Vehicle: 1996 Honda Civic hatchback

It seems my ECU is bad. I purchased this as a project vehicle a while back. I have never seen it run, and purchased it with slight front collision damage so it had to be running up until the point of the wreck. The car has spark, fuel pressue, new rotor, new dist cap, new wires, new spark plug. The norm of what you would do when a car doesnt start. It cranks, sputters and thats about it. I'm starting to think the ECU is faulty.

Should the check engine light come on when the key is turned all the way foward? It comes on for a second when you hear the fuel pump turn on along with the other lights in the cluster, but thats normal. I say this because when one O2 sensor is unplugged i dont get a check engine light like i should.

Also will an automatic ecu work with a 5speed ?

 

Well if you have spark and fuel I really don't know that it could be your ecu... All cases of a bad ecu that I've seen had no spark.. My bad ecu which I just sent back, included.. I'd try to pull the codes just to see if there's any stored. Also trying a "known good" ecu surely would'nt hurt....

Also, the o2 sensor isn't going to set a code until the car is actually running, and should'nt effect start-up I believe, so I would'nt worry about that.

I really don't know but my gut says to check the ignition timing, cam timing, etc, and also double check your plug wires to make sure they are on the proper cylinders.

It sucks trying to guess what is wrong with a car when you have no previous info on it. All you can really do is start from scratch and check everything to make sure its good and proper. Sorry, but thats about all I can offer, HTH.

Btw, an auto ecu should work fine. Only difference should be redline rpm..

 

I once had a bad ECU that gave spark and fuel, but just sputtered and sounded like it really wanted to turn over, but just couldn't. So it's quite possibly the ECU thats the problem.

you can pretty easily hack a OBDI ECU from an auto to a manual with some minor soldering/reworking on the board.. You will throw a code (19 - auto trans lockup solenoid) if you use the auto ECU.

 

yeah, I don't think the auto-ecu will run a manual car, because of the auto-trans lockup solenoid, wont' the ecu think that the car is in park at all times?

Although I would imagine it would at least START...

-PHiZ

 

You should check your timming belt, maybe it snapped or slipped. Usually, when the ecu goes bad, it has a backup function that still let you start up your car and run in limp mode.

Your car can still run with an auto ecu, but your check light will be on.

 

Thanks guys, I've been fiddling with the car for 30 minutes or so a day after work (11pm ) and then turning my attention to my other project (old school bronco). I think the timing is what I'm going to check next (as well as compression) since things today are really odd. I made a post a few weeks back regarding firing order. From the distributor i was told from the bottom counter clockwise 1342. However 2134 will turn the motor over for a second or two and then die. Odd. But 1342 does nothing but turn thanks to the starter. Somethings awry.

I just want to figure this out so I can a) drive it to the paint shop and b) feel safe about the car before putting in the swap.

Thanks again for any input