[progress]

A couple weeks ago I left my lights on and needed a boost. When the tow truck operator came, he jumped my battery with one of those portable chargers. As I went to start it up, it started fine but he told me that my starter was in need of replacing soon. I filed his comments in the back of my head seeing as I've heard here that potential starter problems can be linked to bad main relays, I got me a new main relay and everything was cool. This past Saturday after stopping to get some dog food, my car wouldn't start. I could hear the main relay click twice, but the engine wasn't turning over. A quick love tap on the starter with my trusty hammer and she starts right up. Now today, I go to start my car to go out for lunch and she'll crank but won't turn over. I don't even hear the two clicks from the main relay. Needless to say, I didnt get to eat and searching here and on other forums has given me a headache. Is there anything I should look at? I'm not too mechanically inclined and I don't have much in the way of tools with me. I'm hoping she'll start up when I head downstairs to go home for the night. Oh, it's a stock D15B2 btw. Thanks in advance for all your help.

 

[progress]

Ok, went to try to start the car after work. Nothing. No clicks from main relay, engine not turning over. Tried to push start it but it wouldn't catch. Then tried to jump the starter with no results. Now, I went to check if I was getting any codes and my ECU is not even blinking whatsoever. Now what can that be? My dad's on his way to help out but if someone can lead us in some sort of direction that would be great. Otherwise, we might end up scratching both our heads!

 

[mattminerDOTcom]

sounds like a bad ground on the battery or one of the main engine grounds.....

[email protected]

 

[downest]

sounds like a bad ground on the battery or one of the main engine grounds.....

[email protected]

Yep.

Also FYI, the main relay supplies power to the ECU as well as the fuel system.

 

[progress]

Well, we couldn't get it started at all. After checking everything from all the grounds to all the fuses and checking to see if there was spark (which there was none), my dad, his ex-honda tech friend and I have narrowed it down to the distributor since there is no clicks coming from the main relay nor is there any fuel getting to the engine, nor is there power to the ECU. After having the CRX towed (AAA Plus rocks) to my parents' place, we thought we'd be able to swap distributors (or even ignitor coils) from my dad's 92 civic sedan to my 90 crx. No go, not compatible. So now I believe we are on the hunt for a dizzy or an ignitor coil for a D15B2. Does this sound about right? Let me know. Thanks!

 

[jmart]

ALso, are you sure that battery is still good???

 

[progress]

ALso, are you sure that battery is still good???

Yes, battery was getting the required voltage. So the question still remains... why no start.

So, what we know is:
1. No clicking at main relay (have tried 2 relays already, both having good solder)
2. No spark.
3. No fuel.
4. No power to ECU as there is no blinking light at all.
5. No CEL, just oil and seatbelt lights.
6. Starter works and is getting power
7. All grounds good but will check again.
8. All fuses good but will check again.
9. Dizzy or parts within could be bad.

Possible cures:
1. Trying to find a known good dizzy.
2. Try another main relay (will main relay from a 92 civic work?)
3. check to see why no power to ECU (bad wire connection)
4. redo all grounds and trile check all fuses...again.
5. someone said to check fuel pump
6. I pulled my antenna out a few weeks ago. Could I have screwed up some wiring in the process?
7. Try another battery?
8. smeone on another forum said to try the ignition wiring harness?

Anything else? This is really irritating and to top it all off, I'm driving my parent's Ford Focus rental.

 

[progress]

My dad was looking at the car this morning after putting in a "new" distributor and it still wasn't starting. After looking at the fuse box under the hood, he discovered that the wires coming from there were fired and also fried that part of the fuse box. Does anyone know if a fuse box from a 4th gen civic will work? I'm heading to the salvage yard first thing Sunday morning for a replacement fuse box. Thanks!

 

[bobski]

Yes, the Civic fuse box should work, though the fuse values may be different.

 

[progress]

Yes, the Civic fuse box should work, though the fuse values may be different.

Lucked and found an underhood fuse box from an 89 CRX. That was probably the only thing left though! Anyways...

After replacing the underdash fuse box in my car, "new" distributor and innards, we still can't get power to the main relay to get the car started. Jumping the black/yellow wire on the right side of the fuse box with the positive terminal from the battery will get a wooshing sound near the fuel injectors as well as a click or two at the main relay. Still, no start though although my dad said he did get the car started the other day but once he removed the wire the engine died. I'm thinking there is a short somewhere in the black/yellow wire? I dunno though. We're checking the plugs at the main relay. It's been a week with the car sitting at my parents place.

