Topic: electrical issue? bouncing tach, stalling, low power... (Read 17806 times)

turbohf · « **on:** February 06, 2013, 02:39:55 PM »

1988 Honda CRX HF

so shit I have noticed:
bouncing tach
dim clock and cluster lights
with blinker on I get a buzzing from cluster area
engine stalls w/clutch in...starts right back up
coolant drops to 1/4 cold
not consistent.
all above is at the same time

battery ground is new and tight.
swapped ignitor/coil
alternator is 13.6v

turbohf · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2013, 02:44:41 PM »

VID_20130206_075116.mp4 Video by efssuck2 | Photobucket

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2013, 03:27:17 PM »

Sounds like a grounding issue, check your major body grounds for loose or corroded contacts... I've seen a loose ground lug under the center rear plastic panel on EFs cause weird issues similar to yours.

Old cars beget old car wiring problems, corrosion, degradation, and plain ole wore out electronics. I've gone round the bend a few times with my 88 for those type issues.

turbohf · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2013, 04:59:06 PM »

my crx is a Cali/Seattle car. no rust. but I have checked my engine grounds. I have a new Honda battery ground. several 8/10g cables that all seemed tight when I looked it over this morning. the engine harness ground is also tight.

I'm gonna poke under the dash tonight to check the harness grounds and ignition switch...

ratcityrex · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2013, 05:10:51 PM »

does it do it with the stock ecu in?

turbohf · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2013, 05:16:13 PM »

Quote from: ratcityrex on February 06, 2013, 05:10:51 PM

does it do it with the stock ecu in?

think i threw all that shit away.....

...havent checked yet.

ratcityrex · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2013, 05:18:39 PM »

Or should I say, obd1 ecu with crome...

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2013, 08:01:29 PM »

Quote from: turbohf on February 06, 2013, 04:59:06 PM

my crx is a Cali/Seattle car. no rust. but I have checked my engine grounds. I have a new Honda battery ground. several 8/10g cables that all seemed tight when I looked it over this morning. the engine harness ground is also tight.

I'm gonna poke under the dash tonight to check the harness grounds and ignition switch...

Try re-seating your cluster plugs while you're at it, or get rid of it out right and wire in a 94~01 teg or 96-00 Civic cluster. Both fit pretty well under the stock 90-91 rounder cluster bezels. I haven't had a stock cluster in my ED/EE chassis vehicles in ages. It's usually the first thing to go...lol

Cluster in my wagon, 00 Integra GSR

Cluster in my CRX, 90-91 bezel with 99 Civic SI cluster...It'll fit under the 88-98 squared off variant, but it obscures the edges a bit. You can kind of see it there...I'll dig around to see if I can find a better photo, that one is pretty old.

*Edit: Found it, i'll leave the photo of my car there so you can be jealous.

turbohf · « **Reply #8 on:** February 07, 2013, 12:38:22 AM »

im planning on getting a EK4 VTI cluster or having/finding someone that can do a custom one similar!?!?! but i need to finish the galant first... also doesnt seem so much like that is the issue in the CRX...

turbohf · « **Reply #9 on:** February 07, 2013, 12:41:30 AM »

THIS THING JUST SHIT OUT A FUEL PUMP....
its already rewired. it has direct current to a relay. i jumped it with a fuse, and get nothing. it has 11.48v or someshit back there.

not sure its related? but it still happened... $:-\$

ratcityrex · « **Reply #10 on:** February 07, 2013, 02:06:34 AM »

Main relay..... Is dying.

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #11 on:** February 07, 2013, 08:32:41 AM »

Quote from: ratcityrex on February 07, 2013, 02:06:34 AM

Main relay..... Is dying.

Is it your first time? Aww how cute. lolz

92CXyD · « **Reply #12 on:** February 07, 2013, 09:04:33 AM »

Quote from: Speed Phreak on February 06, 2013, 08:01:29 PM

Wow I haven't this car on here in a loooong time

turbohf · « **Reply #13 on:** February 07, 2013, 09:59:41 AM »

Quote from: ratcityrex on February 07, 2013, 02:06:34 AM

Main relay..... Is dying.

really? both the main relay and pump relay click. i pulled the wires on the pump relay and railled a fuse in there. i get nothing. it has 11.48v or something to it.

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2013, 10:32:23 AM »

Quote from: turbohf on February 07, 2013, 09:59:41 AM

really? both the main relay and pump relay click. i pulled the wires on the pump relay and railled a fuse in there. i get nothing. it has 11.48v or something to it.

It does sound like the pump died, if you relayed it and/or tested the pump with direct 12v and still didn't get any noise/activation ... stock or aftermarket?

Side note* When you re-wired your pump did you re-ground it as well with a matching sized wire?

ratcityrex · « **Reply #15 on:** February 07, 2013, 12:34:10 PM »

Sorry, missed the part where you said you re wired the pump

just saw that...lol

I agree, send 12v to pump, no noise = no worky

turbohf · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2013, 12:51:02 PM »

Quote from: Speed Phreak on February 07, 2013, 10:32:23 AM

Quote from: turbohf on February 07, 2013, 09:59:41 AM
really? both the main relay and pump relay click. i pulled the wires on the pump relay and railled a fuse in there. i get nothing. it has 11.48v or something to it.

