MzdaFrk

Hello everyone, I was driving my wifes car the other day through a canyon and it lost power. It was hot out, so I thought I might have been pushing it to hard. Let it cool down for a bit and it ran fine.

Then I was heading to LAX to pick up a friend car was running fine, parked, came back in 10 minutes, started and had a terrible miss. It was very hot that day, but The temp was fine on the engine.

I let it cool down and it started again, drove it all the way home with no issues.

Next day, I replaced the plugs and wires with brand new NGK's. Cleaned the distributor capo and rotor (they were almost new anyway) Cleaned the contacts in the coil, and double checked all wiring throughout the car. Did a compression check (throttle plate opened, all plugs removed) #4-196, #3-187, #2-185, #1-195 Everything checked out, and it started running great, no issues.

Sunday the car was running great, so we decided to take it on a road trip to save gas, well it made it the first hundred miles just fine, so we kept going, it made it another hundred miles, no issues. then about 50 miles later it started to hiccup on the freeway, so we pulled off, and everything checked out. Started up and kept going, gas mileage dropped from 27 to 10, stopped and it would die every time you push the clutch in, it was hard to start, but would. stuck at a gas station, I dropped the exhaust down, thinking it might be the cat, started it up, minus the cat and the miss was still there, and gas was dripping out of the header. I pulled the heat-shield off, and the port coming off #2 was soaked. Pulled the plug, it was soaked in fuel. Ran to a parts store to buy more plugs to try and limp it home, no good, still missing. Changed the injector between 2 and 3, to see if the problem would change cylinders, no good, still in # 2. Checked all the grounds, they are clean and tight. Pulled the dissy out, and double checked everything, it is all good.

I pulled the injector clip for number 2, and the spark plug wire, so it would stop dumpling fuel, my mileage increased to 36, and it runs great, just on 3 cylinders. vtec still works.

What am I forgetting to check? Valves? I am 1000 miles from home and dont want to yank the head at my inlaws. but I am leaning towards that more. I wanted to get some ideas from people who have more experience with the B series. sorry for the long post, but I wanted to lay it all out there, it is easier to help when you have all the details.

90civic-ZC

Have you done a compression check again? Any codes?

Swap'DShuttle

I know you put a spark plug in, but did you verify that cyl is getting spark with a new plug? Carbon deposits on valves built up not letting them close all the way? Pull the vc and check your valve lash. Maybe something in the head?

MzdaFrk

i put a new plug in the wire and grounded it out, its firing. next step is pulling the valve cover,

Former User

OBD1?

Check whether the ground wire for injector 2 has a short. This would cause the injector to spray fuel continuously.

MzdaFrk

its obd0

I pulled the valve cover all the valves are in spec. That sounds like what is happening, spraying all the time. will check that tomorrow. thx

DCRB

happened to my buddies dsm. we were out doing pulls, i pull over to show him a video and he was runnin on 3 cylinders, one of his injectors got stuck open with a micron of debris that passed the fuel filter. yours does sound like wiring though. as long as you're running stock ecu or a chipped ecu with a b16 fuel maps on it you shouldn't run lean unless you're burning coolant or have a failing pump

MzdaFrk

checked the wiring, no breaks or frays, good continuity from the ground to the injector clip, (checked at 4 spots) back to square one. When I bought this car the swap was done, I keep fixing things along the way. I have been saving up money to get the rywire harness and convert it to OBD1.

What should I be checking next?

Swap'DShuttle

You could pull the fuel rail off and visually make sure the injectors are firing like they should. Will need an extra set of hands and safety glasses in case one pops off but if you have help its not too tricky.

Also check your t stat ground for good measure.

Former User

In the injector connector, check the injector #2 ground wire terminal for continuity to body ground (short).

MzdaFrk

i switched the injector with another cylinder and the problem stayed in #2. its not the injector. the wiring checks out, the grounds are good. if it was a sensor, it would be happening to all cylinders, if it was mechanical it would stay in #2 unless it was wiring directly to #2. i want to check every possible reason with out taking the head off.

any more ideas?

Former User

This^ test would quickly verify whether or not injector #2 fires continuously. If so, injector #2 (but not other injectors) will spray fuel when the key is in ON(II) without the engine cranking or running.

Former User

It's unclear to me whether you tested end-to-end continuity or tested for a short (continuity to body ground). You need to check for a short.

MzdaFrk

i misunderstood, if i have continuity to the ground, than there is as short? this system is a negative trigger? got , double checking.

Former User

Yes, continuity to body ground is a short. With the key off or in ON(II) with engine off, the injector ground wires should NOT have continuity to body ground.

The injectors have constant voltage. The ECU provides ground for the voltage when it wants them to spray fuel. A short in the ground wire would provide constant ground for the injector voltage, causing the injector to spray constantly.

MzdaFrk

i tested continuity on the ground, it beeps when i touch the chassis ground, so i tested the other wires as well, they also had continuity. but those cylinders are working fine. I pulled the fuel rail, grabbed a set of hands and had them turn the key to the on position, fuel sprayed out of the top, found a bad injector seal, but that wouldn't cause the problem cause that is an external leak. i think i tore the seal when i was swapping the injectors anyway. so i am running to the parts store to get some new orings. when i get back i will continue with that test.

Swap'DShuttle

Im not sure if the o ring would let you lose enough pressure/ fuel to cause a problem. Let us know how the test goes once you get o rings. Hope it helps. Worst case scenario is something mechanically is wrong with the motor.

Former User

If correct, this^ is a problem. How did you do the test? Was the key off or in ON(II)/engine off?

MzdaFrk

Ron J, I tested both key off, and key on. I had continuity both ways. I did pull the rail, replaced the orings, and had my friend turn the key on, it was not spraying fuel, just for fun I had him crank the engine, it sprayed each one independently. so I put everything back together just to see if it would run right, and it did. So I took it around the block and it had way more power then before. After I got back, i let it idle, no problem.

I started it back up after about 10 minutes to go to the store, and test it again, and it was missing. So i turned it off and let it sit.

I came back from the store, it had been sitting about an hour, it started to miss and then smoothed out, and hasn't done it again. I warmed it up, and checked all the wiring again while it was running, moving all the connectors, to see if it would come back. I pulled each one of the wires and hooked a spark tester to plug and the wire, it flashed in time. I pulled each injector clip and it would miss on each cylinder correctly. I then took it out and drove it hard, came back, no miss. Running great!

I am going to go back out right now and start it, if it has a miss, I am leaning towards something in the ignition giving out when it gets warm. I am going to get a new cap and rotor tomorrow and throw those in too. Ill be right back with my findings.

MzdaFrk

Started right up, stumped. Everytime it starts to run normal I take it out and the miss will come back. Intermittent problem is kicking my butt. Thanks for all the ideas, keep them coming.

MzdaFrk

I just took it back out again, and started it 10 times, no problem.

What about this idea? The distributor having some type of crack in it, when it warms up it expands and only pulls spark on number 2?

Just an idea

91 EF DX

anything is possible

DumpdEJ6

I had an intermittent miss on my B16A when I had it, turned out one of the little mesh injector screens popped off and jammed itself into the fuel rail. It sounds like you've already had the fuel rail off, so that probably isn't your problem, but it just goes to show you it can be anything really. Intermittent problems suck ballz

v4lu3s

have you tested with a noid light when it is having the problems on cylinder 2?

i actually had something similar and ended up pulling my injector wiring out of the main harness, made a subharness and made sure it was all clean wiring, and the problem went away completely.

DCRB

od shot but have you tried another ecu?