imran_akn

Hey guys, iv read and resd and read but i cant seem to work this car out. I purchased an eg b18c here in the u.k its been parked for 5 years.


The car revs to 4500 rpm than bogs down. I tried to pull codes but the light just stays on on both a virgin p30 and a htune chipped p28 with b18c basemap. So i cant seem to pull any fault codes. I bridge the connection and the light stays on constant.. doesnt go off at all.


Originaly i thought the car had a fuel cut as it would rev to 4500rpm and than cut.. stutter.. than regain idle. I put a gauge to the fuel rail and found it was losing fuel pressure. I unblocked the lines with air and found a large paper pellet in the line. Bingo! I thought i solved it.. fired up the motor.. still cuts fuel.


I did some more forum reading and found it was in limp mode. I have since replaced the distributor for a known good one.. tested figures for the tps sensor and evan replaced the tps sensor as someone on a forum tested the sensor to be good with a multimeter, but once replaced it the car was fixed. I have tested the map sensor with vacuum and multimeter.. still no joy


I have checked the engines grounds

Cleaned the iacv

New rotor arm

New ht leads

Fuel pump

Checked all sensor connections

Cleaned vtec solenoid - the wiring for this has been tampered with its got a single power going into the loom and is grounded at the thermostat.

Iv checked all plugs for burned pins etc


The timing belt was done by the last owner who claims he checked the physical timing twice over (he too tried to fix this car before i bought it) but for my own peace of mind i will check the physical timing tomorow

But the issue remains.. im a bit lost for direction now so any help is greatly appreciated. The dash loom was recently changed to obd1 to match the engine loom. I have a p28 chipped socketed by htune with a b18c basemap on it.

Thanks for your time

tony_2018

follow the guide to troubleshoot the distributor, look in the FAQ.

imran_akn

Hey dude appreciate the tip, iv searched 10 pages of search results but could not locate the guide you mention. If you have a spare moment could you please drop me a link? Thanks dude

mk378

Check the physical timing yourself. Likely it has never been right since the belt was put on. This is a major reason to not rev up fully yet not throw a code either. It is not complicated to do, you only need to remove the top plastic cover and line up the marks.

If the check engine light comes on while driving, there is a code set. Pull over and jump the test plug while still running without turning the key off. If the memory backup circuit is bad, it will forget codes when you turn the key off.

tony_2018

testing distributor components are there but i just realize you're b-series. oops

imran_akn

Bit of an update i ripped out the engine loom to do continuity tests.. all clear however i noticed the oil pressure sensor was not connected.. probably cos the oil pressure sensor has been blocked on the back of the block. Can anyone clarify the importance of this sensor. Can it put my ecu into limp mode or isit purely for an oil light. Iv ordered one regardless but just wanted some clarity. Thanks again

tony_2018

On the block or on the solenoid.

JRCivic1

The single wire oil pressure switch on the back of the block illuminates the red oil light on the instrument cluster when the oil pressure is very low... it has no communication with the ECU and therefore, cannot cause "limp mode". Your issue is elsewhere.

imran_akn

Appreciate the clarification.. the search continues lol

mk378

Does the "oil" light come on when you turn the key on but don't start?

There's often another one-wire device on the back of the engine block-- the knock sensor, and it will cause codes and runnability problems.

JRCivic1

Good point mk... the "low oil pressure light switch" is a yellow/red stripe wire with a single barrel connector and, if it hasn't been damaged, a teardrop shaped (maybe more like a Hershey's Kiss shape) rubber weatherproof cover that would fit over the sensor body. The Knock sensor appears like the typical 2-wire round GREY or GREEN plug style (like those found on the IAT ('92-95), ECT, IACV, PSP and fan switch), only there is one wire missing. The wire color is red/blue stripe. IF this is the sensor that is unplugged or missing/broken... then yes, you NEED to fix this if the ECU is looking for it. However, OP previously mentioned that no CEL or MIL code exists, so it is unlikely that the Knock sensor is the problem. Maybe you have a programmable/chipped ECU that either doesn't have a Knock sensor circuit and/or the ECU is programmed to ignore it.

imran_akn

Hey buddy i have a new chipped p28 with a b18c jdm itr basemap.. the dash loom is obd1 the engine loom does not seem to have any plug for a knock sensor. And from my understanding the chipped p28 they disable the knock sensor when they programme it. (Please correct me if anyone knows better wiring and looms is not my strong point. Kind of picking up someone elses mess they couldnt get it working)

Obd1 dash loom
Obd2a engine loom
P28 chipped htune ecu

Do these 3 tend to work together plug and play?

tony_2018

If they disabled it in the ecu you should be fine. If you're running a stock ecu you'll need that knock sensor wire. Also that wire is isolated.

JRCivic1

There is no circuit pathway inside the P28 ECU for the Knock sensor... so as long as the Knock sensor is turned off in the tune/program, there will be no Knock related issues with respect to engine operation.

imran_akn

Thank you for the clarification. I removed the engine loom but found no obvious issues. I will be replacing the following on reassembly

Ignitor module
Lambda
Adding the oil temp sensor for the hell of it

If that doesnt work i will probably have to try another distributor. I have tested by multimeter and all sensors seem to be correct. I just cant get the car to rev over 4500 rpm. Some posts in other threads have ended up being sensors which tested out correctly but for unknown reasons didnt let that car out of limp mode.

Another guy said he had a issue with his distributor plug so i will check each pin for continuity. If not i can only think of ckps sensor inside it.

Thanks again all. Appreciate any help

imran_akn

Help.

muellersfan

Do as mk suggested -- check the mechanical timing. And post pics.

Also check for a clogged catalytic converter and swapped sensor connectors.

imran_akn

Right so new distributor is in.. the car runs well but the 4500 limp mode fuel cut still occurs

Checked the physical timing. As pictured
Checked loom for continuity
Cleared fuel lines
Changed fuel pump
Checked grounds
Changed ecu
Changed tps
Changed map
Changed ignitor
Changed distributor
Changed lambda
Htune P28 chipped with b18c map

From what i hear the dash and engine looms have been replaced too.

Im totally lost with this one lol the cars been off the road for about 5 years. Runs smooth just cuts are 4500rpm and bogs.
When i removed the valve cover i found a thin glaze of white mayo on the cam rails. Bearing in mind it hasnt been driven for 5 years do you think its anything to worry about?

Send Help please.

muellersfan

Did you check for swapped sensor connectors by verifying that connector wire colors match with the sensor?

Did you check for a clogged cat?

imran_akn

Hey buddy as far as i can tell the only 2 connectors which can be mixxed are the tps and map.. but as iv read the map wires are longer?

Clogged cat.. im literaly out here with the car now.. removed the catback and revved.. still bounced at 4500rpm

Il get ther.. just out of ideas for today
Any helps greatly appreciated

muellersfan

Don't guess. Check the wires.

Some of the 2P connectors can also be swapped. Check them all using the connector wire colors to be safe. It's an extremely common mistake when swapping engines.

Swapped sensor connectors may also fry the ECU.

imran_akn

Il double check again tomorow. But when i did continuity from the sensors to the ecu plug i labelled the loom up and all seemed to match up to the ecu pins. But il double check again tomorow with the hope i find something i may have missed.. if anyone can think of anything else please let me know as im out of ideas and dont really want to give up lol

imran_akn

Anyone know where i could find a wiring diagram with the colours of each wire listed?
Thanks in advance

muellersfan

Did you download the 96-00 Civic factory manual? If so, I can just tell you the page numbers.

imran_akn

Bit of help, can anyone point me in the direction of the obd2 distributor wiring diagram. Similar to as pictured but with all wires labelled