JFiZZ

Hello, I'm having a problem with my car, just last week, i was driving and all of sudden my car started putting for bout 2 seconds, and then my car just turned off, but my lights and stereo were still on. I pulled over and tried starting it again but it wouldn't start. My friend and I tried to do the spark plug test but i got no spark. And my other friend had a obd1 diagnostic tool, but as for myself i don't know how to use it and so does he. I couldn't find the port so i researched it online and no one had a picture or how to find it and actually show me how to use it or find it. I'm really worried that my car is going to get towed. Please someone help me with a picture or video on how to fix this problem

Former User

You need to provide information about your car.

Also click the Codes and Spark links in my signature.

crazyhouse2011

Hey, I need to know what year and trim your car is. You actually dont need the obd1 scanner if it is a 92 to 95 civic, at least for the ex trims. Hit me up quickly and I can tell you how to do it with a stripped wire.

JFiZZ

sorry i have a 1994 Honda Civic Ex 1.6liters V-Tec Manual transmission, its a coupe 2 door

crazyhouse2011

Okay bud let me help you out. If you check back in about 5 minutes I'm gonna upload some pictures of what you need to do okay?

Former User

Also check whether the timing belt snapped or stripped.

JFiZZ

okay thanks a lot i really appreciate it. I just couldn't find anybody that would help me, you guys are very helpful..I love this site already...lol..and also some of my friends were telling me that it could be the distributor itself

crazyhouse2011

MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS OFF!!



You are gonna reach under your glove box to the far right, ALLLL the way close to the door frame. There will be a bunch of wires, and two of them will be thick and will have adapters on them. Pull out these wire harnesses.



These are the harnesses.

Find the one that has the yellow and dark green wires leading into the harness. You may have to pull back the sleeve that they are in. Here is the correct one below.



Now here comes the difficult part. You are going to need something metal to short out the two female ends of the harness. I'm not sure if you have any junk electronics in your car, but I managed to open a computer tower and pick a wire, cut it out, and strip both ends. You can also use a paper clip, and maybe even a staple, but it has to be metal and it has to connect into both female ends at the same time, so it's gotta be bendy. Here's my wire below.



Now insert both ends into the female connectors in the blue harness. Since you have a friend, he may be able to help by holding both ends in (although mine stays in by itself).




Now turn your key to the ON position, but don't start the car. There is a picture below incase you don't know how to do that.




Now your check engine light should flash on. Wait til it turns off. Then count the flashes. A LONG flash equals ten. A SHORT flash equals one. Add them all together. There will be long pauses between codes, so you won't get confused. Once the computer gets through all the codes, it will cycle back to the first one, so that's when you will know it is finished.

Example: Lets say your CEL flashes like this.

LONG, LONG, LONG, SHORT

Your code is 31. Now you have to look up online what Code 31 means.

Note: It may do multiple codes, so write them all down. My car gets Code 17, which is the speed sensor. My speedometer works intermittently. You also may need to have your friend jiggle around the wire or whatever you used to short the harness if the CEL isn't flashing because the ends may not be touching.

If you need more help just reply.

crazyhouse2011

Okay hang on, I'm gonna hafta see why these pictures aren't showing up. MODS! HELP ME HELP THIS MAN!!!

EDIT: I fixed the pictures.

Former User

You can use the picture attachment feature or paste the IMG code for your pictures uploaded to PhotoBucket or other such sites.

JFiZZ

ok all i see is the one 2 pin wire connecter with 2 holes, i haven't checked what kind of wires it is but it does have a green wrapping around it. So your saying i have to use a paperclip on it one for each hole? And also my friend says that it could short out the ECU, is this correct? Can it short out my ECU

crazyhouse2011

It shouldn't short the ECU. I do it all the time, as have other Honda owners because a built in feature of this car was the OBD-I scanner. Just make sure NOT to start the car with the wire in, I'm not sure if it will break anything, but lets not find out okay?
As for the green sleeve you may need to peel it back or slide it down really hard. Just make sure the two wires inside are dark green and yellow.

There should be two wires up there so keep grabbing (unless you got the right one, then don't worry about it). Yes you can use a paperclip or anything metal and bendy and that can fit in the holes. I also revised my post with the pictures so you may want to read it again.

JFiZZ

ahahha, i like how you showed the picture of the key in the ignition on the ON position, LOL. But thanks again for taking your time to help me out. I appreciate it a lot. I will be trying this later today in about 3 hours when my friend comes and picks me up so i can test it out. I will let you guys know what happened. And thanks again

crazyhouse2011

To be honest, I have used an OBD-II scanner, and those things are SOOOO cool. I have never used an OBD-I scanner however, and I really don't know how to either, but part of me thinks that you may have to plug the OBD-I scanner into that wire harness I described, it makes perfect sense. But I could be wrong. Maybe you could upload a picture or two of your OBD-I scanner?

Former User

For our OBD1 Hondas, you don't don't pull codes with a code reader - instead you jump the service connector.

JFiZZ

i actually don't have the OBD1 scanner, my friend does

JFiZZ

what do you mean you jump the service connector

Former User

There's no code reader for our OBD1 Civics. Whatever scanner your friend has, it won't work on your Civic.

crazyhouse2011

It's what I described. Don't worry!

JFiZZ

ok, it did get me worried though..lol

JFiZZ

ok i just got home from doing a diagnostics on my car, and i got two sets of codes. I don't know how to read them

First set of codes: 5 long and 1 short
Second set of codes: 9 long and 2 short

so what do these mean and how do i decode these

crazyhouse2011

Alright the first one is Code 51 and the second one is Code 92. I am going to look online to find a list of OBD-I codes for you and post their meanings here in a minute.

crazyhouse2011

Okay unfortunately there is no such Code 51, so maybe if you could try it again and watch carefully. Not trying to be a dick, but I have looked in several sources and there is not a Code 51.
However, there IS a code 92, and it is this
"Evaporative Emission Control System insufficient purge flow"

I have absolutely no idea what this means, but that's what the code is. Go ahead and try the diagnostics again and carefully recount the flashes and report them back to us.

Also, you should check to make sure your timing belt isn't broken, like Ron said earlier.