getting code p0117, coolant temp sensor on a 2000 civic si. i changed the one up by the vtec switch, still getting the code. there is another one on the back of the block, is there a way to tell if that one is bad or if i have a wiring problem?

also, it really didn't want to start this morning, acting like timing was off. it took a lot of cranking and once it caught, it would almost die if i just touched the gas. i set timing by warming the car up, jumping the service connector, then setting #1 to the middle of the three marks, should be 16*. did i mess something up?

thanks.

 

The bad ECT sensor indicated by the P0117 is located just below the distributor and has a 2P connector. Adjacent to the ECT sensor is the temperature sending unit for the dash engine temperature gauge. The engine problems you describe are likely caused by a faulty ECT sensor.

 

ok thanks. i think that means i have a wiring problem then. i changed that sensor out with the one from my old motor, and still a code, so that's the only thing left, unless i have two bad sensors. yay, i love wiring problems.

 

Carefully inspect the sensor's connector first.

 

will do, thanks. maybe some of that dialectric (sp?) grease on there too.

 

By the way, how do you know that the swapped ECT sensor works and matches your Civic?

 

well, it's a 2000 si, so it had a b16a2 in it originally. it developed a rod knock back in december, so i swapped it out with a JDM b16a from HMotorsOnline. when i was stripping the JDM motor to get all OBD2 parts from my a2 onto it (mainly the oil pump, since the OBD2 pump has a crank angle sensor on it), i broke the sensor on the back of the motor, under the intake, right by the transfer tube from the water pump to the thermostat, so i put the one from my a2 on there. I thougth that was the coolant temp sensor, and that was the only sensor i swapped originally. when i first got it running, i got code 6 and 22, so i swapped the ECT that is up on the head and the vtec oil pressure switch (the 22 code) from my a2 onto the jdm motor, 22 went away but 6 remains. so every sensor on the motor except the oil sensor on the back is from my a2, which everything worked on back in december. i suppose it is possible the swapped sensor went bad in two months sitting in a block on the motor stand, but unlikely.

 

ok i'm dumb, i had the two plugs (vtec and ect) switched around. checked my wiring diagram and looked at the colors and realized my mistake. all is working fine now, thanks for your help.

 

Glad to hear you found an easy no-cost fix.

 

LOL, I'm always amused that Honda uses such similar plugs. That's a pretty common mistake on the Integra & Accord boards too.

Glad it was easy to fix.