At first the problems I will describe only happened, and then went away after I took the stereo out of the car, but that isn't working Now. OK, I start the car, a 1991 civic STD 4MT, which will start but might have to hold the ignition in a bit. The engine will start and IDLE ok, but the marker lights are on and wont turn off, ....then if I do any of the following things the car dies ; push on the brake ( the dash lights light up when I do this), turn on the turn signals, put the car in reversegear (I can get it to move in first gearbut it seems like all the pistons are not firing or there isnt enough power to push up the rms too high), turn on the lights.
Here's what i've done to try to fix it, THE FUSES are okay, in the bay and under dash. All grounds are connected, but there is no spark coming off the battery when the terminals touch on either side(no arc). I've replaced the alternator, andMain relay under the dash with no improvement. The ECU is good and is throwing codes for TDC and fuel injectors, the injectors are fine, I had them out and checked them, I don't no anything about the TDC sensor or crank angle, and I dont think it will help. I noticed when I wired the stereo there weren't all the wires that were supposed to be there, no red with yellow. PLEASE SOMEONE PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY. Im going to have the battery checked again since I just replaced the alternator, it will be the third battery in the car in one year!!!![:@]

 

The marker lights come on when you start the engine, but go out when you turn it off? That's just weird. They should be controlled only by the light switch, it would have nothing to do with the key circuits. Maybe the wiring in this car is just totally screwed up. Does it look stock under the dash, or a bunch of crazy wires added by someone?

Check all the ground wires on the engine.

Another good test would be to measure the voltage at the battery while it is running.

Don't worry too much about ECU codes at this point. When the electrical is as bad as this, an ECU will often set codes for things that are really OK.

 

Yeah, I know the engine was replaced by a hack shop in town, but they wouldn't have replaced any wires if they didn't have too, I wondered about the fuse box too, there's some black tape under ther!but DAMN, lets not do it easy!! So, you think it's the light switch?

 

actually it sounds like they did a very bad job at all the wiring on the car. Its gonna be hell to get all that fixed, you might have to tear it all off and put in the wiring the right way.

 

Yeah, I've looked into another harness..... But , if the car ran fine this long theres no way it could have if they did that bad of a job... Like I said when I hit the brake the turn signal lights on the dash light up, and if the car is running it will die. Does someone know if there is a relay for the light switch, if it's not the switch I know the relay might have a short.? Anyway, yeah, it killed the battery!

 

Gremlins have got hold of your car, take it to the local church, and have an excorcism done.

 

got any pics of the mayhem? take a couple of snapshots under your dash.

Another thing that could POSSIBLY have happened is that wires came loose. if its as bad as it seems it could be that some wires came loos and are touching areas or other wires they are not supposed to. I would recommend take the wiring harness out and redoing everything again. IF its a stock harness that works with the car's engine and ECU then it shouldn't be that hard.

 

OK!! Yeah, I checked all the grounds again and redid the connections at the battery. I looked at the harness under the dash and pulled some of the tape, and it was just holding the wires together like a wrap.... Ill let you guys know!!! Ill take that picture too.

 

OK, we have progress!!!! I finally tracked down a short in the tail light harness, right in the plug thank god!!!!! So no more dash lights when I hit the brake. So were on to the next problem... So the ECU is reset and I got the engine to crank and start and when I reved it highit bogged down, then up, and then died. After that i tried to start it again,I heard the starter click, but it doesn't keep turning, if it turns at all. I hear the EFI main relay click like it should but I dont hear the pressure build up. When I turn the key in the ignition I hear the ignition powerrelay buzzing, I guess that is supposed to happen, but no cranking. So does someone think that replacing the plug wires and distributor will help? I dont think it's the starter because even with the short it would start, but it would die if I used anything in the lighting system, including the rear defroster. COMMENTS??? I heard there's a radio condensor unit too, should I worry about that?

 

Sounds like the battery is dead or the connections to the battery are poor. That will cause the relays to buzz or chatter instead of clicking in fully like they should.

Jump the starter(*) to see if it will crank, if it doesn't then the problem is battery, starter, or somewhere inbetween.

When you do get it running again, measure the voltage at the battery to be sure the charging system is working.

(*) Disconnect small wire at starter, connect a jumper wire from the small terminal on the starter to the big one that goes to the battery. Make sure the car is not in gear and the brake is set so it doesn't move on you.