It does sound like the pump died, if you relayed it and/or tested the pump with direct 12v and still didn't get any noise/activation ... stock or aftermarket?

Side note* When you re-wired your pump did you re-ground it as well with a matching sized wire?

didn't rewire ground. just power cuz I didn't go all the way to the pump.

so. wtf? I can't get the pump to prime or come on jumpered or keyed. but I unplug it and tap a 9v to it and she humms away. ??

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2013, 02:06:30 PM »

Quote from: turbohf on February 07, 2013, 12:51:02 PM

didn't rewire ground. just power cuz I didn't go all the way to the pump.

so. wtf? I can't get the pump to prime or come on jumpered or keyed. but I unplug it and tap a 9v to it and she humms away. ??

If you can direct wire(12v and ground) (with your 9v protable battery or straight from the car's battery), and you get functional noise from the pump then your pump is probably fine.

It still sounds like a ground problem espically given the erratic behavior of your cluster. When a cluster goes all poltergeist like that, its usually means the circuit is missing it's gound leg and is sourcing ground from where ever it can. IE: Back down stream to a sensor/circuit connected to the block, like the distributor or engine temp sender.(sound familiar?)

Take a multimeter and test conintuity to ground on the fuel pump plug, see if you get ground.

PS - When re-wiring things. you always want to size your power and ground legs the same if not larger/shorter on the ground side. Otherwise you get extra resistance, heat, and other odd problems as a result.

Cheers

turbohf · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2013, 02:26:00 PM »

ok.so thats the plan at lunch. testing for continuity on grounds. mainly fuel pump.

but. would ground on the fuel pump be the issue im having with the original post?

turbohf · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2013, 05:31:02 PM »

soooooooo. fuck idk. everything seems to have continuity...

so i get a quick thought threw my head, and jumper to oem and it primes same as itnwas before (with an odd slight delay?)... so im still like wtf? but it runs...

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2013, 05:33:29 PM »

Do work son

HiProfile · « **Reply #21 on:** February 08, 2013, 02:37:23 AM »

A corroded wire can show good continuity with a tester but fuck your face when you put a few amps through it. It's like running a 1000w amp with an 18ga wire. West coast or not, copper ground straps age. Galvanic corrosion can eat anything, and it's usually where steel/copper/aluminum meet each other.

Pull your block & battery ground straps off & lightly sand any contact point. JD has said several times old cars' unibodies usually have ground issues from spot welds aging. A 10ga or bigger wire to connect the pump area & dashboard frame to the front frame rail may be something to look into if you can't resolve this.

turbohf · « **Reply #22 on:** February 11, 2013, 05:03:55 PM »

as an update. I hate cars.

had to get towed the last 2miles to work this morning. little smoke from column area when I checked my wipers on. min later she stalls out in traffic and won't start. main relay going crazy with multiple clicking and/or lower buzzing/humm.
swapped main relays real quick at work. no change and after fucking with it and staring for a while. I grabbed and ignition switch and plugged it in real quick. once again seems to be running fine........for now?

trade for legit ITR roller....

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #23 on:** February 12, 2013, 09:49:22 AM »

Trade a beat down 1995 GSR ?

turbohf · « **Reply #24 on:** February 12, 2013, 12:37:12 PM »

Quote from: Speed Phreak on February 12, 2013, 09:49:22 AM

Trade a beat down 1995 GSR ?

pass

turbohf · « **Reply #25 on:** February 12, 2013, 12:40:08 PM »

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #26 on:** February 12, 2013, 01:58:12 PM »

The switch in my 88 did the same thing to me about 5 years back, I swapped it all to a toggle switch/push button start setup for a bit till I found a key matched set of ignition switch/locks etc to put back in the car.

Or you could be cheap and clean the contacts + slightly bend in those W shaped contact pads and see what that gets you... had to do that in my Integra outside of work one day.

turbohf · « **Reply #27 on:** February 12, 2013, 02:20:44 PM »

that all a lot of work... its 52bucks for a new switch, that we had in stock

Speed Phreak · « **Reply #28 on:** February 12, 2013, 05:55:15 PM »

Yeah, I worked at a mobile audio/security shop at the time, took me about 10mins to wire it up in the shop....Would've rather had a switch, but that was free and i'm cheap. I found the switch and locks in the u-pull-it yard for like $20 later.

Joseph Davis · « **Reply #29 on:** April 24, 2013, 09:22:20 AM »

Quote from: Speed Phreak on February 12, 2013, 01:58:12 PM

The switch in my 88 did the same thing to me about 5 years back,

The switch in your 89 (?) with the D16B2 of fury did that about nine years back and almost stuck us in MD, IIRC. You and your jury rigged shit, Dick.

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Author Topic: electrical issue? bouncing tach, stalling, low power... (Read 17806 times)