Civic lost power...

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josh_crewdson@y

New Member
I have A 1990 Civic dx hatch, I was driving on the interstate one night last week, and she just lost power... No jerking, studdering or nothin... So i pulled the dizzy and replaced it, no go still.. I turned the lil gear on the back of the dizzy and every 1/4 turn the injector clicks and sprays fuel, the dizzy is good but I have no spark... could it be the computer? it has 242xxx miles on it, i have an 99 ex with 295xxx miles and haven't had any problems... i have power to the dizzy when the ignition is on.


any help appreciated..

thanks
 
Just because your dizzy is good doesn't mean you have spark...It's just one piece of the system and you check by a step by step process. First make sure your plugs are good (probably are), make sure your wires are good. I can't remember if you have a separate ignition coil, but if so check that next and make sure you have the proper voltage/power to it (the wires), use a mutlimeter, you can find this information in a haynes manual. If you don't have a coil and you have a ignition module/igniter (it's technically an igniter) make sure that is good. Then your back to your dizzy/cap/rotor etc. If you don't find the problem in any of these then MAYBE think your ecu is bad...I doubt it though, ecu's don't just fail like that without a reason.

Note: I assume this engine is cranking over but you have no spark, if you here a click or have no power obviously check to make sure your battery is good, if it's a click it may mean you blew your main relay, which is often caused by a short somewhere, perhaps a wire to a sensor...

Note #2: I also assume you know how to check for spark the simplest way is to pull out the plug and ground it somewhere, while someone cranks it over....
 
Plugs are good. wires are good. ignition coil is in the dizzy, igniter is in the dizzy, those are new bc the dizzy is new.. Cap, and rotor are good. Engine turns over perfectly, and builds oil pressure.. Yes it does not spark at all. Grounded the plug cranked it, i even grabbed the wire and grounded myself.. Nothin, not even a slight shock..
 
Okay well if that's all good I'd being checking your engine grounds then..usually doesn't get this far...but definitely check your grounds, that could cause it..
 
Wait you grounded the wire to yourself? Are you insane are you trying to send a ton of voltage through your body???
 
like hunter said check the grounds. i had the same problem in my 85 crx and it turned out a couple wires were loose
 
I was f'n pissed, it was 12 am and i had to be at work at 4.. I've been shocked 5 times by plug wires before it's not voltage that kills you, it's amperage. I'll check grounds again.. The main relay is fine, like i said, it turns over perfectly just won't run.
 
lemme know what it is bc i was having the same problem with my brother in law's 90 dx. we changed the dizzy and the ecu and it still won't go over 75mph. but, the previous owner ran a NOS wet kit with a 50 shot so the motor might be toast. idk tho.
 
lemme know what it is bc i was having the same problem with my brother in law's 90 dx. we changed the dizzy and the ecu and it still won't go over 75mph. but, the previous owner ran a NOS wet kit with a 50 shot so the motor might be toast. idk tho.

You would know if you did a simple compression check...I reccomend it
 
I haven't been able to try another ecu.. Could it be the alternator? Because it was whining for a few months before this.. Could it have fried up inside?
 
Brain in the back of the fuse box? You mean eld? I wouldn't think the alternator would have anything to do with spark either, i was just throwing the guess out there.. I'm pullin the kick panel off the ecu tomorrow.. If it's bad it'll have a red led on correct?
 
Checked the ecu, it seems fine.. It throws a code if something is unplugged, then if i plug it back in and reset i have no blinking red led. It blinks once quickly when the key is turned to the on position then stays out... Any more ideas? Getting really pissed..
 
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