sine_345

The tachometer on my car keeps jumping and cutting the power to my engine. I don't know if I have a bad ECM or a bad ground somewhere? I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and what you did about it.

sirt_eg

check your ground behind your block by the upper rad hose. Check to see if its loose, if it is tighten it down. than test it. Also check your dizzy. Can also be your dizzy too. What engine do you have.

Former User

I agree with the above idea of a problem in the dizzy. Given that the tach gets its rpm signal from the igniter unit/ICM in the distributor (except 99-00 Civics) and that a faulty igniter can cause no-start and stalling problems, I think you have a bad igniter. An auto parts store should be able to test it for you.

ajason24

mine did it i bought a new one

ef1.8

yep, classic symptoms of a bad igniter.

sine_345

1.6 Vtech four

sine_345

See I just replaced my distributor last July and the problem still continued. Could it still be the igniter?

Former User

What year Civic? Is the igniter new? You might want to open the distributor and inspect each wire connection to the igniter for looseness and corrosion.

sine_345

95

sirt_eg

not enough info on the car. 1.6 sohc or dohc? year will help also. Just check the ground wire I told you to check, its behind the block, mounted by the coolant housing. If its not that check your wires inside the distributor like what ronj@HT said.

Does it happen when you drive? How does it start?

lileghatch

hell ya answer this question fro him cause i have a 94hatch but it has the d16y8 and my tach keeps jumping also....but my car has not died yet so iam thinking it might be that ground wire..yall are talking about

sine_345

1.6 sohc 95 civic ex. I found that wire and it was slightly loose. The car seems to start fine, and always has, but I tightened it and the times I started it it was running fine. I'll take it out and see what happens then.

sine_345

it happens when I drive and if I give it gas it just falls on its face and the engine just loses most power.

sirt_eg

so is it still doing it?

lileghatch

i just looked at my y8 and i dont even see a ground wire......tell me excalty where it is again??

Former User

If you know where the thermostat housing is located, you will find the critical ground wire located there. Don't just tighten the ground wire. First thoroughly clean it and its contacting surface with steel wool or sand paper to expose bare metal. Then tighten it down.

sirt_eg

here a picture to let you know where. This is from a dohc. I think the sohc is the same place also. Hope this will help

sine_345

I think it fixed it... we'll see. thanks

lileghatch

thank yall so much for the picture now i can see it....ill let yall know something asap

sirt_eg

Let us know if it's fix.

sine_345

its fixed.... you have no idea how long i struggled with that thing. thank you

sirt_eg

no problem. Thats good to hear you got it fix.