31flavorscivic

Okay, I managed to answer my own question yesterday, but the big problem was what I said at the tail end of the post. https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1148951


I searched, but no one seemed to have the same problem. Heres EXACTLY what I did that night. In 20/20 hindsight none of this should have happened and I should have waited another day, but it did:

I was tired, it was late, and I had just hooked up everything FINALLY after hard work for the past 3 days. My friend was inside w/ a headache, so I had no one to see if I did something stupid. I accidentally wired one terminal on the battery backwards, but didn't touch the other one (pos wire to neg terminal) for more than the blink of an eye before I realized I did something wrong. Wired battery up correctly.

I found out yesterday the starter wasn't even wired in, but I had no idea. I turned the car to ACC, it beeps, then to ON, and the check engine and the other dash lights come on, however a bit dim. I hear the fuel pump prime, and I hit 3rd click: ignition.

The car did not crank, and smoke shot out of the engine bay, coming off in the shape of a wire being fried. I shut the car off and run out and make sure nothing is on fire, then I disconnect battery and call it a night and go home.

Yesterday, I go with 2 others and go to start the car to recreate what I did. Turn key to ACC, and it beeps. Turn key to ON, and it does nothing, just keeps beeping. No lights come on at all, just beeps. Turn key to ignition, nothing. Headlights are bright and dome light works. ECU does not blink, and all fuses are intact. Stereo does not turn on.

Question: did I fry the **** out of my main relay, ecu, stereo, etc, or will hooking up a bad ground fix my problem? I'll post more at work today.

CRX_Control

try your friends ecu , or try the ecu on your friends car

VashTheStampede

Check your fuses and relays. Probably nothing more than that. Look at the main car harness for melting and shorts.

31flavorscivic

I got it FINALLY, sorda.

Went to Checkers and got the multimeter special for $37. I hate spending money; I've spent like $120 in the past week, but I've been a multimeter ***** and no one will let me borrow theirs anymore. Good thing to have around anyways.

Anyways with that, we start testing furiously. We find that the 50 amp ignition fuse (under hood bottom center) had blown. We replaced that with a 50, and I checked the grounds. We had left out the thermostat ground, so we plugged that in. We also checked the main relay for any scorch marks, and there were none present

We also went and checked the ECU on my friend's ZC CRX SI which is buried in a few feet of snow. For not running since october 15th it sure as hell tried, but at least it started and ran for a few. ECU is good.

We proceed home and put everything back in, and turn the key to the on position. Once again dim dash lights and then a few seconds later smoke from the valve cover. I shut the car off and we go and check. I had 2 others watching for smoke this time instead of just me.

It is coming from the 2 wire plug on the distributer, which upon further examination had been wired backwards. We re-wire it and replace the fuse which had blown with a 60 amp (all any parts store had in town) and turn it on again.

Instead of blowing the fuse, it just made flames jump out onto the wire. We quickly put out what had started and got to looking. Finally we said **** it and disconnected that plug altogether. I called someone and they said it goes to the tachometer, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I turned the key to the ON position, and the dash lights were bright as could be, and no smoke came out from anything. I am going back in an hour to start the car, and we are videotaping the start to be able to review anything that happns on instant replay.

Thank you guys for the help, I shall let all know how it goes

TTM

**** alex good luck with it, just remember all the money you saved from buying a b16
if you need any help you know my fone #

31flavorscivic

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TTM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
if you need any help you know my fone #</TD></TR></TABLE>

called.

PHOBIA

you should just replace the distributer, and see if it helps,the blue wire goes to the tach.

31flavorscivic

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PHOBIA &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you should just replace the distributer, and see if it helps,the blue wire goes to the tach.</TD></TR></TABLE>

More than likely it is bad wiring on our part. I want to get this car to start first, and then I will go from there. I expected this to happen. Now armed with a multimeter, we are capable of much more.

I went back and tried it, and it cranked withy fuel, just no spark, and no open flames (thank God)