Ok, so I need some information on how to visually see my ECU.. why? Well my 89' Si just died 2 days ago. Came home late friday night, car was running just fine, shut her down, went to sleep. Went out to start the car this on sunday and it would turn over except.. it wouldn't start! I checked to make sure all the fuses were fine, no loose wires, hoses, belts, etc. I figured that it could be the rotor/coil, main relay, etc but seeing as how it's -5 celcius here at the moment, I really want to locate the problem before hand, instead of hunting it down (minimize work time in this weather). If getting to the ECU is really gonna be a big bitch, than I might just hunt/locate the problem, otherwise that is my first plan of attack.

Thanks,
-CR1X

 

pull the carpet.

 

where bouts? passanger foot well?

 

Try to start your car.
Pull the carpet on the passengers side kickpanel. There will be a cover, with a sight hole. Your computer will have a flashing red LED that indicates a trouble code. ie:
3 blinks indicates code 3.
Do a google search for "honda ecu codes" to find a list.

 

thats the spott...

there is a small hole in the nickel plated plate where the led will shine through if your throwing a code..

 

Ok great, thanks alot Rioninja, exactly what I needed to hear. I'll let you guys know in a bit, what code it is, plan of attack, etc.. thanks..

-CR1X

 

K, I just got to it now and I've never done this before so please don't laugh at me (in the learning stages ). Is this the kicker panel that I am suppose to remove??



Thanks,
-CR1X

 

see that little hole in the top center of the metal plate. thats where the code will flash. theres a little L.E.D. light under there that will flash when u turn the key.

 

ya remove that panel.. and in the ecu facing u there is a little window with an red led.. turn the car to the run position and it should start blinking.. if there is somethign wrong.. here is a link to c speed it shows you what each ecu code means http://www.c-speedracing.com/faq/05.php

 

Hmmm, I kind of answered my own question right after I posted that pic, and so I went out to investigate a little more. When I turn the key and let the car turnnover, I don't see the LED blinking at all. I stop turning the engine over, leave the key to the on position, and still no blinking. I manuevered myself in such a way so that I could start the car and cup my hands around the LED hole incase it was really dim, but I still couldn't see anything. Any ideas??

-CR1X

 

what does the car do when you try to start it?

 

It will just turnover, do nothing else. All the interior items illuminate/make the proper noises, but other than that, there is nothing happening. The car doesn't sound abnormal, all hoses, fuses, belts seem good. I was thinking that maybe the igniter or main relay finally went (had problems with the main relay 2 months ago). I just wanted to check the ECU and figure out what code it was spitting out.

-CR1X

 

alright, when you turn the key to the on position it should at least blink once, if it isn't, check all the wires going to the ECU to make sure they're all connected right or your ECU could be bad

also, when u turn the key can u hear the fuel pump kick in for a couple seconds to pressurise the fuel lines? it should be like a humming noise


[Modified by Hcivic88, 2:28 PM 2/10/2003]

 

Ok, it blinks once when I turn the key, but after that, the LED doesn't light up at all. I tried listening for the fuel pump fire-up 'hum' but I couldn't hear this (first thing I did on sunday, but I thought I couldn't hear it because it was to quiet). I'm starting to lean towards the main-relay as my central problem, because nothing else seems to be wrong and if I should be able to hear the fuel-pump firing, then all signs point to the main-relay. I just figured that the ECU would spit a code out for something like this..

-CR1X

 

When you turn your car on can you hear your fuel pump?

pull a spark plug and smell for gas if you can smell gas you probably have a spark issue..


after you have the plug pulled stick it back on the end of the spark plug and have a buddy hold the end of it to a steel part of your car, and try to start it..
if you can see a spark, your ignition system is ok..

 

Yea, just to let you guys know.. it was my main relay after all! I just re-soldered all the solder points on the main PCB, reassembled the relay, reinstalled and first try, vroooom!

Thanks for all your help,
-CR1X

 

awesome...good job

 

nice good job

 

-tech.com shows nothing but <3..