A little background: I bought a 91 Accord wagon, automatic, w/ 161k on odometer from a guy that said the timing belt broke. After finding 15 of 16 valves bent and tons of carbon build up, I decided to swap the engine with one from my 90 Accord (daughter wrecked it 7-8 months prior). I knew the engine was very good in it, but trans leaked so I opted to not swap trans.

Got the swap done, and when I went to fire it up I had no fuel pressure and no spark. I immediately think of the main relay, and no problem cuz I have the '90 to scavenge from. Before I could swap relays, I did some more testing on the basics and noticed the "S" light staying on and couldn't shift out of park. OK, I know this one too so I planned on grabbing the neutral safety switch cuz I knew THAT was good on the '90.

I checked to make sure the brake lights worked: they did. Now here's the weird/strange occurrence: with the ignition ON, in PARK, when I put on the turn signals, the solenoid for the shifter would activate in sequence with the blinker! If I put the shifter in gear (via the release slot), it wouldn't happen.

That was before swapping the main relay and neutral switch. AFTER swapping those, now the solenoid only activates on the first blink of the turn signal (right or left, doesn't matter). Also, I still cannot shift out of Park by just pushing on the brake; I have to use the release.

The only other thing I can think of to mention is that the ignition switch looks as if it had be jimmied once. Other than that... I am stumped. I know all the parts from the '90 worked fine before it was hit in the right front corner (left turn in front of SUV). Whether or not sitting idle, not being used for that long had any effect on those parts... I dunno. they definitely stayed dry.

Suggestions? I can pull the ignition switch from the '90 (so that I could also pull the door locks and use same key, if I want), and I can replace the TCU (I saw someone mentioned doing that in another thread somewhere), but neither are the easiest, and I'd hope to not waste time if they can't possibly be the culprit.

Sorry for the length, but I don't like threads where the details emerge over the course of a dozen posts. ;-)

 

Are you shure all grounds are good It sounds like some thing is back feeding Also check to see if a wireing harnes got pinched

 

Thanks for the reply. I can definitely say that what I have done -- engine, main replay, neutral safety switch swaps -- there is nothing pinched in any wiring harness. I also double checked all the grounds (as I have had an issue with a loose ground in the past). What the previous owner(s) did? Who knows.

UPDATE: since I had the old main relay out, I went ahead and checked it. It turns out to be good. So what is even more strange (to myself, anyway) is how w/ the original relay the shift solenoid activates on every blink of turn signal, but with the relay from my '90 (which, if I remember correctly, is aftermarket replacement) it only does on the first blink.

I know it's early yet, but I am not the best at electrical diagnosis. I sure hope someone has some ideas. Not to say the pinched wiring and grounds weren't good; basics first, right?!

 

The ground on the t-stat housing is clean and tight?

 

Ummm... Well... Let me rephrase my last post: I THOUGHT I had checked all grounds. Oh... My... Word.... Where's the red 'embarrased' face icon?! Cleaned up that ground and tah-dah, it shifts outa park. Can't thank you enough for pointing out the obvious!

Oh, and good lyrics - Total Eclipse of the Heart, Rocket Man

 

Glad you got it...

And yes, I like my "old" music