Alright so a couple days ago I noticed my speedo wasnt working, 2 minutes later it was working again. Sometimes when i turnb it on it will either work or not work. Every once in a while i will be driving, and it will bounce from 0-60 (or whatever speed im going) back and forth three or four times then start working again.

What could this be?

Also, last night my CEL light came on, it only comes on after a couple minutes of driving. If i turn the car off and back on again, its gone. How can i do a code check on it if it only comes on when im driving? Can i just pull over and insert the pin and the code will flash? Or do i have to put the pin in while the car is off?

Thanks



Modified by Momentum at 10:35 PM 5/20/2008

 

Unfortunately you have to have the car off to jump the service connector, and then turn your key to the ON position.

One code that I've seen do that is code 9 for cylinder position sensor. It's in your distributor and can be responsible for your tach jumping all over the place, but not your speedo. For your speedometer, your VSS in your tranny might be going out or else it's a loose electrical connection. That wouldn't throw the MIL though, so it's most likely two things at work here.

 

If CEL is on, check the CEL FIRST!!

If the CEL pertains to the speedo sensor, ding ding ding, it's probably just the sensor located ontop of the transmission.

If CEL is NOT on....
Problem: The speedo doesn't work but the odometer works.
Solution: Replace the cluster or just replace the speedo gauge

Problem: The speedo doesn't work AND the odometer doesn't work.
Solution 1*: Bad Sensor - Replace the speedo sensor in the transmission.
*CEL should be on
Solution 2: Bad Gauge - Replace cluster or just replace the speedo gauge
IF Neither solution above fixed it.
Solution 3: Check all wiring from the sensor to the gauge. Because the signal is disrupted somewhere.

 

Funny your having this problem I was having the same problem for 2 days.and today I went to the junk yard got the best looking vss plug off the harness and soldered it to my harness and it works perfect use a little dielectric grease on the plug when you put the plug back on

 

Did you read the original post? He can't check the MIL because it's not on when he starts his car

 

Yah so he can drive it and when it turns on pull over and check it while the car is running

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95JDM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yah so he can drive it and when it turns on pull over and check it while the car is running</TD></TR></TABLE>

How do you do that?
As far as i know the car has to be not running to be able to read the codes.

I just drove the car 250km's and no problems.
The check engine light came on twice in the last few days, both times when the speedo was acting up, but sometimes the speedo would be [freak]ed and the light would not come on. Or, the light would stay on after the speedo stopped being hoopy.

 

I too had this problem, turned out a pin had rusted off of my VSS and when driving my CEL light came on as the MAP sensor was seeing a vacuum when the speedo was reading zero.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95JDM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yah so he can drive it and when it turns on pull over and check it while the car is running</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok two strikes for you:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Blk00EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Unfortunately you have to have the car off to jump the service connector, and then turn your key to the ON position.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EM1 civic99 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the MAP sensor was seeing a vacuum when the speedo was reading zero.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmm, your map sensor always reads vacuum...

 

So if im using an ITR 97 Spec LSD tranny...

I need a sensor from that? I have b18 block and b16 head...

 

The transmission has a vehicle speed sensor on the top rear of the housing. That's what you need to look at. Try swapping with someone else's to see if the actual sensor is bad or not. It's only 2 bolts to remove.

 

the problem you are having is the VSS get a new one and your problem will be solved.

 

Modified by Momentum at 10:35 PM 5/20/2008