Just finished my project and had it tuned on the dyno, it was dialed in and running beautifully....for the first three days, then it wouldn't start. I checked the spark by pulling a wire while a buddy turned it over and could barely notice the faintest of spark...

Here are a list of some key items that might help you to know whats going on:

Tuned on Neptune
ID 1000 cc injectors
Optima Yellow Top batt.
Msd obd2 dizzy with external blaster 3 coil.
Brand new plugs (re checked to make sure)
battery ground, and starter ground are solid
power voltage checked at bat. and at starter and both are great

Ok, now before I get the usual bs about how I should replace the dizzy and replace the coil, let me tell you the tests I've done. Oh and p.s I've got fuel/fuel pressure, and timing is dead on,

I have taken my MSD dizzy and coil off my car and tested it on my DD and it fires right up. I have also taken my stock DD dizzy and hooked it up to my car and it STILL barely sparks for ****. I then tested the MSD dizzy again on both rides checking to see if there was a difference in spark and there was a HUGE difference. On my daily driver the MSD sparks up like a ******, but on my turbo civic....weak as dog crap. I'm totally confused. It rules out the coil being bad on my MSD dizzy, which is what I was convinced it was until I did my tests. I am wondering if the ECU has anything to do with the AMOUNT of spark sent to my dizzy? Where does the dizzy get power from? The only thing I can think of now is that the problem lies between my power source and the dizzy.....almost like the dizzy isn't getting enough volts to send a strong spark. But the problem isn't in the actual distributor itself because it sparks so hard on my other car.

This is a serious pooh in my pants and it needs to go away asap so I can get this bitch out on the road.

thanks in advance for the wisdom.

 

have you checked all your grounds on your motor

 

What car?

 

It's a 97 civic hatch

 

Yes, the three engine grounds I know of are solid and are good grounds.

 

Bump for suggestions......

Where are all of the hondas geniouses?

 

I'd check the thermostat ground and check to see what kind of voltage you're getting at the coil. Sounds like a poor connection somewhere.

 

how old are the spark plug wires? is the engine harness burnt or fried anywhere you can see?

 

Wires are brand new, haven't seen any signs of a burnt engine harness.....anywhere I should look specifically?

 

ttt

 

Up

 

Im guessing at this, but do you have another ecu you could try in your car

 

whats batt voltage?

 

This^

Post the voltage to body ground measured on the Blk/Yel wire that runs to both the coil and the igniter unit. If voltage reads less than battery voltage, then this Blk/Yel wire that runs between the ignition switch and distributor may be bad.

 

i'd suggest putting your distributor back to stock, then run through the FSM steps to check the coil.


anything in neptune that might be finicky?

 

Tried a different ecu and it didn't solve the problem.

Battery Voltage is high

going to check this

 

how high is the voltage ? a overcharging alt can cause lots of wierd things also.

 

It sounds like a wiring problem to me. Check the voltage for the dizzy power against a ground. Because if you tried another dizzy and it didnt fix it, an ECU didn't fix it, and the plug wires are all new, then there is something wrong with the wiring to and from the dizzy.

 

you could always try the AEM or taiwan guyinashed made individual coils...goes for like $500-?

delete the dizzy and plug wires and use sum k20 coils that are converted sumhow.
sum tawainese guy on H-T here sells them. and has a shop in taiwan. hes in teh sahved/tucked/theory thread alot


his username is Jason Liu
top of page 1120
https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...3934&page=1120

 

Okay, heres the update on the voltage tests:

Battery- 12.53V

Alternator- 12.53V

Starter- 12.53V

Dizzy BLK/YLW WIRE- 11.83V @ pos II and 12.05V @ pos. III

Ignition (at steering wheel)- Same as Distributor.

 

It's a bit low at the Blk/Yel wire. For the voltage tests of the Blk/Yel wire, what did you use for ground. If you use the negative (-) battery post, is the voltage higher and closer to battery voltage?

What's the voltage at the Wht wire that supplies voltage to the ignition switch? What's the voltage at 40A hood fuse 42, that supplies voltage to the Wht wire?

 

It might be low, due to the batt. being a bit drained from cranking without the car starting....also, the bat. is in the trunk so I can't really use that ground, however my ground was the shock tower bolts.

Hood fuse voltage was identical to that of the dizzy. 11.83V (if that was higher would I see a stronger spark?)

White ign. input was getting 12.53V

 

After all the voltage testing, checking of grounds, and wiring....a resistor/capacitor in the ECU took a **** and was the culprit.

new ecu/chip = problem solved.

Thanks for all the trouble shooting help.

cheers.

 

might not sound like something you want to hear but the MSD dizy may need more power than that part of the ECM was designed to handle if it goes out again go back to a stock dizzy and just run a MSD controler and coil.
have had this on my car for the past two yeas and no problems

 

glad u found it what it was im reading the thread i was about to post same thing happened to my boy we swapped out the chip problem solved immediately..