93 Accord maintenance and diag..

[andymccauley]

I believe a solid check engine light is a ecu problem.

as for the fuel issue maybe try a new fuel filter or it might be a dirty injector.

I would also do a timing belt and water pump just to be on the safe side

T- belt n water pump will get done in the next couple months, pretty positive the cam seal leaks.

Fuel filter is new I just changed it last week and an injector problem would cause a misfire code I would think. I also burned some seafoam through the intake if it was an injector I would also assume that would help a little bit on that issue unless it was dead.

[Accord problems]

faulty ecu would be code zero . light does not stay on after jumper is jumped .

[ninjawagon]

faulty ecu would be code zero . light does not stay on after jumper is jumped .

Your right, this being one of the indications that a PCM/ECU/ECM is bad on a OBD1 gen honda.

Andy you have solid check engine light on which means the ECU found something it does not like period. When a code is stored and there is not a light on or the light flashes but never turns solid. It means that during that drive cycle or during multiple drive cycles the ECU found things it didn't like over and over but it wasn't bad enough to bring to your attention completely. So the fact you have a solid light means the ECU is functional and you have some digging to do homie.

[andymccauley]

Thank you ninjawagon for clearing that up, wasn't totally sure what code zero looked like. After its driven more I'll check codes again. This hard start problem is driving me nuts though, could a main relay be the cause?

[ninjawagon]

Thank you ninjawagon for clearing that up, wasn't totally sure what code zero looked like. After its driven more I'll check codes again. This hard start problem is driving me nuts though, could a main relay be the cause?

Hard start after you have been driving it or hard cold start? Main relays fail due to heat either from warm day with direct sunlight into the car or after good amount of driving with the heater on. There are certain points on the main relay circuit board that have solder points that crack over time due to temp changes and eventually the points get crack which makes continuity tough and that when you get no starts. You can replace the relay but it would be wise to pull it out and pop the cover and inspect it for damage. If it is worn/damaged you can get a soldering iron and actually make the points nice again and save yourself 35 to 60 bucks for a new one.

[andymccauley]

Hard start after you have been driving it or hard cold start? Main relays fail due to heat either from warm day with direct sunlight into the car or after good amount of driving with the heater on. There are certain points on the main relay circuit board that have solder points that crack over time due to temp changes and eventually the points get crack which makes continuity tough and that when you get no starts. You can replace the relay but it would be wise to pull it out and pop the cover and inspect it for damage. If it is worn/damaged you can get a soldering iron and actually make the points nice again and save yourself 35 to 60 bucks for a new one.

Cold starts only, and it will fire than either instantly die or drop down to about 100 rpms and sometimes hope at 100-200 rpms but will mostly die. Never had it not start though. After its warm it will run fine.

[ninjawagon]

Cold starts only, and it will fire than either instantly die or drop down to about 100 rpms and sometimes hope at 100-200 rpms but will mostly die. Never had it not start though. After its warm it will run fine.

Ok....well I did some at home diagnostics for you. I should have just done this before but it wasn't clear to what the symptoms were. Your car has a heated O2 sensor. Looking through my 92 Accord Honda Factory Manual(which is a thick ass book) and going off the code you got I am 99% sure its you O2 senor. Now mind you I am an actual Tech at a dealership(not Honda currently but in the past yes) and without actually being able to get the car in shop and performing hours of diag. I believe O2 is bad most likely the heater circuit portion causing to run to lean and run a low idle because the O2 has made the ECU think its already warmed up at cold start but the other senors on the car say no and then trigger the light. If you have volt meter you test continuity. Pull the plug of the O2 sensor off and look down in the plug on the actual sensor and find a good body ground and touch each terminal on the plug and see if you get continuity from all 4 points. If you do the sensor is bad. Hope this helps.

