I have a problem where I've swapped out my alternator several times with remanned honda alternators. Battery still doesnt charge and I need to jump my ITR every time.

I've been told by a dealership that my stock ECU internal ground is shot, and that the only way to fix the solution is to get a replacement ECU. Thats why the alternator isnt charging the battery.

Now, few years back, I've had a VAFC installed in the past where the actual ECU harness was spliced into (no adapter), so I'm thinking that could possibly have a role in all of this.

Does anyone know which/what p/n i'd need if I wanted to replace the entire harness altogether? The dealership claims it cant possibly be the ecu harness, but rather they are 100% sure its the ECU.

Meanwhile I plan on seeing if I can source out a used ITR ecu I guess?

Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

Find the source in the harness and repair it? When you reconnected the wires since the AFC, did you butt connector it or solder it? Butt connector with the RIGHT butt connector is the appropriate method.

 

Migs, thanks for replying. Any recommendations on what butt connector to use? Looks like I'm going to need to sit down and figure this out.

 

the Honda Techs think its the ground in the ecu which has gone bad, whereas I just think its the connection via cut harness wire (vafc)

Has anyone ever seen an ECU go bad?

 

Hey Migs,

Checked the harness. The connections, while soldered, are good. Any idea what else it might be? Getting a replacement ECU is going to be super expensive unless I want to roll dice with the h-t marketplace, where I may get scammed like 50 times over lol

Anyone have a p73 2000 usdm itr ECU for sale?

 

I'm a Honda tech, and I have seen ECU/PCM's go bad.

If you realy feel that is the problem, just try another ECU then see if you have the same problem. If you don't then you can narrow down the problem.

 

go check all your fuses . in car and engine bay

 

Everyone --- thank you for the comments.

I figured out my (lame) issue.

I did not bother to check the obvious crap because I gave the acura/honda tech's (1 "A" tech/master tech and two other techs) way too much credit.

So the story is, I had an alternator swapped out by the dealership since I didnt have a spot to do it myself here in Sunny CA. Second alternator also bad. So was the third, and the fourth.

On the Fourth alternator, the dealership said my battery was fried. This makes sense because the battery was not being charged at all by the alternator. Baffled, I leave the car at the dealership for over a week so they can call the "acura helpline" with their tech to diagnose the issue.

The dealership came back and said it was a bad ground in the ECU. I bought a spare ECU just for testing (i dont know any itr owners around here =( ) and same crap happens.

So I sit down on the side, and think about wtf is going on. Brand new alternator, new battery, spare ECU. I head over to Vatozone to get my (dead) battery recharged. Talking to the manager he come out and we start checking stuff out because this can't be that complex. I had some custom wiring done because of a (now removed) VAFC. I check all the wiring again.

Low and behold, the tech's at the dealership mounted the alternator, put the belts on, but forgot to plug the alternator in...

Cliffs:
Alternator replaced 4 times.
Battery replaced once.
spare ECU bought b/c acura dealership said my alternator issue was b/c of bad ecu.

Solution: plug in the fuggin alternator....


I'm calling the my dealership service rep on Monday to see wtf he has to say about this....borderline incompetancy....

 

damn, sounds like you have got the run around... bump someone help this man get his ITR running