97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

I just purchased this car to use as a DD.

Shortly after purchasing, I left the interior dome light on and tried to push start it with no luck so I left it at my friends.

I asked him to jump start it but he had no luck and I suspect he may have reversed the cables, when I came the next day it had a blown 80A battery fuse.

I replaced the fuse and it still had problems staying charge. I checked all grounds and re-wrapped the cluster of wires under the intake manifold as I've heard they can wear and eventually ground out.

Had the battery and alt tested, both tested good so there appeared to be a short somewhere between the alt and battery. I'm not very good with electrical in all honesty.

Yesterday we ran a 5g wire directly from the alt to battery (in hopes that there was maybe just a bad wire instead it grounding out somewhere)

It ran fine all day and got me to work today. When I was leaving it wouldn't crank over.

I push started and managed to get all the way home without it dieing or running too rough. No battery light, no blown fuses. I noticed the 15A ignition fuse (in the car) is a little singed on the pronges but no sign of it blowing or beginning to blow in the center of the fuse.

It won't start again now that it's at home.

A couple of key things that occured during driving it home, radio kept cutting in and out and got more severe to the point it was every couple of seconds..

Speedometer was working fine then started dropping and bouncing all over the place til eventually it would barely function.

To be honest, I've got two kids and I need my DD running properly. It's my second Honda, I've owned nothing but Toyota Cressidas, 240s, old Z's a Starlet and pretty much every make and model furthest from a Civic.

I would genuinely appreciate some input or help..

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Is 7.5A dash fuse 15 blown? Any CEL codes?

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Has thrown a CEL only once and my friend plugged in his CEL reader literally right as it died and it ended up reading engine misfire... which may have been due to it dying I'm guessing?

Fuse #15 is not blown.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Are you having a no-crank problem or a cranks-but-won't-start problem?

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

No crank, occasionally you might hear the starter click once if you try and crank immediately after it's dead. I just noticed the tie-down bar was lose enough to where it could sway and hit the terminals. Removed so it wasn't able to do that, I've seen it short a battery out so quick before.

Jumped it and the car is running like it has new juice. Not sure if the battery is just that shot or if that's even might've happened. The times I've seen that happen it was like a piece of metal playing ping pong on the terminals and shorted it much quicker..

Plus the radio was still cutting in and out so there's gotta be a short somewhere.... I'm thinking. again I'm not good with electrical : /

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

No one? Fuuuh..

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Sounds like a dead battery. Have it tested.

Also measure the voltage across the two battery posts when the engine is idling and the high beams, rear window defogger, and vent blower are on.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

I dont know how a dead battery explains a crazy speedo and stuff shorting out :/

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

The engine can be jump and push started, right? How hard is it to have the battery tested? Start with the basics.

What exactly is shorting out?

When you turn the key from off ton the ON(II) position, does the charge/battery light turn on and stay on?

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Like I said, I had the battery and alt tested. Both twice at this point actually.

The car only has push started one time so far.

I have yet to see a battery light and I've been keeping my eye out for that specifically..

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

If the battery/charge light doesn't work, then fuse 15 is probably blown. Check the installed fuse for voltage on both top test tabs.

What's the voltage across the battery posts when the engine is idling/running with and without a large electrical load?

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems..
 

Okay, I'll try it when I get home.

It's strange to me that the cluster of wires underneath the manifold didn't have an visible damage and I re-wrapped them anyways. But all the symptoms are similar to this problem everyone seems to have.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

I've had a similar issue recently with my car starting. What I did was replaced the charge harness and battery ground because the charge harness was pretty much shot on the starter side and was causing a short. After all that was replaced it was fixed with a new transmission to chassis ground wire. Fuel pump wasn't priming before i replaced this. Is the clicking coming from under the dash, starter, or both? Just some ideas. I know you said you checked the grounds but it wouldnt hurt to look over the transmission to chassis ground and the ground on the thermostat.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

I will check all of these as well! thanks for some good ideas!! I'll have to listen in again as far as the slight clicking goes

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

Again im no expert but i just literally had this problem and did a lot of research haha.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

I've never replaced that much wiring itself, what did you actually purchase in use to replace the said "charge harness"?

Just some basic wiring to run from alt main ground/alt plug to the starter end and batttery lead?

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

I got the actual cable assembly (32410-SR3-A02) from hondaautomotiveparts.com. Mine would never stay tight anymore on the positive battery terminal and it was pretty corroded so i just ended buying a new one since it was under 40 dollars.

The charge harness just runs from the pos battery terminal to the starter and another wire runs to the under hood fuse box.

Re: 97 Ek Hatch Electrical problems...no crank
 

Forgot to mention that i have a 94 civic so the part # you would be looking for for the charge harness would be 32410-S04-A02. There is a direct link.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...tcgry5=BATTERY