 

[bobski]

Something screwed up bad enough to fry your fuse box... I doubt your problem is with the main relay. If the ECU isn't getting power, the fuel pump won't prime, injectors won't fire and you won't get spark.
Have you checked if you are getting power on the two ignition switch supply wires? Power is exiting on the appropriate wires?

 

[progress]

Something screwed up bad enough to fry your fuse box... I doubt your problem is with the main relay. If the ECU isn't getting power, the fuel pump won't prime, injectors won't fire and you won't get spark.
Have you checked if you are getting power on the two ignition switch supply wires? Power is exiting on the appropriate wires?

After checking the plugs at the main relay, and then looking through all the wiring diagrams, my dad came to the same conlcusion as you...ignition switch. He's gonna check it out tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[progress]

Well, my dad tried another ignition switch and still no start. He read somewhere that a possible cause for the starting issue is a radio noise condensor? It's somewhere on the dizzy? Does this sound possible? We're going crazy trying to figure this damn problem out.

I've asked my dad time and time again about grounds and he keeps saying they're good all the while looking at me like I've come up with the most stupidest reason in the world. Thanks dad!

Anyone in North Jersey have any free time to help out a fellow Rexer? Thanks! If anyone has any other ideas as to the non-start please let me know!!! Thanks again!

 

[bobski]

1. There should be a heavy blk/yel wire going to the 2-pin connector of the distributor. Are you getting power there when the ignition is on?
2. Have you determined if the ECU is getting power when the ignition is switched on?
3. If you are getting power to the ECU, does the fuel pump cycle when you turn the ignition on?

 

[ludesrv]

This is what I would do that's fast and easy to do. If you know EXACTLY where the wires go from the battery, use a volt meter to show it. It might be that an old dried up wire has cracked, and opened up a little and is now grounding...I know this from experience, 4 new wires later the engine ran once lol. Stupid 450XXXkms wiring harness...anyways, follow it along, you will find that the 12 volts are getting thru.

Also, replace the ECU with a known working once. I have issues with an engine not running right at all do to an old ECU that was rusted on the inside.

Go to honda-hookups.com, make an account there and download the CRX honda manual from them. It's the 681 page book honda made for our cars. Well worth it.

 

[progress]

This is what I would do that's fast and easy to do. If you know EXACTLY where the wires go from the battery, use a volt meter to show it. It might be that an old dried up wire has cracked, and opened up a little and is now grounding...I know this from experience, 4 new wires later the engine ran once lol. Stupid 450XXXkms wiring harness...anyways, follow it along, you will find that the 12 volts are getting thru.

Also, replace the ECU with a known working once. I have issues with an engine not running right at all do to an old ECU that was rusted on the inside.

Go to honda-hookups.com, make an account there and download the CRX honda manual from them. It's the 681 page book honda made for our cars. Well worth it.

I'll tell my dad and his friend to check the black/yellow wire to the distributor and I'll try to find me a known working ECU. What's the one from a 90 CRX DX?

I downloaded and printed that manual last year and it's come in handy a lot. It filled to huge binders though and it's a bitch to carry around! Thanks for the info!

 

[progress]

1. There should be a heavy blk/yel wire going to the 2-pin connector of the distributor. Are you getting power there when the ignition is on?
2. Have you determined if the ECU is getting power when the ignition is switched on?
3. If you are getting power to the ECU, does the fuel pump cycle when you turn the ignition on?

Since I'll be working tomorrow , I'll forward this info to my dad and his friend as they will be troubleshooting my car all day tomorrow. Thanks again for the info!

 

[jfrolang]

I'll tell my dad and his friend to check the black/yellow wire to the distributor and I'll try to find me a known working ECU. What's the one from a 90 CRX DX?

PM5.

 

[progress]

So Finally my car started. We swapped out the distributor, under hood fuse box, ignition switch. We checked all the grounds too many times to count. Same with all the fuses etc. We ended up towing my car to my dad's friend's garage where he and his brother (both ex honda technicians) got to work on it. Turns out it was a fried wire coming from the fuse box supplying power to the ecu and the main relay. Luckily he found it before he ripped apart my dash!!

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[Hondanate]

I know this is a old post but could you tell me which wire was fired? Im have the same problem