My car runs like **** right now, the exhaust sounds like a WRX so i'm guessing it's running off less than 4 cylinders. The car is in "limp mode" right now and won't rev over 3.5k rpm, but also is jumpy under acceleration. The check engine light is on all the time. Here's a list of my mods and everything i've done to try and solve the problem.

mods:
-i/h/e internals stock
-hondata s200 w/ p28 ECU
-b&m fpr set to 39psi at idle
-NGK plugs/wires
-aftermarket clutch/fly
-ES inserts (i feel every little change in RPM so its really bad driving around)

symptoms:
-real shaky under acceleration
-idle is rough
-exhaust sounds like WRX
-check engine light is on all the time
-tappig sound from tranny (probably throw out bearing)
-no black or white smoke coming from tailpipe

when it started happening:
i was driving through a snow storm and the car started to act jumpy, since then it would randomly act jumpy, cold starts would be rough, now it is in safe mode but it starts smootly for around 2 mins then starts to run bad again.

what i've done:
-compression test - 2xx in 1-4 cylinders (+/- 5psi each)
-valve adjustment - nothing way out of spec, all under .001 in spec
-switched ECU - put in obd2 gsr ecu and only threw missing secondary o2 code 65 (i could rev over 3.5 but it still ran like crap)
-set timing to stock
-checked plugs - 1-3 dirty white color, 4 black.
-checked distributor - secondary winding terminal was bent out of shape, but I bent it back into place (don't know how this happend)
-checked codes under hondata - check engine light flashed once really fast then did 6 faster flashes afterwards, like 3x faster than normal when checking codes
-checked hondata chipped ECU and cut j12 jumper, didnt change anything
-checked oil and it was low low low, checked oil filter and it was loose, filled up oil and tightened filter.
-fixed primary 02 sensor - one of the pins had come loose
-injectors - they are all clicking

ANY IDEAS????


Modified by BolivianDc2 at 2:09 PM 2/15/2005


Modified by BolivianDc2 at 2:14 PM 2/15/2005

 

so u werent able to determine what codes u were throwing? is the iacv ok? it would help a lot if u could figure out the codes u were throwing because it is all kind of a guessing game otherwise...

 

1. pull the codes and check to see what it is but im guessing its a misfire code 2. check the ohms on your injectors, one is most likely shot, just because it clicks doesnt mean it is working correctly

 

yea, i cannot pull codes

the spark plug wire to cyl. 3 was just disconnected and the engine sounded the same

i replaced the plug in cyl. 3 with cyl. 4 and the same thing.

it looks like the lead on the #3 spark plug cable could be bad? the cable still sparks when it touches metal though

*no. 3 fuel injector has 12v and clicks

 

From what you've said, it does sound like something is going on with ignition, specially the 3rd cylinder. If you pull the spark plug wire to the 3rd cylinder and it sounds the same then you obviously have a problem there. I would try using another cable or get into the distributor. Just because you get some spark doesn't mean it's a strong one.

In a snow storm about 2 weeks ago my car started running like complete **** and then just died on the side of the road. It turned out that somehow the rotor just started melting/disintegrating in the distributor. I'm assuming it had to do with the increased moisture from the snow. I ended up replacing the cap and rotor and it worked good. I did end up replacing the whole dizzy too because the bearing was starting to go.

Oh yea, my ECU wasn't even giving me any codes either.

 

yes, i just switched the two spark plug cables from no. 2 and 3, and sure enough no.3 still isnt sparking.

so the two easy ways out are gone, plugs and wires? now on to the distributor?

 

I would pick one up from a parts store. You can always return it, ya know.

 

yea, sounds like it's the dizzy to me, the 3 cylinders would be the reason why the exhaust sounded like that when I heard it.

Bump for a some more answers

 

check lead on dissy cap inside and out, make sure the wire is secure to lead on cap, if it is pull it off and check for corrosion or water

 

yeah def check the dizzy... but the cr test came out fine right? u do a leakdown test just for the hell of it?

 

my car was acting jumpy once and the rpm's were bouncing around. turned out to be the timing belt.

 

i didn't do a leak down test, I checked the leads on the distributor cap and they are fine, no corrosion at all.

does anybody have a detailed explanation of how a distributor works? as in the coil, ignitor, all that stuff. I just know if you see red dust its time to replace it (no red dust in mine though, it was clean)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BolivianDc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">does anybody have a detailed explanation of how a distributor works? as in the coil, ignitor, all that stuff. I just know if you see red dust its time to replace it (no red dust in mine though, it was clean)</TD></TR></TABLE>Down in the base are some sensors, CKP, CYP, & TDC sensors. Depending on year/model some of these are located at the crank instead. ECU watches these signals to know the position of the crank & cam so it can synchronize firing the injectors & spark.

Then the ECU sends a signal to the ignitor, telling it to fire the coil. The ignitor is some kind of isolation amplifier so any voltage spikes from the coil don't feed back to the ECU. When the coil fires, the rotor sends the spark to one of the plugs, based on where the rotor is pointing at the moment.

The red dust would indicate that the distributor shaft bearing is going bad, not lubricated, or something like that. Maybe also caused by one of those (CYP, etc) sensors going bad.

 

[QUOTE=BolivianDc2
what i've done:
-compression test - 2xx in 1-4 cylinders (+/- 5psi each)
-checked plugs - 1-3 dirty white color, 4 black.
[/QUOTE]

That sucks about your car. I would say that you are lucky in the fact that with the oil being that low that the compression is still that high.

The plugs are what really seem out of whack. Usually fuel symptoms develop over time (gradually gets worse). In my experience, if it was a coil or ignitor the car wouldn't start at all, they seem to go out without warning. When you say "dirty white color", do you see blistering on the insulator or a lot of electrode wear? It appears you are running very lean in cylinders 1-3. JimBlake gave some good insight (as usual ). If any of those sensors are out of position, it can cause the dizzy to be slightly out of phase. I say borrow a buddies dizzy and see if it clears up.

 

UPDATE:

I replaced my cap/rotor and started the car

It was still running on three cylinders, so I checked the fuel injectors again. No. 3 fuel injector was not clicking. I switched the connectors from No. 4 and No. 3, that then made injector. no. 4 not click. Basically I have power to all the injectors except no. 3.

Where should I look for the short? I went as far as to check the fuel injector pinouts at the ECU, blue wire isn't getting 12v there either.

could anybody point me in the right direction?





*****

problem solved

some random short, who would have thought a Honda would have electrical problems.

i'd like to thank honda-tech and the helms manual


Modified by BolivianDc2 at 5:28 PM 2/19/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BolivianDc2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...
problem solved

some random short, who would have thought a Honda would have electrical problems.

i'd like to thank honda-tech and the helms manual</TD></TR></TABLE>So what was it?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimBlake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So what was it?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

the connection from the no. 3 fuel injector wire to the ECU stopped working. If you look at the pics, it happend somwhere from C123 to C221. All the other injector wires were fine, only no. 3 was bad.

I don't know how this happend because the injector wire is wrapped inside the engine wire harness just like all the other injector wires. I checked at C123 and C221 for loose connections, but they were both fine, so the short must have been somewhere on the line.

Right now I have a wire going from the C123 to C221, looks ghetto as hell, but its working

 

...very interesting, i bet you're relieved

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris_Bye &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...very interesting, i bet you're relieved </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

Good job!! Was this harness hacked up or altered? I am curious about what caused the short.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Comp97GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good job!! Was this harness hacked up or altered? I am curious about what caused the short.</TD></TR></TABLE>

that's what I'm goning to have to check out, I don't see how it could have shorted out, the harness hasen't been changed at all