ok so i just bought a 1991 honda crx hf with a ls jdm swap and it has had electrial problems since day one it has some projectile headlights and a aftermakret car alarm i took off because it was screwing with it also.
So when the car is running and i try to turn on the headlights the car wants to kill and the lights dont turn on. also when im driving the tach jumps around and somtime the lights will work but flicker and barley light up plus the temp gauge flips out so idk.
i know the altenator works cuz it will run off of just that with out the batt. hooked up. so im hoping this is something fixable just let me know what you think and if its really hard to explain send me a message and ill give you my number. Please help

 

o ya and at somepionts the car will shut die when im driving but then it takes a while but i can get it running and limp it home.

 

projectile headlights? does that mean they shoot missles or something?

and unhooking the battery while the engine is running isnt a good idea. that battery, uhh kinda powers your ecu...

 

I am not an electrical expert, nor would I consider myself a Honda expert either, but here is my humble opinion should I personally be in your situation. Obviously, the headlights are causing a massive draw on the electrical system, enough so to nearly shut off your engine. I do know some projector headlights need some sort of power converter, which may be absent from your vehicle. Discover the manufacturer of your projector lights and research to see what is required to properly power the system. That is where I would begin.

Assuming the system is properly set up, I would check the headlight relay(s) for obvious damage and or corrosion. What is the condition of your battery terminals and cables as well? I would also trace all wires associated with the headlights to see if all ground wires are properly secured and check all associated wiring for damages to their corresponding jackets. Those tasks should keep you busy for some time and will hopefully reveal the source of your angst. I will subscribe to your thread - please keep us updated.

 

most likely a bad ground or connection with those lights. corrosion maybe, or a wire was left unhooked from the swap. unhooking the battery will not hurt the car, the battery is mainly for starting and the alternator powers the rest.
i would check all the grounds on the car, check the headlight connections, and clean everything.

 

alternator doesnt power the ecu. the battery does. ill stick to testing my charging system the right way. with a multimeter

 

ok so i rewired the headlights and ran another ground wire to the chassic and it seems to be working good now, but i still have a couple other things that i could use help with first after the car is warma and i have been driving the radiator starts to steam a little and the hose feels like it has a lot of pressure in it the temp gauge is at its normal so idk, second i dont know if its normal or not but the blinkers blink faster than most vehicals almost like its trying to tell me i have a burnt out head light but there not so maybe there is something im missing, third at random the check engine light comes on i could be driving a couple hours with out it on and then sometimes when im sitting at a stop light or just letting it idel it pops on the alenator needs to be replaced the brushes are bad but i made it work for now so maybe thats the reason it pops on idk let me know what you think

 

Nothing personal my friend, but I think you need to do some serious maintenance work to your vehicle. It sounds like numerous problems are on the horizon that we may not be able to identify because of the poor service condition. Diagnosing a problem can be difficult as is when communicating through the internet, but to diagnose a vehicle in poor service condition can be nearly impossible. You mentioned the alternator needs to be replaced - start there. Fix what you know needs to be fixed and then see what problems are still occurring. You may discover some remedies are indirectly related to service issues you are already aware of. When you are at your wits end, then post and you will find numerous people promptly ready to assist.