i have a 1993 civic with a b18c. i deinstalled the old alarm and it didnt have any make or model # on the brain. I stealth installed a clifford 50.5x and now the car wont start. it cranks but won't turn over. the shop that its at currently said that they've tested all wires, distributor, and everything else. Everything seems fine except i'm not getting any sparks, and no fuel. They think it might be an ecu problem but don't know.

additional info:

- Car ran fine before installation - have never had a problem starting.
- when i removed the old alarm, i cut into the black/white starter wire and it sparked.
- old alarm system had audivox shock sensor and door lock module but couldnt find what model the brain was

things i've tried-
- checked all fuse at least 3-4 times. both under the dash and under the hood
- tested the starter for function by jumping it from the (+) terminal. i got a whirring noise and a bunch of sparks.

any suggestions/advice would be great.

 

First of all, "it cranks but won't turn over"? What exactly does that mean? Aren't they the same thing?

Have you verified (with a meter) that all of the fuses are good? Or, did they just "look" good?

When you removed the old alarm, were there any ignition kills installed on the main harness? Exactly how did you remove this old alarm? Did you follow each wire off the alarm back to it's source wire and remove it there?

Have you verified that there's voltage at the coil?

 

you probably blew a fuse for the starter. dont be fooled, just because a fuse looks good it doesnt necessarily mean it is......Maybe the main starter relay went bad.......i cant imagine how the starter wire sparked unless a wire touched ground while you were testing it by turning the car on........

 

if the car cranks then nothing is wrong with the black/white wire. use a meter on the fuses to make sure they are all good

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C_EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First of all, "it cranks but won't turn over"? What exactly does that mean? Aren't they the same thing?

Have you verified (with a meter) that all of the fuses are good? Or, did they just "look" good?

When you removed the old alarm, were there any ignition kills installed on the main harness? Exactly how did you remove this old alarm? Did you follow each wire off the alarm back to it's source wire and remove it there?

Have you verified that there's voltage at the coil? </TD></TR></TABLE>

sorry if it's confusing.

it cranks, but the car won't start.

I haven't verified that all the fuses worked with a meter. They just "looked" good. When I removed the old alarm, I did not follow each wire. I only followed the ignition wires from the ignition harness (containing the starter wire, access. wire, etc). It was definitely a stupid move, but I basically just cut everything else off. I haven't verified that there is voltage at the coil but that will be on my list of things to check. I'm just unsure of what to check for.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicPride97 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you probably blew a fuse for the starter. dont be fooled, just because a fuse looks good it doesnt necessarily mean it is......Maybe the main starter relay went bad.......i cant imagine how the starter wire sparked unless a wire touched ground while you were testing it by turning the car on........</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not quite sure why it sparked either, but the car was not turned on when I spliced into the starter wire. The battery was connected, but the car was definitely not on.

Thanks for the reply guys. Definitely appreciate any help I can get.

 

No spark and no fuel, sounds like the alarm had some "kill" relays, and you have not removed them or you did remove them but did not reconnect the leads that the the "kills" were on, or you have cut an OEM lead or two.
I am surprised, not, that the shop can say all the wiring is good but you still do not have fuel or spark.
Are they trying to sell you an ECU?

Although the ECU may be the problem, I would guess something else, maybe a fuse.

You need to do some testing yourself, do you have a multimeter, or can you borrow one, if not go and buy one, you can get one for $20 that will do the job, from RadioShack.

The first thing I would do, after checking the fuses, is just look/listen, turn ign. switch to run, not start, and listen, can you hear the fuel pump prime the fuel lines, it will come on for a few sec. then shut off.
When you turn the ign. switch to run, do all your cluster lights and gauges come on, does the CEL light come on for a few sec. then go out, [along with the fuel pump priming]?

For any other testing you will need the meter.

The first thing to check for is power, [12V+] on the black/yellow lead going to the "Distributor Assembly", it should be "hot" when ign. is in run and start, if not, it is why you do not have spark, the alarm probably had an ign. kill, at some point the black/yellow is cut, or again it could be a fuse problem.

Next I would chek the PGM-FI Main relay and it's fuses, the relay is located just behind and above hood release lever.
There are 3 powers going to the PGM-FI Main relay, sorry I do not have the color codes for a 93, but you will find a hot at all times, [probably a white/black or yellow/white] there is also a hot in run and start, [probably a yellow/green or black/yellow] then there is the hot in start, [probably a blue/white], also make sure the black ground lead has a ground.

You can also feel if the relay is working, hold it in your hand and turn on the ign. to run, you should feel 2 clicks, [they may feel like one as they are very close together] at the same time you should hear the fuel pump, within a few sec. you will feel another click and the fuel pump will stop and the CEL in the cluster will go out.
If all the above sounds/feels OK you will need to test for 12V+ output from the PGM-FI Main relay to the injectors, probably a yellow/black.
If that looks good check for power at the injectors, also probably a yellow/black, but will be the lead that is the same color on all 4 injectors, [the other lead at each injector will be a diff. color].

Try the above and let me know, let's hope it's something simple like blown fuses or a cut lead. 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Are they trying to sell you an ECU?


When you turn the ign. switch to run, do all your cluster lights and gauges come on, does the CEL light come on for a few sec. then go out, [along with the fuel pump priming]?

</TD></TR></TABLE>
The shop didn't want to sell me an ecu, just wanted to try another one just to see if mine might be a problem.

When I turn the ign. switch., all the lights come on, the CEL comes on and remains on, it doesn't turn off. Also, checked for the fuel pump priming, and it does not prime.

I've got a meter and I'll run some test later on today. The car's still at the shop cause I'm trying to get this worked out before finals. But for the looks of it, it seems more complicated. I definitely hope its just a fuse.

 

If you can not near the fuel pump and the CEL stays on, the PGM-FI Main relay is the problem, or one of the fuses powering it.

There is also the possibility it is the PGM-FI Main relay itself, a common problem on older Honda/Acura, I have pulled and repaired both the one in my 94LS and my sisters 92 Civic, and a number of other early 90s Honda/Acura.

The good part is that almost all of them are reparable.

Try this, unbolt, [1x10mm ISO bolt] the PGM-FI Main relay, hold the relay box in your hand, turn on the ign., give the relay box a sharp tap with your fingers or the handle of a screwdriver, if it comes on, you have cold solder connections.

Here are two links that will help...
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mainrelay.html
http://techauto.tripod.com/mainrelay.htm

Feel free to IM me if you have any questions. 94

 

thanks! i really appreciate the help. I'll head over to the shop and give it a try after my final on monday.