my brother's 1992 4dr lx won't start. it did started and drove just fine 2 ago. after driving for about certain amount of miles it, dies out on it's own. after waiting for it to cool for about an hour, it fires back up normally again. and the problem repeats.

honda said it was a rusted/bad ecu is the reason for it to die out and its own. the plate holding the ecu unit box is very rusted. i replaced the ecu and plate yesturday and now the car won't even start. cranks but no start.

so i took out the distributor cap and rotor to test the ignition coil to measure the resistance between the terminals just like i did with my integra. but where is the ignition coil on this car??? lol. im like wth. do i have to take something out again to see it?

when flip the key to the "on" position the check engine lite comes on for 2 seconds and i hear the main relay click but the check engine lite stays on.

so what do i do about the missing ignition coil? or does it only needs the igniter? someone help me out....thanks!!

 

Sounds like a bad "main relay". But, ain't the ign. coil the same as a Ignition Control Module(ICM)? If so, it's located inside the distributor housing.

 

No, the coil and ICM are two different things. Com'on Nus, you should know that.

The Accords came with internal and external coil distributors. If you are unable to find the coil inside the distributor I would have to say it's an external coil dist. (1992 Accord LX are external) To find the coil you follow the 5th spark plug wire, it's the one in the center of the dist. cap. It will lead you to the external coil. It should be mounted between the distributor and the throttle body/intake plenum.

 

Right right; I forgot about external coil. Damn, I keep thinking that there's only internal coil when ppl keep mentioning ignition coil. Lol.

Yup, after knowing whats what, I was just gonna say follow the center spark plug wire(5th spark plug wire) back to its location which will be the ign coil. After seeing one in a F22B2 engine, it seems to be located behind the right hand side of the head where the VTEC solenoid sits on the B1.

 

Your right though Nus, it does sound more like a main relay issue.

 

Yup, cause most stories I heard are related to the OPs where it will not start at one point and starts after 30 mins or so. Thats what a bad soldering connection inside a main relay will do as you and I know.

 

 

but when i switch the key to the 'on' position, check engine light comes on then i hear the click from the main relay then the check engine light stays on.

does anyone know the winding resistance range for these?

 

That click is from the Fuel Pump priming which only does it for two second while the CEL comes on. That tells you that the Fuel Pump is working; not the main relay.

And the CEL is not suppose to stay on, it should come on for only two sec after you crank the key over to the "ON" position and shuts off.

 

Check your CEL code. You can do it the same way you do an OBD1 Civic or Teg. IIRC the SCS connector is behind the passenger side trim panel/kick panel.

The resistance for the coil is as follows;
Primary - 0.6 - 0.8 Ω
Secondary - 14.4 - 21.6 kΩ

 

sweet.... thanks!!! ill just got a free relay at a junkyard. and my readings for the coil are 1Ω for the primary and 19.2kΩ for the secondary.

ill test the igniter tomorrow.

 

question: i removed the ecu while the fuse and battery still connected. what does this do to to ecu? thanks.

 

I used to pull my ECU out of my car on a regular basis without disconnecting the battery or puling the fuse. I never had any problems. (knocks on wood)

Only thing that I can think of happening would be that it would clear any stored codes.

 

alright so i put everything back on and the car still doesn't start. i got no spark. i do hear something coming the bottom of the car (probably the fuel pump) when i turn the key to 'on' and goes away after a few seconds. the CEL still stays on forever.

i tried to retrieve the CEL code but the light doesn't flick or give my any signal at all. it just stays on solid.

but hopefully i did it wrong. i short circuit the two wire connector like everyone did and no signal from the light.

here is the picture of the wire connecter, the brown one. it's the only two wire connector i can find.


what the hell is going on?? where do i go from here?

 

Did you replace the ignition coil? I would replace the ignition coil if it is not within range first before tinkering with the ECU. You mention the primary coil resistance is 1.0 ohms as opposed to the 0.6-0.8 range. That is exceeding that range by twenty percent.

 

yes i put in the new ignition coil and distributor rotor in there. nothing happens.

 

bump

 

bump.....why isn't my ecu spitting out any codes?

 

I had a similar problem with my 92. It did not throw a code for a long time, but finally did after several weeks. Mine was a distributor sensor.

Take the cap and rotor off and the plastic shield. Is the inside of the distro covered with dust or anything?

 

^^^ dang. didn't think of checking that. but how does the dizzy sensor look like?

 

Where did you get the ECU? Try putting your original ECU back in and start troubleshooting the car again.

 

There are a couple of sensors in there. If there is any dust, then both of them could be not reading right. I am not for sure, but I think that the #1 position and TDC are in there. Either would jack you up.

I would put the original ECU back in too.

 

i got ecu from a junkard. from the same year/model car.

there are many rust formed around the ecu already but hasn't reached the board yet. honda said it was bad but ill put it back in the next time i work on it.

 

so i opened up the distributor and look inside and everything and it looked fine to me. i took a tooth brush and start brushing.

i wasn't getting any spark at all so i did the icm input test. (copied of a page bellow)



everything worked out fine until i got to step 5. from YEL/GRN wire to the ICM (tabs that are sticking out) is not getting any voltage. where or what is the ECM?

step 6: no voltage between the BLU wire and the ICM. im still looking for the tachnometer.

step 7: what does it mean by if all tests are normal replaces the ICM?? i don't get it. is one of the step not suppose to get voltage in order to not replace the ICM? strange thing to put in.

 

i tested the brand new ignition coil and the primary winding resistance out of range at 1ohm when it should of been 0.6-0.8ohm.

the secondary winding resistance however is in range between 14-22kohm, readings at 18kohm. does this mean they sent me a defected coil?