start it. At first it just turned over but didn't even try to catch. I tried it again (5 minutes later) and and it fired right up.

We traded cars and I started to drive the Civic home. It ran fine for about 5 minutes and then the same thing happend, check engine light came on and car died. Since I was stuck in 5:00 traffic alone I did what any lazy guy would do and tried to start it again immediately and to my surprise it started right up (no check engine light, except for when you first turn the ignition) and ran fine for the balance of my trip (15 minutes).

The dealer is too busy to look at it right away but said he thought it might be the ignitor. I checked my records and we had the ignitor replaced a year ago when the car stranded my wife while I was out of town (she doesn't remember the symptoms then but thinks it was similar). It was a local garage (not the dealer) and they might have put an aftermarket ignitor in since I'm somewhat suspect of their work anyhow.

Anyhow, if you've read this far through this sob story maybe you have an idea of what is wrong or what I can test to see if the ignitor is the problem. If it is the ignitor, I expect it is a pretty easy thing to replace for a guy who used to work on cars alot but doesn't much anymore. Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Chiovnidca

What code is stored in the ECU?

deepnite

alternator is about to die

goldievt

I've searched the forums up and down and don't know exactly how to check the ECU Code. I understand that on a 93 civic there should be a service connector on the passengers side "behind" the dash but don't see anything that looks correct. I see a brown (not green) 2 wire plug but it doesn't have a "boot" on it that is directly behind and below the glove box on the outside wall of the car. Is this it?
Thanks again for the help and/or patience.

SpoonN1

Check your alternator... Whats the code of the engine light?

goldievt

I still have not been able to determine the codes because I don't have a 2 wire connector with a green housing. The ONLY 2 wire connector near the ECU is a brown connector with a black and a blue wire that is actually connected! In other words, I have to unplug it from whatever it normally does to be able to jump it.

I just want to make sure this is it because my searches on this forum (and the web) don't indicate that you have to unplug it to test, just remove the green housing.

Also, with regard to the alternator going bad, my experience is that the car slowly dies as the battery dies because the alternator is no longer charging. I don't see how it would explain the car dying and then running fine 2 minutes later?

B18C5-EH2

Look back under the dash on the pass side where your ECU is and look for that plug again that you said was housed in the green rubber. There's usually 2 in there, but many times the tech who checks the codes (before you got the car) will forget to put the check engine plug back in there.

Anywayss you only need to loop a paperclip to check the codes.

Find the little grey plug with the green and brown wires and run a looped paperclip into it and then watch for flashing check engine lights.

Long flash means "10" and short flashes mean "1" and there can be multiple codes.

Example:

2 long flahes followed by 3 quick flashes is code "23"

Codes:

1 O2A - Oxygen sensor #1
2 O2B - Oxygen sensor #2
3 MAP - manifold absolute pressure sensor
4 CKP - crank position sensor
5 MAP - manifold absolute pressure sensor
6 ECT - water temperature sensor
7 TPS - throttle position sensor
8 TDC - top dead centre sensor
9 CYP - cylinder sensor
10 IAT - intake air temperature sensor
12 EGR - exhaust gas recirculation lift valve
13 BARO - atmospheric pressure sensor
14 IAC (EACV) - idle air control valve
15 Ignition output signal
16 Fuel injectors
17 VSS - speed sensor
19 Automatic transmission lockup control valve
20 Electrical load detector
21 VTEC spool solenoid valve
22 VTEC pressure valve
23 Knock sensor
30 Automatic transmission A signal
31 Automatic transmission B signal
41 Primary oxygen sensor heater
43 Fuel supply system
45 Fuel system too rich or lean
48 LAF - lean air fuel sensor
54 CKF - crank fluctuation sensor
58 TDC sensor #2
61 Primary oxygen sensor
63 Secondary oxygen sensor
65 Secondary oxygen sensor heater




So now tell us what the code says?

It could be the alternator and have no real code, or it could be your ignition pigtail switch, or possibly the ignition coil.

Fuel pump could be crapping out as well.

There's a f ew things it could be. Where are you from?

goldievt

After searching all over the passenger's side by the ECU (I even removed the glove box so I could see better), I finally got brave and jumped the brown connector I mentioned previously. I'm still not certain this is the service connector but I think it is. Anyhow, the check engine light doesn't flash any differently with the wires jumped as without. Also, the Check Engine light doesn't come on an stay on when the car is running so it may be that the ECU has not stored any codes, is that likely (considering the CEL came on when the car died)?

If anyone has any other trouble shooting ideas I'd live to hear them but I think otherwise I'll give in and drop it off at the dealer. They can make some wild-a$$ guess and charge me a boatload for some part. Is there any chance their computer will tell them anything (assuming I read the ECU correctly) that my test wouldn't show?

Thanks again for all the help.

B18C5-EH2

Sounds more like alternator since there's no codes then.

Go to NAPA or AutoZone and get their FREE alternator testing done before you waste money at the dealer.