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[n/a mike]

Car
98 civic ex bone stock except for an obd2 jdm d15b 3stage vtec motor.
Issue was happening before motor was installed a year ago.

Sometimes my car won't start, it's a typical main relay issue where the check engine light doesn't turn off and the fuel pump doesn't prime.
However if I take something and firmly tap the ecu the fuel pump will prime and then I can start the car.
I don't want to throw away money on a main relay if that's not the problem, but I don't want to throw away the money on an ecu if that's not the problem.

Recently in the last couple weeks I've had the car feel like it has a major misfire the cel lights up then turns off. The car doesn't die, but feels like the fuel pump stops for half a second.
Hell it could actually die and the fact the car is rolling in gear might just bump start it back up.

So my question is... I have a couple questions.
Next time the car doesn't start I want to test it to see if it is the main relay or ecu.
Is there a way I can test it with my circuit tester to see which one is bad? I'm thinking it has to be the ecu because if I hit the ecu it fixes the problem.

Second question is if the main relay craps out while driving would it cause the car to die?
I didn't think it would, that's why I'm thinking its an ecu problem.

Third question any of you nogs have a main relay or ecu I can get super fucking cheap? like 50% off nog price 

[92CXyD]

Find the relay, reflow the solder joints and install.

Then if that does not work and you are sure there is no harness damage or no anti-theft system that was removed but was done halfass then the ecu would be what is left. 

[ratcityrex]

I have a main relay for a dc integra that you can have if it will work. Pm me your cell phone number.

[n/a mike]

Thanks for the quick reply guys.
Russ, I'm gonna check the main relay and also pull the ecu and see if anything is loose inside it.
I know it's not wires cause when it does happen all I have to do is smack the ecu. don't have to hit any wires or connectors. don't have to hit the main relay either.

AJ if it is my main relay and it looks trashed beyond repair I'll hit you up for the main relay.
Thanks

[ratcityrex]

Hey no problem mike. Just let me know. It's sitting in a tackle box full of all my chipping/electronics stuff.

[HiProfile]

I've been seeing a lot more people lately with faults at the ecu pins. The wires are loose but stay in place because it's a wire bundle. Its possible the wires that turn on the main relay are intermittent. Have you tried having a CL BBW gals sit on it?

[n/a mike]

Have you tried having a CL BBW gals sit on it?

No but if I have a passenger when it won't start I tell them to kick it

[n/a mike]

Bump...
Today the CEL lit up and when I checked it with the jumper paperclip it was a solid light.
So... anyone have an ecu for a 98 civic ex manual transmission?
I can get the ecu code and post it tonight, it's raining right now and I don't feel like getting wet.
Car still runs as of right now so I'm not in much of a hurry. Going to reset the code and see if it comes back on

[92CXyD]

Bump...
Today the CEL lit up and when I checked it with the jumper paperclip it was a solid light.
So... anyone have an ecu for a 98 civic ex manual transmission?
I can get the ecu code and post it tonight, it's raining right now and I don't feel like getting wet.
Car still runs as of right now so I'm not in much of a hurry. Going to reset the code and see if it comes back on

Water getting in to ecu thru a seem? 

[n/a mike]

Good question Russ, it is possible, but not the issue 
I've been having this random no start issue for 3 years that I've owned the car it has just  progressively gotten worse.  Now it has the cell, but the cell didn't come on when it was raining. It started raining after the cel
Main relay looks fine and the ecu looks fine (as far as solder joints)

[highroller54]

They can be tricky as fuck to see in ecu's sometimes. I have a ek b16a si ecu iirc that you can have if you need it to troubleshoot.

[n/a mike]

Thanks for the offer man.
So I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I think I fixed the problem.
The engine I have is the d15b 3stage vtak. I had the second solenoid hooked up all ghetto.
Just for shits and giggles I decided to "unplug" the second solenoid. Seems like the car started to have some problems when I hooked it up. Including a very loud clicking noise at idle that I'm assuming was the solenoid or the 12v-16v vtec engaging and disengaging.

I pulled the fuse to reset the ecu, unplugged the solenoid and now the car is running fine.
So far I haven't had to smack the ecu to start the car and it hasn't had a major misfire like it was doing.
Now I need to get some rpm controller or build my own to make this damn solenoid turn on at 3k rpm like it's supposed to.
I have no idea why the solenoid being hooked up was causing all the issues it was having, but so far it's running like normal.

[HiProfile]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-RPM-activated-switch-Lifetime-Guarantee-Its-also-a-memory-Tach-/301469996287?pt=Race_Car_Parts&hash=item46310314ff&vxp=mtr

That seems to be the cheapest option I've found. They claim over-current protection, but I'd still ask them what the max wattage is to save time wiring in a relay (or adding after the fact). If it's a 2-stage vtec ecu, then it will only suffer in 12v mode - and probably only slightly.