Electrical Problem With My 1986 CRX Si

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The_MATRIX

Junior Member
Electrical Problem With My 1986 Honda Civic CRX Si

The car was given to me for free and it was in a front end accident and came with a new radiator support and no front end. I put the car together replaced the Fuel Pump relay and it runs fine. There's only a couple problems with it which I'd love to get some information or help on how to fix them from some CRX experts that know them front to back :)

The Radiator Fan Doesn't turn on, I replaced the fan with one from the local junkyard and it doesn't work either, checked the fuse and it's ok. Where is the radiator fan relay on this car? I have been unsuccessful in locating it (I don't have a shop manual just a crappy haynes manual which isn't really better than having nothing).

Now besides that (the real problem) I have an electrical short that comes and goes whenever it wants.

All driving conditions: Accelerating - Coasting - In Traffic - On Freeway - Day - Night - Whenever - always intermittently.

When the short occurs both turn signals in my gauge cluster illuminate and the car bogs out like it doesn't have fuel and if I give it anything past half-throttle it will backfire. Sometimes the turn signals in the cluster don't fully illuminate (just halfway) and the car won't bog out as hard. Sometimes I'll be sitting at a light (in gear - out of gear - clutch in - clutch out - brake on - brake off) and it will start to kinda light up the turn signals and sometimes stop, the car will idle with the short usually but try to give it gas and it will die. Then per se I'll pull away from the light (kinda jerky) and the short will go away and instantly the car runs fine.

Here is what has triggered the short in the past

Hitting the Brakes
Turning Headlights On
Using either Turn Signal
Using the Clutch
Being Low on Gas

The first time it happened really bad I filled up my tank (I was real low on gas) and the problem went away. That doesn't fix the problem anymore now it happens on and off all the time.

The only thing that has been modified electrical wise is the previous owner cut his stereo harness up to install a radio (i fixed what he did and put a factory harness back in) I deinstalled an old defunct alarm (circa 1988) I found under the steering column and I installed some reverse indiglo gauges (tapped the gauge illumination wire off stereo harness for heat / ground from stereo harness for ground). I did these mods when I first got the car and the short started 6 weeks later.

When I installed the gauges I messed up the temp gauge and got a replacement cluster cause the old speedo was broken (junkyard-my home away from home) and installed the gauges again and got it right except the gas gauge only goes 2/3 up when the tank is full (I could care less honestly).

I figured it to possibly be a faulty alternator / faulty fuel pump / loose wire somewhere

BUT

I dont think its alternator causing it because it will happen with the engine off and no key in it sometimes (when i hit the brake pedal or turn the headlights on- only sometimes; it's usually fine)

And I think the fuel pump is possibly getting shorted out or something else is, either way it acts like it is fuel starved.

If you can help me out or have had a similar problem I would really appreciate the help, I don't have money to take it to a shop :(
 
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Electrical Problem

Did you find a resolution to this problem? I am having similar problems with my 88 CRX. dash lights are illuminated but the lights are not on. When I turn on the hazards I get a strange buzzing noise from the relay. The car was fine last fall but now I am getting these strage problems. Hope you have answers.
 
this thread is almost 7 years old

the OP has not been back for over 3 years

please create a new thread and post your question in there, you will get a lot more help that way
 
Damn it I just wasted 5 minutes of my life reading that just to find out its 7 years old....FML
 
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