Honda Civic 1998 EX
Headers, CAI, cat-back exhaust, gutted cat.

I have been having some problems lately with the car dies while driving. At first it would die after a lengthily trip, getting the car all warmed up and running it fairly hard. Lately it can die while driving to the grocery store which is just a few minutes away. When this first started happening I wasn’t getting a CEL, the car would just die. After I let it sit for a few minutes it would start back up. When it did die the car would crank but it wouldn’t completely turn over; all the lights and electrical stuff worked thus I eliminated it as an electrical problem. Lately I have been getting a misfire and catalyst system efficiency below threshold CEL. I used to get a code for running rich but I have not gotten that in a long time, I am also not throwing an O2 specific code. I know my cat is gutted which would lead to the efficiency problem but would that cause the car to die? I changed the spark plugs about two weeks ago and the plug wires are maybe a year old. I just changed the fuel filter, and the distributor cap and rotor look fine. I have some ideas what could be wrong but it never hurts to bounce some ideas off other people. Any thoughts? Thank you.

08/28/2007

Well the problem is happening again. This time while I am driving the engine “burps,” dies for a second then comes back on. The times that it doesn’t come back on, when I turn the key the lights on the dash don’t come on but after a few tries I can fire it up and continue on my way until it dies again. Any thoughts? Thank you.


Modified by mechanix619 at 8:49 AM 8/28/2007


Modified by mechanix619 at 8:52 AM 8/28/2007


Modified by mechanix619 at 8:52 AM 8/28/2007


Modified by mechanix619 at 9:01 AM 8/28/2007

 

uh maybe the battery or alternator!!!!

 

ignition control module is a likely suspect. follow that up with an ignition coil. Thats my suggestion from experience. take it or leave it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mikeycivic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">uh maybe the battery or alternator!!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

highly unlikely, he mentioned his lights are working and he's able to start the car back up after it cools down (sometimes).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by monicle &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ignition control module is a likely suspect. follow that up with an ignition coil.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that was going to be my second guess.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mechanix619 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Honda Civic 1998 EX
Headers, CAI, cat-back exhaust, gutted cat.

I have been having some problems lately with the car dies while driving. At first it would die after a lengthily trip, getting the car all warmed up and running it fairly hard. Lately it can die while driving to the grocery store which is just a few minutes away. When this first started happening I wasn’t getting a CEL, the car would just die. After I let it sit for a few minutes it would start back up. When it did die the car would crank but it wouldn’t completely turn over; all the lights and electrical stuff worked thus I eliminated it as an electrical problem. Lately I have been getting a misfire and catalyst system efficiency below threshold CEL. I used to get a code for running rich but I have not gotten that in a long time, I am also not throwing an O2 specific code. I know my cat is gutted which would lead to the efficiency problem but would that cause the car to die? I changed the spark plugs about two weeks ago and the plug wires are maybe a year old. I just changed the fuel filter, and the distributor cap and rotor look fine. I have some ideas what could be wrong but it never hurts to bounce some ideas off other people. Any thoughts? Thank you.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

i know you mentioned your lights are working, but that doesn't mena you don't have an electrical problem.

my first guess would be your main relay. have you noticed a humming noise right befor you start the car? that is your fuel pump priming. if you are not hearing the pump, i would replace the main relay first.

 

ignition happened before in my buds dx hatch there was a recall on ignition

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I cant seem to wrap my head around the ignition possability, I just don't see how that can cause the car to die while driving. I thought it could be the main relay. I bench tested it with positive results but it could fail when it gets hot; the solder coming undone. The car didn't die at all yesterday so I didnt' get to test the main relay theory. I also thought it could be the fuel pump but I'll have to tackle that today. I want to test the car when it dies but it usually dies when I am in traffic; heaven forbid it die in a parking lot where I can sit and play with it for an hour or so.

 

it is the ignition control module when it heats up the terminal dont make contact.
i had that problem driving from texas to north carolina it took me 4 days because the car would die once it heated up and it would loose contact.

 

It's probably dieing because you have one too many headers lol.

 

So I haven't really had the opportunity to test anything for the past two days, the car hasn't died. I am happy that car hasn't died but if the problem is still festering somewhere I wish it would die so I can start testing components when the fault actually occurs. I should mention one thing, Monday night I did perform a little trick to my secondary 02 sensor. I added a spark-plug non-filer which pushed the 02 sensor out of the exhaust pipe a little. Here is an example of what I am talking about.

http://www.350z-tech.com/zwiki...Pipes

 

Well the car finally died, to bad it do so on my way back from Ellensburg last night; can't test the car in the pitch dark. The first time it died I pulled over and messed with the Main Relay. It clicked when I turned the ignition so I guess I can rule that out of the problem equation. I couldn't test the fuel pump because I can't hear the pump from under the back seat. The second time it died I let the car coast and turned the key from off to accessories a few times and on the third or fourth time I actually tried to start the car. That little trick worked, all the other times the car died I let the car sit for about fifteen minutes, however I never did try that trick previously which makes me wonder if I am narrowing my problems down. So, any thoughts? Thanks.

 

you should be able to have your ignition module tested. why not get it tested to rule out what 2 and now 3 people are saying... cause im going with ignition module. i worked on a didge caravan that all of a sudden one day would not start. it was the module.

 

But here's the thing, wouldn't the ignition module test okay if I brought it in while the car was working fine? I need to have it tested when the car dies but if the part is failing because it gets hot by the time I get it checked it would have cooled down. I am just basing this off what Honda has said. Tech at Honda siad that the part is fine, which means it would test fine, until it gets hot then it goes out.

 

Hello,

I read about your problem. It is my first time on such a website. I have a very similar problem to yours and I was wondering if you have solved it yet. My 99 civic also turns off while driving, this mostly happends when the weather is hot. I changed the ignition plugs, oil filter, and cleaner the fuel pump many times. My dad insists on the problem being the fuel pump but I think it has something to do with the Ignition control module since the light behind the wheel goes out but comes back after a couple of minutes when you just sit there. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.

thank you,


KF

 

Same post that I gave to kfahimi in another thread. You may not be able to "wrap your head" around this idea but I think it's worth looking into, esp if the dealer will replace it. Up to you if you want to believe us or not.

---------------------------------------------------------------

It's your ignition switch. There's a recall on it so you can have the dealer replace it. Switch fails due to carbon build up on worn contacts. Exact same thing happened to me...

NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 02V120000 - Hide Details
Recall Data: 05/16/2002
Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
Units Affected: 1000000
1999 HONDA CIVIC ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH (Before you say, "oh, but mine is a 98 EX," they have a recall for it as well. Just too lazy to get it)
Recall Date: 05/16/2002

Summary:
ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Consequence:
WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

Potential Units Affected: 1000000

Notes: HONDA CIVIC

 

Well, problem solved, it was the main relay. Car died and I was finally able to test some components when the problem occurred. Thanks for all the info.