Was sitting in my car trying to get a damn coke from BK, and my buddies like "hey your going 80mph!".

The speedometer bounces all over, doesnt register accurate mph, the idle is substantially higher (around 1500r's or so warmed up), and the tail lights pulse when turned on.

Had my alt ran at advanced, said voltage was a tid low at first (higher 12's) at idle, but after a few mins the voltage went up, and during accel. the voltage was fine.

Scanned the codes, and the same codes its had basically.


Matt

 

ttt hoes!!

 

i donno about you rpms being alittle high that might be your iacv or fitv. But regarding the speedometer i think its your cluster. I have a 1995 civic which does the same thing at times. some times it won't even work, sometimes it's normal. I thought it had something to do with my speedsensor but i was short on money so decided to leave it alone. After a couple of months problem was still there. I swapped a b18c1 into my civic and boom... same exact problem so i was able to eliminate my speed sensor. Try swapping clusters eventhough its a pain, but that might do it bro!

 

high 12's is basically battery voltage. your alternator should put out at least 13.5 volts all the time. as for the speedo and taillights, low battery voltage can cause electroning to act very weird. make sure the battery is getting the same voltage as the alternator is putting out.

 

um what do you mean the same codes basically that sounds like it could be your problem what codes were you getting

 

^Somebody tried converting my HX to an EX.. ex intake, ecu, exhaust etc.. so I got codes for the front o2, rear o2, iat..

But why would my cluster RANDOMLY decide to go out at Burger King??? And coincidentally, the lights start pulsing and the idle goes funky? After a few minutes or if you give the car gas, the voltage goes over 13.

So there is a good chance the alt. is shot, and the car is compensating for voltage loss thru upping the rpm's?

 

So I went back to BK today for another coke... my speedometer worked for about 4miles.. then started going whack again.

input input input

 

I had a friend that has a 98 civic hatch it was doing the same thing and it was a wire from the alternator that goes under the intake manifold. The bracket that held it rubbed the wire causing it to short out making his speedo go nuts and his lights to dim. also check your fuses for the speedo.

 

Ahhhh well thats some good info. I'll check for that wire.

But everything else on the speedo still works.. if the speedo fuse was popped wouldn't the speedo not work period?

 

I say check all your ground wires to make sure everything is being grounded out fine. It almost sounds like you've got some kind of electrical noise going around screwing with your electronics.

 

You gauge is done just get a new one and you will be fine had it happen on 2 of my civics.

 

Grounds look fine to me..

Oh so this is relatively common? Is it a pain to replace them? All I have to do is order a new whiteface gauge setup (or whatever color you like) and replace it? Whats the excuse for my idle being high and pulsing, and my tail lights pulsing with the idle?

 

cluster is pretty easy to change.
the idle is problaly a lack of voltage ( regulator in the alternator most likely) and the car is compensating for it.

 

^Thats what this honda dude told me.. so it's more than likely a dead or dying alternator then?

 

yes, try a new alternator.

 

ok coolio. Just wanted to make sure before I bought a hefty-priced alternator from advanced

 

Alts are much cheaper at Majestic.

NVM i just looked its a good bit cheaper at AutoZone.

 

116$ is kinda pooey.. I was hoping for sub 100$ alternator replacement

 

cluster problem is definitely the cluster itself.

 

I've had other cars though that have done the same thing to the speedo.. and all these symptoms came pretty much at the same time..

 

bad VSS maybe? i would doubt changing your guage cluster would help.... the chances of an internal short on that clusters board is alot less common than a faulty sensor or bad charging system :-\

 

Wouldn't a VSS throw a code? There was no codes for anything like that

 

for your speedo problem check your vss.
its located ontop of your transmition housing towards the firewall

 

Well the car finally started cranking slowly today.. hooked it up to one of my other cars and put a quick charge on it and it was fine. It's the alt. I'll check the vss though.. thanks

 

My '96 hatch did the same thing when i bought it so i bought a ex cluster and it worked perfectly after plus i got a tach so SWEET