'98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Hi all. Let me apologise for only joining these forums when I have a problem, but I am at my wits end.

I have (or my wife does) a '98 CRV Automatic (Petrol)

A while ago the car started to stall at random times. She would pull the car over, restart it and continue on her journey. However, the problem seems to have worsened.

Now, the car starts 100% of the time, within a second of the key being turned, but after the car has warmed up it will stall and not restart until it has cooled down. The engine management light comes on when it stalls, but I am not sure if the car does this every time it stalls for anty reason, or if this is an indication of the problem.

I have entered the VIN on Hondas website and it says there are no outstanding recall issues (such as the iginition switch)

It has been into Honda. They say there are no error codes being given out.

A guy at my local garage gave me a spark indicator lead. When it stalled on my, I inserted it between the HT lead and the plug, and there was clearly no spark (until it cools down)

The spark plugs and HT leads have been changed.

So has the coil inside the distributor, and some form of control unit. (I was told the distributor had 3 parts, and the last part to change were the pickups but they hardly ever break?)

A relay under the glove box was changed, as it was giving out strange voltages (apparently)

It has cost me a lot in parts and labour so far, especially as the auto electrician used has spent many hours on it.

A while ago it started stalling and the ignition coil was changed (when it stalled then the key light came on, so I am sure this is a new problem.

Any help would be appreciatrd.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Assuming you're from Europe somewhere, since the USDM CRVs did not come with any immobilizers, let alone a key (immobilizer) indicator.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

STOP RIGHT THERE! I own 4 CR-Vs (1997-2001). YOU NEED TO GET YOUR VALVES ADJUSTED ASAP!

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

What you are describing is a tell-tale sign of your exhaust valves getting too tight. I just finished posting to another guy about the same problem!

When you get the valves adjusted, MAKE SURE you get the exhaust valves adjusted to the LOOSE SIDE of the spec.

If you don't do this in time, your valves WILL BURN, and will need a whole new head (or possibly a new b20 motor).

This is from my own personal experience! Just check my other posts!

HURRY! Complete valve adjustment should only take 1 hour and a new valve cover gasket. Go to Honda if you can, they know about this issue.

Cheers

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Thanks for the replies guys. I took it to Honda, they adjusted the valves and the problem still persists.

Any other ideas?

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

ignitor/coil.

improperly adjusted valves will cause mis-fires and that will set a check engine light. if you have no CEL, you have no mis-fires...no mis-fires means valve adjustment is ok. (i too have fallen victim to a burnt valve on my CRV)

when you said it stalled and had no spark until cooled down...thats a classic sign of a coil/ignitor failure. they get too hot and stop working. the honda service manual goes over the testing procedure, but you said you already replaced those (the ignitor is the "control unit" your describing)

BUT

i have to ask...did you replace the coil/ignitor with OEM Honda parts? EVERY SINGLE car i've seen someone replace the coil/ignitor with anything OTHER than OEM Honda parts....had failures. it may be 10 miles, or maybe 1,000 miles...but they all fail.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

It's most likely the ignitor inside the distributor, also known as the ignition control module. A faulty ignition coil will usually fail completely rather than work intermittently, whereas faulty ignitors are notorious for failing once the engine gets hot and then resuming normal operation once it cools.

The only other problem that comes to mind is a bad ignition switch, but that doesn't explain the lack of spark. Burned or worn ignition switch contacts will almost always still allow the car to restart immediately after stalling.

Improper valve lash will not result in a loss of spark.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

I thought the valve adjustment would have solved the random stalling, but with the ability to restart after stalling. I ran into this same problem in my 99 over a month ago (stalls once car gets warm, and also stalls at random times). But never bothered with checking the spark,etc.

But it's good that you adjusted the valves anyway, as you would have needed to get them done before it's too late (preventative maintenance).

I wish that would have solved it...

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

My wife drives a 98CRVAWD, I paid of for it, so I get to fix it when it brakes down. I use to have the same issue, took into an independant auto electrical shop to have its entire electrical system diagnose. I beleive I paid $75 dollars, they narrowed the it down to my ignition switch. Whent to Napa Auto Parts, when home & swap it out. Havent had a problem since.
I do work on my own cars, but I dont do electrical work. Thats why I went with an independent electrical shop to do the diagnose and guessing for me. Im not saying you sould do this, or do it that way. Im simply sharing my similar experience of hadling the same automotive problem as yourself.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Hi there everyone,
New to the crv and this forum.

I had a suzuki jimny that had this exact same issue. It would start perfectly but after the car had heated up considerably (sometimes 45 mins into a drive) it would run rough for about 20 seconds and then stall. this became more apparent as i headed into summer.

I spoke to a local suzuki mechanic and he knew straight away what the issue was. I had to replace the crank angle sensor which was failing at high temp and giving the ecu the wrong info.

$250 for the OEM part (ouch) and 2 bolts and 10 mins later it never had a problem again.

As i'm new to the crv I have no idea if this is the issue but it sounds surprisingly similar and might be worth a look.

Hope you can sort it out soon.

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

So many of these help threads get left unfinished that it's no good when people encounter problems like it, so here is my update.

After about 9 weeks of the Car being off the road, a company who checked the ECU say they have found a fault and they can fix it for £265.

My Auto electrician says it was probably the faulty relay that caused the problem in it.

% days or less for the part to be returned and I will let you all know if it solves the problem

Fingers, arms and legs crossed for me!

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Howard Payne: How did your CR-VC problem work out? I am having similar problems.

Thanks, Terry

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

OK, this problem has finally been sorted. It has taken almost 8 months and here is the lowdown.

After over 8 months of the last "mechanic" changing parts over and running up a bill, we took the car away and gave it to a friend of my wifes. A mobile mechanic in the Gosport/Fareham area of UK and in 1 week he had it back to us fixed and MOT'd. All work completed (some bulbs and other bits needed doing for the MOT) for £150.

He purchased an after market distributor, changed it over and it all worked. The alternator is still giving out 16.5 volts, so I am assuming the regulator has gone south for the winter, but the car starts, drives, gets up to normal heat and continues to go.

Needless to say, I have not paid the previous guy any money, and told him to return all the parts he purchased as I had no need for them.

Just goes to show you, it's not always the car that is the problem, it can be the guy who's fixing it. people I know have used him for years, and he has been really good in the past, but it seems like personal problems have taken him off course.....

Re: '98 Honda CRV problems - please help!
 

Just to recap the problem as well. The car would stall and we would lose spark as soon as the car temperature gauge hit it's normal operating temperature.

I'm so happy that this car is working again and would like to thanks everyone who had an input into trying to help on these forums...

You guys are the best, or 2nd best to the guy who actually fixed the car :)