[andymccauley]

That certainly did, it felt like a fuel issue so I would think your definitely correct. Been meaning to order one just haven't yet. Also need to take care of the front brakes too. So that's going to be a all in one rockauto order

[oni_cb7]

Ok....well I did some at home diagnostics for you. I should have just done this before but it wasn't clear to what the symptoms were. Your car has a heated O2 sensor. Looking through my 92 Accord Honda Factory Manual(which is a thick ass book) and going off the code you got I am 99% sure its you O2 senor. Now mind you I am an actual Tech at a dealership(not Honda currently but in the past yes) and without actually being able to get the car in shop and performing hours of diag. I believe O2 is bad most likely the heater circuit portion causing to run to lean and run a low idle because the O2 has made the ECU think its already warmed up at cold start but the other senors on the car say no and then trigger the light. If you have volt meter you test continuity. Pull the plug of the O2 sensor off and look down in the plug on the actual sensor and find a good body ground and touch each terminal on the plug and see if you get continuity from all 4 points. If you do the sensor is bad. Hope this helps.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the o2 sensor had nothing to do with starting. The ECU runs a base map to let the car start up properly. So there must be another issue as well, not saying the o2 sensor isn't bad though.

[ninjawagon]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the o2 sensor had nothing to do with starting. The ECU runs a base map to let the car start up properly. So there must be another issue as well, not saying the o2 sensor isn't bad though.

There is no right or wrong answer at this point without having the car in front of us doing the the diag work hands on. A bad O2 can cause start issues because it is sending false data to the ECU causing what appears to be a rich condition is this case. It basically makes it seem like its a flooded start until certain ECU parameters are met from the other input sensors to make it the ECU think it is running properly. You could also very well have something else wrong in addition the O2 sensor.

[andymccauley]

New Denso O2 got ordered last night along with a contitech T-belt kit, gates water pump n thermostat. Totalled about 100 plus shipping from the rock, I'll post up results after I swap out the O2

[cb7 calling]

I would try this because it's free. Get the car fully warmed up remove the cap on the fitv and clockwise turn the diaphragm until it stops then back it off a half to 3/4 turn. Maybe a whole turn. If you back it two far your idle will surge. If your fitv is already snug clockwise when you try this is definitely your problem. Back it off a little. There are a bunch of you tube videos to show you where to find the fitv. (Fast idle throttle valve)? I dunno I'm no mechanic but my car starts first shot every time since I backed mine off a little. I used to take I couple tries if it was below 50 degrees.
I know you just changed the valve cover gasket but you should pull the plug wires and look for oil in the valve cover. When you say you hold the gas pedal down it makes me think you are flooded. Since these are fuel injected cars when you hold the pedal down you let air into the cylinders to evaporate some of the extra gas. To me that means you have enough fuel but not enough spark.

[andymccauley]

I would try this because it's free. Get the car fully warmed up remove the cap on the fitv and clockwise turn the diaphragm until it stops then back it off a half to 3/4 turn. Maybe a whole turn. If you back it two far your idle will surge. If your fitv is already snug clockwise when you try this is definitely your problem. Back it off a little. There are a bunch of you tube videos to show you where to find the fitv. (Fast idle throttle valve)? I dunno I'm no mechanic but my car starts first shot every time since I backed mine off a little. I used to take I couple tries if it was below 50 degrees.
I know you just changed the valve cover gasket but you should pull the plug wires and look for oil in the valve cover. When you say you hold the gas pedal down it makes me think you are flooded. Since these are fuel injected cars when you hold the pedal down you let air into the cylinders to evaporate some of the extra gas. To me that means you have enough fuel but not enough spark.

Like I said previously the tube seals were leaking and I cleaned them out when changing the valve cover gasket and tube seals of course. I've played with the idle adjusting screw and I've had no results with that. The O2 sensor seems to be the most logical. But we will find out soon enough

[cb7 calling]

Like I said previously the tube seals were leaking and I cleaned them out when changing the valve cover gasket and tube seals of course. I've played with the idle adjusting screw and I've had no results with that. The O2 sensor seems to be the most logical. But we will find out soon enough

The fitv is not the idle adjusting screw. I guess we will find out more soon.

[andymccauley]

Alright dudes so finally got around to installing the new O2, reset the ECU and really no change.

After warming it up taking it for cruise and checking the codes again I think the trans code I thought was a #2 I think is a #11 which is the short in the coilpack code correct? Could possibly be the issue? Hmmmm?