Dropped my jdm h22a obdII in this afternoon, got everything hooked up, it starts, but will not idle and will not stay running. I replaced the plugs, distributer cap, rotor, plug wires, oil pump (& switched tdc crank sensor to new oil pump), water pump, manual tensioner, timing belt, clutch, flywheel. I am running the US wiring harness from my h22a4 that came out of the car. I am running the ecu that came with my prelude - US. We switched the disributer & coil from the us motor to the jdm motor. There is a very small crack in the distributer coil - probably 1.5 inches long by very very skinny, you have to know what your looking for to spot it. I will replace the coil on monday.


We checked the TPS with a multimeter and got it set to .50 - no throttle. It is almost as if the car has keyless entry, and without using the keyless entry, when trying to start the car, it just shuts off. I am not sure if the car has keyless entry or an alarm. If anyone knows a possible sotution I'd appreciate the feedback. Thanks - Mark.

 

cmon fellas help a fellow prelude owner outith.

 

wait...so describe it's start up.

does it start up and then just immediately shut off or does it start up and idle rough and sputter and die. also if you turn the key to the "On" position do you dash lights and all of that come on?

can you keep it started with ur foot on the gas? can you keep it start if you keep the keep cranked to the starting position?

i had a very similar problem. i could start my car but it would immediately shut off. if i kept the key cranked it would stay started. turned out to be my ignition switch. i had to clean the contacts on the electrical part and it works fine now.

 

what year is your car?

 

my car is a 1997. The best way I could describe startup is that the car wants to run, it just will not. We turn the key, the motor turns over, but as soon as you back off the key from the starting position to disengage the starter, the engine shuts off. The dash lights all come on when we turn the key to the on position. There is no CEL on, but that could be because the car is not running for a long enough period of time? We cannot keep the car running while feathering the gas. Thanks for any help you guys can offer.

 

What originally made you swap the engine?

 

I bought the car with a seized engine with the intention to replace the motor. I just heard back from the previous owner and he informed me the car does not have any type of security system that he is aware of.

 

try starting the car and keeping the key in the starting position and see if it will stay running. if this does it, then i bet it's your ignition switch. there was a recall on faulty ignition switches on 5th gen preludes. try that and get back to us.

if that works, then go here: https://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/...2Easp

register, put in your vin, and go to the recalls section to check and see if your car was part of the recalls. you could get it fixed for free.

 

Also I forgot to mention, when we put the key in the ignition and turn to the on position, there is a green key light on the dash that illuminates. We start the car, it doesnt start and then when we turn the car back to the on position the light either blinks or stays illuminated, we can't remember which one.

 

that doesn't matter....do you own a multimeter?

 

did you try starting it and keeping the key in the starting position yet??

 

yes i own a multimeter

 

start it, then let it shut itself off without moving the key

test for voltage at the black/yellow wire that goes into the distributor

 

are my questions invisible?

 

lol no kidding....OP pay attention to this guy...his questions are good ones....

 

we did try starting it and keeping the key in the starting position 1 time earlier today. Its 1030 pm here now and my help is at home so I cant try it again now. From what I remember the car did seem to run with the starter constantly engaged with the key in the starting position.

 

DOHVTEC your questions are not invisable. I really appreciate your help, and I hope I answered what you were asking. Thanks again. As soon as I get time I am going to check my vin and enter it in that website you provided. Thanks very much for helping me out.

 

okay, yeah double check again. if the car does stay running if you keep the key turned to start....then more than likely it is the ignition switch (the electrical part of the key cylinder)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mlow634 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">we did try starting it and keeping the key in the starting position 1 time earlier today. Its 1030 pm here now and my help is at home so I cant try it again now. From what I remember the car did seem to run with the starter constantly engaged with the key in the starting position.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I think you are a bit confused about the key positions here or something....

0 - I (acc) - II (on) - III (start)

You put the key in, turn it all the way to III, then let it go back to II.

Leave it there after trying to crank it. Then test the voltage like I said.

 

DOHCVTEC190 - I will check tommorrow and post the results.

bb4ever - I will check the voltage at the black/yellow wire that goes into the dizzy manana.

Thanks again for your help guys.

 

I'm not confused about the key positions, but thanks for the clarification. I will make sure to have the key in the on position after allready turning the motor over, when testing the dizzy wire.

 

DOHCVTEC190 - Thanks alot for that link. I input my vin number and registered, and the status on the safety recall for the ignition switch for my vehicle is "open". I am going to talk with my local honda dealer tommorrow to see what my options are as the car is undrivable. Hopefully they will give me the part if not its only $30 and we will replace it.

I'm replacing the ignition coil as well with an OEM honda coil due to the small small crack in the current oem coil on the car now.

I will update this, and hopefully this thread will help someone out when having the same problem. Thanks to everyone for their input I really dont know what I would be doing without honda-tech.com and its great members.

 

awesome good to hear that your part of the recall. hopefully your dealer takes care of you (parts and installation) free of charge.

you were in luck because i had the same exact thing happen to my car yesterday morning and just happened to be familiar with the situation.

yeah check back and let us know how it turns out at the dealer.

 

UPDATE - I can definetly hear the main relay click 3 seperate times and I can hear the fuel pump turn on when I turn the key to the II/on position. The car will not stay running even when I hold the key in the start/III position. The car is definetly starting, then bogging down and shutting off.

I tested for fuel by taking the fuel fitting and line off the fuel rail. When turning the key to the on/II position, fuel squirted out the fuel line, so we have fuel.

When testing for spark i took the # 1 spark plug and wire out of the motor. I set the plug which i connected to the spark plug wire on the windshield. When attempting to start the car, I did not hear the clicking/snapping/noise from the spark plug which I am under the impression I should hear.

Again, I have replaced the plugs, wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor in regards to the ignition system. I ordered a new distributor coil that I will put on as soon as it comes to my house. I was at a parts store today and the clerk said that by my description it sounds like either my distributor or the ignitor. Thoughts?

 

if the coil is bad, it wont even start at all....it sounds like you have spark

check your cam timing