Alright so i have a 91 Crx si that i just swapped with a DOHC ZC engine. I finally got it in and i went to test drive it today and I heard a pop. But it wasn't like a metal pop, it was more like a plastic or pressure kind of pop. And it started to lose power then ended up just stopping. It didnt bog or anything, it just kinda stopped. I waited 10 mins for my dad to get there and it started right back up, on his way driving it home, about 5 mins later, same thing happened but this time it didnt pop, just lost power and slowly came to a stop. I'm really confused as to what this could be. I'm really frustrated and losing hope, Idk if i'll ever get this thing 100%... someone pleaseeee help. thanks guys.

 

Is your timing off or did your timing belt jump? Could have backfired and lost compression.

 

If that happened would it have started back up like it did, then ran for a little bit then lost power again? cuz now it wont turn over anymore. Just cranks. and when it popped, nothing leaked or anything at all, the oil looks perfect.

 

got any codes at all?

 

could have been a relay or other electrical device blowing, and yes it can run out of time, although it'll sound like crap

 

Ok so today after trying to figure out why it wouldnt start back up we found out it blew the alternator/starter fuse, we replaced that and it started right back up. Tried test driving it again today and same thing happened except the fuse didnt blow and this time my dad was following me. As i was going up a hill it started losing power and all of a sudden it popped again and my dad assured me it was backfire. and it just kinda slowly died. Anyone have any ideas? is it my timing or something else or?

 

Did you get all your plugs on the engine harness in the right places? when i installed my zc. I swapped 2 of the plugs. With these swapped. It would run. but not very well. Also. Make sure your timing is set correctly.

 

sounds like to me you have some bad wiring to the alternator or something, goes for a bit and hits...probably the neg hits the grounded engine or something and pops it and kills the alternator...just my theory based on what you are saying, but follow the alternator and starter wiring and check for breaks or exposed copper

 

Which two plugs did you swap? and which wires do you think would allow it to run then this happen?

 

But that shouldn't make it backfire?

 

It was at the back of the intake manifold. intake air temp and the idle control valve i think. The 2 plugs are the same shape. So they can be swapped. As mentioned above. It does sound like you have some alternator wiring problems too.

 

Alright ill take a look at the alternator wiring tomorrow

 

i would look at the other thing, my buddy actually had the same thing happen to him on an accord. they changed motors out and swapped those 2 plugs, it ran fine until the IAT started to get warm, then it would run really weak

 

IAT is on the side of the intake mani, EACV is on the back, these are the plugs that can be switched, with the zc one or both had to be extended when it was put in, if it wasn't then there's one problem and guarantee they're wrong i forget what colors go to what plugs, but you can find the schematics on here to be sure they have the right leads going to them

 

if you have the IAT nd EACV plugs switched, you will get a check engine light with 2 codes - code 10 for the IAT and code 14 for the EACV

IAT wire colors - green/white and red yellow

EACV wire colors - blue/yellow and black/yellow

if your car was originally DPFI, the EACV connector will be green in color

on the DPFI cars there is another connector that could be plugged into either the IAT or EACV - it is the connector for the DPFI tandem control valve - white 2-wire connector with orange and black/yellow wires

none of these situations with switched connectors would cause you to blow fuses or make it backfire

generally speaking, backfiring is caused by incorrect ignition timing or spark plug wires in the wrong location - DOHC ZC spark plug wires should be like this:



sounds like you might have a loose connection or a wire gounding out that is cutting off the power

 

I had to extend one of the plugs but it worked. You guys are awesome. I still think it's a little out of time but i test drove it today after switching those plugs and it didnt die.

 

yep, whoever made the swap didn't realize some stuff needed to be extended leaving it easy to mix the two plugs up

 

Well i thought it was fixed.. it ran really well after i switched those two wires. Didn't lose power or anything, but after i came back home and shut it off, about an hour later i tried driving it again and now its acting weird. It's kinda hard to explain, but when i go to back up or (rev up the rpm's) it kinda bogs a little and sounds louder. I haven't touched anything since the last time i drove it except the clutch cable adjuster. I can't catch a break.. anyone have any ideas?

 

Could be you still have a mechanical timing issue. When you rev it does it hesitate and then get better after 3,000 rpms?

 

it actually gets worse after i rev it higher but yeah it does hesitate

 

And my friend said it's throwing a code 8? is that timing?

 

code 8 usually means that you have a bad distributor or a problem with the distributor wiring

 

Any idea what wire on the distributor would allow it to run normal then randomly make it slowly die after driving on the road for about 5 minutes? or most likely a bad distributor?

 

code 8 is for the TDC (Top Dead Center) sensor - the wires for the TDC sensor are orange with blue stripe and white with blue stripe

 

I'll look into those wires tomorrow. But would it still be doing what it's doing if the wires were wrong ? Wouldn't it just not start?