Here's some backstory:

When I bought my '92 GS, the owner had tampered with the mileage on the cluster and rolled the miles back. I didn't realize it at the time. It was still the '92 cluster. Flash-forward to a couple days ago: I went to a junkyard and ripped some parts from a '91 off to swap onto my '92. One part was a cluster. Mint condition from the looks of it and the mileage was near what mine actually is, plus the gauges are less floaty, and if I were to ever sell the car I won't have a customer distrust me because of a modified cluster

Now flash to last night: I was swapping the cluster out, and once I finished I noticed the speedo wasn't going up but everything else that I have was working. That being sunroof, hazards, hi-beams, fogs, cruise control even though I don't have the module the light lit up, and the dimmer worked. Also my turn signals work and the lights for the parking brake and other misc stuff works.

Now I have a CEL that comes on after a few minutes of driving. I also notice that my idle at stops is REALLY low.. I mean borderline stalling. All of my smog related stuff is almost a year old but it was done right by a shop and I make sure all my fluids are in check regularly. I do have an exhaust leak but it's at the downpipe, and I haven't had issues with that before I did the cluster swap. Other than that I don't have anything that can throw a light like that. The light would dim and light up again, meaning I think it's flashing.. That's usually a sign you're done for.

I made it home, but I would like to put some notes down:

-Occasionally the car would vibrate and thud at a consistent "thud-thud-thud" almost like the engine turning and it got worse the more gas I gave, but no gas it wasn't present.
-Check engine light takes 5-7 minutes to show up
-Previous cluster, the ABS light was on because I pulled the fuse to the pump relay so it wouldn't make this OBNOXIOUS screech because the ABS system is funked up. There is NO ABS light on this cluster because I think the part I got was from a 90-91 RS with no ABS.
-Speedo doesn't work, but RPM's are accurate to what I remember of the older cluster running. Gauges work, but it takes a bit of time for the engine temp level to rise up, but I'm not overheating by any means and I have no cooling issues. Every other module that works in my car works properly.
-Nothing was broken that wasn't already broken by the last owner. He left me a mess of a car that I fell for JUST because I wanted a car SO badly last year because I had just gotten my license and I wanted to actually have my DA.. you know, childish stuff lol.

I would like to get this CEL figured out before something bad happens because this is MY ONLY mode of transportation. I'm a full time student and part time employee and I NEED to make sure I didn't just goof my car up for good. Especially when I need to reinstate the insurance on it soon.

and yes, I still have the old cluster.

Any questions I can try to answer as best as possible.

Thank you for your time.

 

It would help if you posted what code it is throwing. I am guessing by this thread that you have not diagnosed the cel. Not sure if the integra section has a FAQ but the 92-00 civic does stickied at the top of the section. It will show you how to diagnose your cel.

 

Sure. I just need to find something that'll plug in but I do have a list of the codes that can throw so I'll update once I get on that, but is there any suggestions as to what could be causing the low idle and the thudding accelerating?

 

You need a '92 cluster. Honda changed the ECM from '91 to '92, and the pinouts are different. I'll bet you've got at least a VSS error code (Code 17), and probably other codes as well.

All you need to see the codes is a paper clip.