Hey all, this is gonna be a long one...

I installed a Ghost key in my EG civic today (95, CX trim, stock). Right after reconnecting the battery, I tested it out and it fired up first try! Since I confirmed that it worked, I unplugged the battery again and unplugged the connectors so I could route the cables and clean everything up. During this time I also flipped the first dip switch on the JDI box down because my car usually takes a little extra crank time, and installed JDI's main relay conversion (I left the kill switch out for now). When I plugged in the battery and tried to start it again, it wouldn't crank. I hear the ghost key box click, the main relay click, and the fuel pump prime but it never cranks. The accessories work and I can toggle through key position 1 and 2 by clicking the button but it never even starts to crank at all.

I thought that I had just drained the battery by having been working on the car all day (even though I realize now that I had it unplugged)or by trying so many times to start it. I had oreilys charge the battery up for me fully, and I even tried to start it with 2 different jumper packs. It wouldn't crank under any circumstance.

I tried many different things to troubleshoot. I thought that maybe the brake detect was the issue, however after tapping the fob, and stepping on the brake, the button lights up as expected. I checked the connection anyway and even tested it with a multimeter--0v with foot off the break, 12v steady with foot on the brake (to the orange wire that goes into the box). I tried different combinations of brake and clutch, before and after tapping the fob. Didn't work.

I tried 4 different ground locations around the lower dash and frame of the car. Nothing.

I tried resetting the dip switches, I also tried different combinations. Didn't work.

I also tried 2 other main relays, the relay I had in there before, and I bought a new relay (the common type the kit conversion uses). Still nothing.

I inspected all the connectors, on the car and on your harnesses and box.

I spent about 8 hours on this today--literally the whole day lol. Any one experienced anything like this?

The only other things I could think of were possibly that there was a crazy coincidence and my starter, solenoid, or a fuse failed some point between the first successful startup and the rest of the attempts. I checked all the fuses under the dash with a multimeter and they were OK, but I wasn't in a position to be able to test the starter. There's a potential clue here because I tried reinstalling the original ignition harness (which is totally chopped to hell because the car had an aftermarket alarm installed in it at some point in the last 30 years) and turning the white, plastic ignition cylinder with a flathead screwdriver, but same thing, acc works, fuel pump primes, etc. but no crank whatsoever.

Any advice or ideas would be appreciated! I have the same kit on my 94 del sol with no issues so I know it's a good product. (I sent a message to JDI as well, waiting on a response, in case it's their module that's faulty). But don't want to dismiss the possibility that something went on the car at the same time.

Edit: Forgot to mention that I ended up push starting the car. The JDI kit has a valet mode that leaves the system unarmed indefinitely. I used that and put the "key" in the 2nd position. A friend and I were able to get it rolling and started. It ran and shut down when I made it home with no issues but still wouldn't start when I tried again.

 

UPDATE: Fixed. Ready to laugh at me?

I'm sure there are many threads like this but I'll keep this up just in case anyone runs into something similar.

 

FYI, the JDI Ghost Key is basically an EASYGUARD push start kit with a plug and play harness. Went the cheap route and picked up a stock ignition switch harness from the local PullAPart salvage yard and made my own harness. Works fine and saved $120 since the kit from Amazon was only $24. For the 12V battery power signal, I tapped into the accessory ports at the under dash fuse box and wired it into a momentary button under the steering column adjustment lever. Not feeling the idea of pushing both the clutch and brake pedals to start the car.

Glad you got it figured out…

 

Do you have a write up of how you did this? Really want another layer of security for mine.

 

Sure thing.
Keep in mind that you need to get the correct "factory Honda" ignition harness from your local salvage yard to make your own "plug and play" harness. Note that since yours in a 96-00 Civic, the plugs are the same BUT the wires are in different slots compared to 92-95 Civics/Integras.... at the brown plugs.

I did not want to ruin my original harness in case I decide to go back to using the factory key.

(WARNING: I WILL NOT be responsible if you mess up your car. Follow the instructions thoroughly and it will work)

1. remove the negative battery terminal.
2. remove the steering column cover and ignition key mechanism. Then remove existing ignition wire harness, from the column all the way to the underdash fuse box.
3. cut the wires of the "SPARE" factory harness about in the middle (between the brown plugs and the key switch) and use the side with the brown plugs
4. connect each wire of the factory harness to the appropriate wire of the Easyguard harness. Solder and cover with heatshrink tubing.
5. run the blue/white "Parking brake" wire (Easyguard) to a momentary button. From the other tab of the button, run a 18awg wire into port #1 or #2 of the underdash fuse box accessory ports.
6. mount your Easyguard control box and push-start button, .... plug in the main harness to the Easyguard control box, plug in push-button harness and the infrared ring sensor. Then plug in the (2) brown plugs of the new "plug and play" harness into the fuse box
7. reconnect the negative battery terminal
8. Test the system by pressing the push-start button so the lights come on in your gauge cluster. Hold down the momentary button, put foot on clutch pedal and press the push-start button. Car should start
9. Permanently mount the momentary button and secure the infrared ring sensor. I used hot melt glue to mount the ring since it does not have any means of mounting points/tabs.

Hope the diagrams help

 

Thanks!