Had an interesting automotive weekend, and just thought I would share some of the things that caused me to spend most of saturday and sunday scratching my head.

You may have come across the thread in which I reported that I obtained a daily driver automatic 4th gen, and finally got it running with a F22 bottom end and an H23 head. I never saw the car run before I got it, so naturally there are a few things that suprized me when it finally fired up (aside from the fact it actually fired up)

Funny story #1:
The car idled in place and revved freely for a good 45 minutes, so I figured it was safe to venture out into the world, if for nothing else then to air up the tires and make sure the car can move under its own power.

I made it about 5 minutes from my house when I started to feel the car cut out. The tach would bounce, and it felt like the ignition was cutting in and out. Exiting the highway, I pulled into a parking lot and tried to figure out the situation. The car was idling roughly, and every time it cut out, I'd hear a click under the dash. Before I could investigate further, it died. The year-old battery had not had time to charge, and therefore I was dead in the water. A phone to a friend later, I was left with 20 minutes to pass by flipping through the owners manual, something I actually have never done.

Anyway, my buddy shows up, and we go to jump start the car. It starts, but idles terribly and keeps cutting out. Every time it cuts out, I hear a CLICK under the dash, near the main relay area . It would buzz, click, and make all sorts of noises, while the car struggled to keep running. Finally, it died and would not restart. Finally, I reached under the dash and pulled the relay out, and sure enough I could actually feel it clicking and buzzing away when I tried to start the car. I took the main relay out, tapped it on the ground, and re-installed it... and the car fired up! Only for a few seconds though - soon, I had the clicking and buzzing back, and then engine silence.

Just so happened we were across the street from a honda dealer. So, using what I thought was good judgement, we went across the street and bought a new main relay for $69. Great.

Just to make sure I'm not crazy, what would you have done?

Condition:
- Car hard to start or will not start. Car does not run consistantly, and when it cuts out, a click and buzz can be heard and felt coming from the main relay.
- Upon taking the relay out and hitting it, and re-installing it, it runs for a bit.

Resolution - Do you:
A) Replace the main relay
B) Inspect the Thermostat housing for anything suspicious

If you go decide "A", like me, you would be dead wrong and out $70, just like me. The new relay did the exact same thing. I spent the rest of the day laying on the floor of my car in an alley, inspecting the wiring under the dash for a short (looked like previous owner had installed a remote-start system) - all the while getting advice from homeless persons. Did I mention the passenger side window is missing?

No luck. I leave the car there, planning to return the next morning. I am pretty sure a homeless person slept in it.

The next morning, after consulting the helms, I turn my attention to option "B" - and holy ****, what do you know, a loose ground wire on the thermostat housing is causing my relay to go nuts. Car starts right up, has run smoothly from that point on (so far). Damned the electrical gremlins, conqured by the all knowing Helms.

Moral(s) of this story?
FS: one new main relay, $45 shipped
If you don't have a service manual, buy one and use it

Funny story #2:
in my search for a wiring problem, I pulled up the carpet on the passenger side to see two wiring harnesses dangling there on the floor. MY AUTOMATIC PRELUDE IS MISSING THE AUTOMATIC TRANNY TCM. - and it still drives around (?) doesn't seem to shift when it should (starts in a higher gear...) but wtf

anyway, thats my weekend.




Modified by Greyout at 8:12 AM 9/27/2004

 

Damn, dude, that is crazy. I would've NEVER expected it to be what you found.

I was going to offer you use of my H23 ECU. I guess that would not have worked.

Who did you buy the car off of??

 

A salvage yard in Dallas, it was an employee's daughter's car. ""It was running great until the timing belt broke!"

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Greyout &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> all the while getting advice from homeless persons.</TD></TR></TABLE>

...because we all know that homeless people know their cars...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am pretty sure a homeless person slept in it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ouch...

Nice weekend. I envy you.
It's amazing of the stupid little wireing things that could make your car not work at all. Good job in fixing the problem.

-Brian

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by k_dog &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

...because we all know that homeless people know their cars...

</TD></TR></TABLE>

"isdahcap! ordarotah!" -homeless person

 

damn, here I am with a 5th gen h22 Auto tcu. Where do you live?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Greyout &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

"isdahcap! ordarotah!" -homeless person</TD></TR></TABLE>

LOL. mean. LOL.

 

Hey man, I put a H22 in my Accord and everything was fine until I took it for a hard test run. Suddenly the tach started jumping and the relay would click you said. Come to find out one of my grounds was too short and broke loose when the engine kicked. Check all of your grounds to make sure they are good. Also make sure your battery terminals are tight.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Greyout &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

"isdahcap! ordarotah!" -homeless person</TD></TR></TABLE>

That is beyond funny, yet mean and true at the same time.

-Brian

 

I've had ground wire problems myself. I feel you. In the end your just going "Doh"!
Good find... and such a relief.