I just swapped a b18b obd2a into my 96 ex and got everything running good until..... Well, I shut the car off to fix a coolant leak by tightening the hose clamp. After that I tried to crank the car again, and all I heard coming from my starter was a click, and when it clicks, my steel braided clutch line started to heat up! Man this is a bummer, I need a car to drive, and never had this problem before with a swap..... I have all 3 grounds connected (thermostat, tranny and valve cover). Where can this short come from? I mean i know theres a open wire somewhere but how can I find it? Oh yeah also, I disconnected the engine harness from the driver side clip, and connected the battery back on, the cluster lights and radio comes back on without the keys in the ignition! Please help me out!

 

Carefully check both ends of the G3 transmission ground.

 

Ill start checking it out tomorrow morning! Don't want to question you RonJ but do you think that would also heat up the clutch line if? I tested the battery for 12v and used that g3 for ground instead of the battery negative. I got 12v from the battery.. Anyways Ill double check tomorrow since its late here..

 

Do an Ohm test rather than a voltage test.

 

I used the ohm test earlier, and dont know if I'm using it right. I turned it to the ohm symbol, and got around .001-.003 from battery negative/ground to the g3 ground. Now when I checked the continuity from the g3 transmission ground to the clutch, I get around .653, which shows that there is voltage coming from the clutch line. Man this is a bummer, sigh..... I hate dealing with electrical problems.. Am I using it right?

 

Continuity doesn't measure voltage, it measures resistance.

I had the "braided clutch line heating up when car starting" thing before. It's touching something that has power going to it. Run the length of the hose, and secure it wherever you can. Keep it away from the battery, battery wires, battery terminals, fuse box, and starter.

When you turn the key to ON(II), does the CEL come on for 2 seconds, then turn off?

 

It comes and it stays on because I just swapped a b18b in with the y8 ecu still connected... I disconnected the engine harness from the whole entire engine and double checked everything to make sure no hot 12v would touch the clutch line.. The clutch line however, is sitting on top of the tranny and IS touching the tranny bracket which shouldn't be a problem since the whole engine is grounded correct? Ill take a pic of it.

 

On second thought nvm guys, I figured it out! RonJ was right, I cleaned out both ends of the ground wire for g3. Thanks again everyone for the help!