I own a 95 civic dx and today i was trying to install an aftermarket stereo. As i was just finally trying to put in the head unit, two of the fuse wires must have touched and i heard a "zap" and saw a poof of smoke. Immediately, i noticed that the stereo had lost all power and so i assumed that i had blown a fuse. i started the car and went to a local mechanic. i discovered that i had blown the fuse in an empty slot to which the power wire was connected. we replaced the fuse but still no power... At that moment, i tried to start the car but it would not turn over. it continued to make a revving noise but no turn over. all of the fuses are functioning and i cannot diagnose the problem. did i short circuit the ecu? the stereo? please help. thanks.

 

Did you actually disconnect the battery before installing the stereo?

 

You are being a little confusing...
"discovered that i had blown the fuse in an empty slot to which the power wire was connected" fuse in empty slot???

"tried to start the car but it would not turn over. it continued to make a revving noise but no turn over" revving noise???

Terminology....

engine starts = engine runs.

engine turns over/cranks/cranks over = starter motor is working and engine turns over but does not necessarily start.

revving noise = "noise" engine makes when it's running and and gas pedal is pressed.

So I understand, what exactly happens when you turn the key to start?

Both the acc. power, [switched] and constant power, [hot at all times] for the HU, [stereo] are avalable in the stock radio harness, along with speaker, ground, illumination and power ant. trigger leads.
If the HU you have is a "high power" unit, a fused 12ga power lead should be run from the batt. to behind the HU and the HUs 12V+ constant, [yellow] should be connected to it instead of the stock 12V+ constant in the stock radio harness, the stock 12V+ constant needs to be capped off so it can not short out, it is power for other things in the car, including ECU memory in most Honda/Acura. It is almost always a 7.5A fuse in the engine bay fuse box marked as "back-up", make sure this fuse is good.

What lead from the stereo did you plug into the "empty slot" in the fuse box? 94

 

sorry, i will clarify...

the previous cd player had a yellow power wire (i believe) running from the stock wiring harness to an open slot on the fuse panel. i combined this yellow wire with the yellow from my aftermarket harness and another from the stock harness. jammed into this open fuse slot was a 20 amp fuse. this was the fuse that i discovered i had blown. the revving noise im referring to is the sound that the car makes prior to actually starting... sadly, i dont know the official terminology. it "cranks," but does not run.

but what youre saying is: i need to run this yellow wire to a battery terminal rather than the fuse box?

 

As I mentioned, the stock radio harness has all the wiring needed, nothing from the HU should be plugged into the fuse box, nothing from the stock radio harness, [or adapter harness] should be plugged into the fuse box.


Are you using an adapter harness, [plugs into the stock radio harness plug so you don't need to cut it off]?
http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/HA-Wiring.pdf

If your HU is a "high power" HU, [more then 4x10W RMS into 4 ohms] then it shold be treated like an amp, run a power lead directly from the batt. for it, a fused 12ga at that distance is good for up to 4x20W RMS into 4 ohms, a 12ga chassis to chassis ground should also be added, if a metal back brace is used the 12ga ground is not needed.

Back to your problem, it sounds like starter motor is working, [engine is cranking/turning over] but not starting.

Question...
If you turn the ign. switch to run, [not start] can you hear the fuel pump prime the fuel system, pump should run for a few second when key is turned on then pump will turn off along with the CEL, is this happening?

If not, you have other blown fuses, have you checked them all, under dash and engine bay fuse boxes?
It is what I would check next, use a meter or test light to check fuses, eyeballing them is not dependable enough. 94

 

I am not using an adapter harness, I am simply splicing each of the individual wires from the stock harness with the aftermarket harness.

As for your question, I cannot hear the fuel pump whatsoever so I believe you're right. I checked most of the fuses under the dash but many of the engine bay fuses were screwed in and thus i could not check many of them. Which fuses do you think could cause the engine to not turn over?

And thanks fcm, you're saving me here...

P.S. i used a fuse checking device when i discovered i had blown the 20 amp one. Oh yeah, and i picked up some wire crimps to replace the electrical tape so i won't make the same mistake again...