hey i just bought a 1988 civic hatch as a project/daily driver and two days after i bought it it started throwin a check engine light. im new to hondas in general and dont know much about them, i was just hoping someone could tell me what the codes are for the blinking ecu light and what they mean.

the motor is the stock d15b with a cai, header, and cat back exhaust.

 

google honda OBD0 engine check light codes

http://crxcommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t=9903

 

thanks for the link

 

the red light on the ecu blinks 17 times, then there is a long pause, then it blinks 17 times again, im guessing that means this is a code #17 on the link that you sent me which is vehicle speed sensor, correct?

 

i really need help with this if anyone could post something, according to the above link increments of ten are represented by a long blink, but im not getting any long blinks, just 17 short ones

 

are u sure ur not gettin a long blink then 16 short ones? cuz its supposed to give u a long one at the beginning. if not then ya its code 17 speed sensor...im pretty sure the sensor itself is in the cluster. try takin the cluster out and make sure its plugged in. if that dnt solve it then the sensor is prob busted which means you might have to replace the whole unit to get that code to stop. (remember to disconnect the -battery cable before you recheck for the codes...the code will still show up even if its fixed until you do that)

 

well the thing is the car is a dx and i thought it would have a speedo cable and not an electronic sensor, but the trans is an lsd which im sure is out of an lx or ex which may have had a sensor, also im pretty sure the gauge cluster is out of an lx

 

and yea i am just gettin 17 short ones over and over again

 

well if your speedometer is working, then i dont think its that big of a deal if u dont mind gettin that code as long as you have the cluster. cuz i think you explained the problem.

 

well the speedo doesnt work, and im fine with that i just wanted to make sure that thats the problem and theres nothin mechanically wrong with the car cz ive had plenty of bad luck with cars, thanks man, ill post more if i get a different code.

 

OBD0 D-series ECUs do not have long and short blinks - only short - 17 blinks is the VSS - this is the troubleshooting guide - notice at the top that it says "LED indicator blinks 17 times"

 

thanks for the diagram, if the speed sensor is bad where is a good place to find one for somewhat cheap? would it be worth going to a junkyard or just buy a new one?

 

gettin a new cluster would fix it...ebay has tons of them. even some JDM clusters, but you have to rewire the harness. heres a link for a dx cluster.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-89...item27afa60df8

 

i thought dx clusters didnt have tachs

 

ur rite...yesterday i was on 60ml of liquid vicodin...bt yea check out ebay and youll find one

 

did you check if you even have an speedo cable could be that when the trany swap was done the cable was not put on or maybe not on the right way

 

If the speedo on the dash doesn't work then the vss will not send the voltage needed if it is spinning then u need to check the resistance from the cluster to the ecu. there is no real need for a vss on a dpfi d15. hope u get it figured out let us know what the problem was.

 

Are there any updates on that problem?

For the record....

I just happend to have the same issue. Durning the RMS replacement, the cable got stuck in the tranny, accidently pulled the wrong end..... Yes, the check engine light went on, only after a few minutes into the drive. I tried fixing it by pushing the cable back in, but that didnt work. I need to push it further in to make sure I didint damage the speedometer.

The CEL 17 code pulses continuously........I can jump it.....but might as well fix it and keep my ef true.

 

goodluck.........

 

Cleared...

I fixed the cable, mounted and tested. I actually found out I didnt push in the cable all the way down the transmission. I pulled the battery to reset the computer and took it for a few mile test drive. CEL gone...no code 17....

FIXED - DONE