H22 swao issue, 90 Accord LX

[tgdrums1990]

Specs
1990 Honda Accord
JDM H22
Accord Trans
P13 ECU
Iabs are connected

Hey all, ok well as im going through issues, I have them all nearly delt with except my last one which I feel may be linked to all three...

Sorry for the long post, and sorry no weather reports today... lol

I started the swap in april, had some guy help me hack it in there, he was supiosed to guide my non mechanic ass through the process... HAHA, that went well... Anyways, we finally get her running and I drive it home and park it cause it nearlly fell apart on my way home... Note that the first time I drove it, it drove fine.

It gets to my house (swap was done at buddys house). And it sets, we go over it and decide the motor needs to come out, to go over ALL the loose ends.

Few weeks go by and motor comes out and gets timming belt, water pump, balance shaft belt, manual tentioner convertion, and thermostat. We get her together and running.

This is where things go downhill.... Once we got her running, the first issue I have is my rpm's were bouncing. We later find out that my CPS sensor is bad. So i replace my distro. They take my old as a core, and I get a USDM one. Also to find out USDM is externaly wired. So long story short I wire it for internal and motor runs and no more bouncing r's...

But now, im getting a CEL, for code 8, TDC sensor... Well then, first thing they say is to replace distro. I thought it was odd I would get a new one from autozone that was bad. But I take it back and replace it, I do the same mod to this one (just like others have done), Fire her up, still code 8. At this point I buy used jdm distro, and send my autozone one in refund.

JDM distro comes in, I put it on, and no more code 8. no more cel.

But 2 issues, I cant go into vtec, and I cant maintian a rpm speed.

-I think the vtec issue is related to my other issue so I wnt go into detal, I did check it and it wasnt clogged, but mine didnt have a filter nor a recess for it..??..

Here is my current issue, I stated the above to hopfully give some insight on what all I have done to this car, so maybe u mioght be able to find my issue.

My car starts and idles fine, maybe a little high 1200 (cold), and it revs fine, cept for the fact it redlines at 6500 cause it isnt going into vtec. But if I try to rev up and hold a certain rpm, like 2500, with my gas pedal in the same spot, not moving, my rpms fluctuate between 2k and 3k rpms. If I let off the gas, it idles ok, and just punching the gas, it revs up ok. But I cant hold an Idel.

I am throwing no codes for tps, or vtec. Just eld, which has been intermitten. I will note that my tps was smashed against the firewall and the connector part that the harness slides on to is missing, but the pins are there, I even took it off and check the pins, and they TPS tests to be in working order(since it's bassicaly a POT).

I will also note, that i can start, my car both with the tps disc and connected and no CEL or code. Also, I can plug and unplug it while running and the engine makes no changes at all, also while doing that I will not throw a tps code nor will I get a cel.

From my findings, I am thinking my ecu is bad?

I am running on the spark plugs that came with the motor and the wires.
The cap and rotor have been replaced with new stuff.

Sorry for the long read guys, any thoughts???

[lucid]

Hi, I'll try to help, hopefully i don't make things more confusing.

So you did the resistance test on the tps throughout it's range....so it's under 1000ohms at rest and up near 4500-6000 at wot?

but it doesn't throw a code when you unplug it?
you can do a continuity test between the ecu and tps ends of the wiring, but the ECU seems like a good candidate for a problem if that stuff is ok.

Are you using a US or JDM ECU? I am not sure if the JDM ones are wired with the load detector system (and the tuned ecus usually eliminate that as well).

The ELD problem will make the car not run right (it happened to me and I had to replace the UH Fusebox with a junkyard one, but it's been a while and I can't remember exactly what the symptoms were)

I would swap in a "known-good" ecu.
check for vacuum leaks too.

good luck

[tgdrums1990]

Hi, I'll try to help, hopefully i don't make things more confusing.

So you did the resistance test on the tps throughout it's range....so it's under 1000ohms at rest and up near 4500-6000 at wot?

but it doesn't throw a code when you unplug it?
you can do a continuity test between the ecu and tps ends of the wiring, but the ECU seems like a good candidate for a problem if that stuff is ok.

Are you using a US or JDM ECU? I am not sure if the JDM ones are wired with the load detector system (and the tuned ecus usually eliminate that as well).

The ELD problem will make the car not run right (it happened to me and I had to replace the UH Fusebox with a junkyard one, but it's been a while and I can't remember exactly what the symptoms were)

I would swap in a "known-good" ecu.
check for vacuum leaks too.

good luck

Checked the TPS, and all is well.


Nope, no codes, i dnt even get a cel light, It acts as if the wire going to my ecu isnt there

Im using a USDM P13

I will change out my UH fuse box asap.

Thanks for the advice. Im leaning towards a bad ecu because I should throw a code or cel for my TPS, it dosent even make my motor change idle or anything when it's unhooked and hooked up. So I dunno.

[AccordReborn]

I believe a distributor from a 1990-1991 accord is internal coil and will fit on the h22. You didn't have to get a JDM one

[nine_deuce]

I would try the ecu. I had some issues with an old ecu I had. I'd start my car, within 10 seconds of it running, I'd get an o2 sensor code, I got a new o2 sensor, same thing. I got to reading in a manual that the o2 sensor doesn't send a signal to the ecu until it reaches like 700 degrees or something, I put a new ecu in my car, no more problems.

I know that has nothing to do with your situation, but, I'd see about getting a new ecu, see if that helps. If you were closer, I'd loan ya mine since my car is down at the moment

[tgdrums1990]

Update:

So i went to the yard yesterday and pulled a fuse box and a tps and put them installed them both. I made sure the battery was disconnected before doing anything.

So i put the parts in, put the battery one and go to give her a test start, she fires up but as soon as it fires up it starts reving up and down, hmmm, seems as if I made my issue worse...

So I let it run and I go and unplugg my tps, and it still keeps reving, so I shut the car off, and go to check my codes.

Now, when I check my codes ( shorting the 2 leads togther in the little plug thats located in the passenger side kick pannel. All I get is a constant cel. It just stays on, If I undo the short, and key on, I get a cel for a sec and it goes off as if it's ready to start, as it should. But if I go to check my codes it's stuck on.

Note, that I havent acualy set my tps yet, I just put it on there like my other one was (gauging off the dirt marks of where the old one was mounted), so I figured it would be close enough just for a test start.

Any thoughts???

[jDmacCordh22a]

Solid cel is a bad ecu...

[lucid]

Yep, code Zero. Unless the engine is running and the connector is jumped (for setting timing).

[tgdrums1990]

Yep, code Zero. Unless the engine is running and the connector is jumped (for setting timing).

Thx, im taking care of the ecu situation asap.

I didn't know that's how you set the timming. My dad said that based off of the sensors that my distro had, that there is probably a system that needed to be disabled to properly set the timming.

[tgdrums1990]

She runs....

Finally figured out everything.

Long story short after 2 days of tracing wires and vacume lines I found that I had 2 vacume lines backwards... And my tps wire was going to my egr, and my egr was going to my tps....

So it lives... I need to get plugs and wires, and get it timmed properly. lol.

Thanks for all your help guys...