02WRX

Two problems with my recent swap, one easy to diagnose, one not so easy. Any confirmation or disagreement with #1 is welcome & any clues with #2 would be great!
1) I think the thermostat is bad. Three reasons - the fan doesn't come on, after filling the radiator with fluid, the thermostat never opened up to allow more fluid into the radiator & even when up to operating temp on the temp gauge, the heater doesn't blow hot air into the car. Sound like a bad thermostat, right? If so, which one should I get to replace the jdm b16 one?

2) Had the distributor rebuilt, after the first test drive which went pretty normal, I drove home. Test out vtec a bit on the way. Partway home the tach goes nuts & the motor starts missing. I barely limp home. I figure the ignitor is either loose or bad - check all connections, no problems, so I replace it with the ignitor from a d16a6 I've got laying around. Test drive the car again. Seems good in regular traffic. Get on the freeway, run it up to vtec. Shortly thereafter, tach goes nuts again, same symptoms. Barely limp it to my shop space @ work. Figure that maybe the coil is bad & is taking out ignitors, so I replace the coil with one from the d16a6 distributor. Fire up motor, let it warm up. Look inside - wtf? Now I've got a check engine light. Check the code - 22. Hmmmm. Check the oil pressure switch connection - oh ****, the ground is loose. Tighten ground, reset ECU. No codes. Test drive - seems good, run it up to vtec - at about 6k rpm the tach goes a little nuts again, quick bounce up & back, so I let off. This time, however, the tach stays stable at lower rpm's & there's no missing. What might be the trouble? Any ideas?

TIA!
Eric

02WRX

ttt -

C'mon - someone's gotta at least know what thermostat to use...

glagola1

If you want to replace the thermostate, get the one from a del sol b16.

I don't know how to solve your problems. Sorry and good luck.

crxgurlllll

just give that whole motor to me and start all over

IHaveTurbos

You can also use the F22 Accord Thermostat also.

02WRX

Well, the thermostat is verified for replacement & there's really only one base model that the dealership had, so that's what I got. The master tech had a simple verification for me - at operating temp is the lower radiator hose cooler than the upper? If yes, you have a thermostat that's not opening.

As to the second problem, I'm still looking for some help. I wonder if the loose ground in the oil pressure switch was killing the ignitor? Any opinions on this? The first ignitor really got fried, but the second didn't get as much abuse with the loose ground wire. If so, once an ignitor is damaged, will it continue to get worse even if the problem that did the initial damage is fixed? Any help on this would be great!

Thanks,
Eric