I've got a '90 Civic and it died on my daughter the other day (about a week ago). I go get her and tow it home. At the break down spot, I check it and it has spark and appears to be getting fuel to the fuel rail. When I get it home...then next day it runs. It idles and sounds more or less fine. But, if you try to rev it, it dies and once it warms up it won't run either. Now, if you go behind it and listen to the exhaust, it sounds, and feels uneven, like it is missing.
Now, I posted on a Chevy forum...the thread below. I get a response back that it is the main relay. I order a new relay, and it starts up, w/the old one. I blip the throttle and it revs like a Ferrari (when it is cold, and it was cold, 14 degrees). But, if you hold it down, it will die. If you hit it and the immediately release the throttle, it will rev and then go back to an idle. I switch the relays, and it does the same exact thing.
I let it idle and check the spark, the spark seems fine. But, on the driver's end of the motor, the spark seems to pulse unevenly (I'm using a spark test light), but this could be caused by and uneven idle. Also, the driver's side of the car, end of the motor doesn't appear to be running as strong as the other end. When you pull a plug wire, the distributer end looses more RPM. Later on, it is starting to warm up a bit, and the idle goes down, and it doesn't run as good. Then, I try to rev it up and it dies. It won't restart, and right now, it is about zero out and I just followed the directions to test the relay (turn the key to on and it clicks, when the check engine light goes out it clicks, and then when you turn it to crank it clicks).
So, I'm thinking that the FI is giving it a rich enough mixture, because it is so cold and once it warms a bit, it leans out and won't run.
I'll check it for trouble codes tomorrow. I just found my manual. Also, the thread below was posted in August. It died on my daughter about 12/10-15, and in between it ran like a champ.
What does yuh think is wrong w/the beast?
08-13-10 09:32 AM - Post#1960433
ON my '90 Civic, at times it doesn't start. So far, it has done it 3X in about 6 months.
The first time, I drove it for 30 minutes, it sat for about 2 hours, and wouldn't start, we popped the hood, messed w/stuff, not really doing anything and 20 miuntes later it ran for a month.
It did it to my daughter when she went into the gorcery store, and shortly afterwards, it ran for a month.
It died on my wife in an intersection, shortly afterwards, it ran for a month.
My kids left the lights on the other day...and I jumped it and then it wouldn't hardly start. Then, I shut it off, and went to re-start it, and it woulnd't hardly start...I mean I cranked it for 10 seconds, several times before it started. I shut it off, same thing, wouldn't hardly start. I drove it out of town, 400 miles, and it got 36 mpg.
So, I'm thinking, that there was something wrong w/the spark when I jumped it (weak).
Now, I posted on a Chevy forum...the thread below. I get a response back that it is the main relay. I order a new relay, and it starts up, w/the old one. I blip the throttle and it revs like a Ferrari (when it is cold, and it was cold, 14 degrees). But, if you hold it down, it will die. If you hit it and the immediately release the throttle, it will rev and then go back to an idle. I switch the relays, and it does the same exact thing.
I let it idle and check the spark, the spark seems fine. But, on the driver's end of the motor, the spark seems to pulse unevenly (I'm using a spark test light), but this could be caused by and uneven idle. Also, the driver's side of the car, end of the motor doesn't appear to be running as strong as the other end. When you pull a plug wire, the distributer end looses more RPM. Later on, it is starting to warm up a bit, and the idle goes down, and it doesn't run as good. Then, I try to rev it up and it dies. It won't restart, and right now, it is about zero out and I just followed the directions to test the relay (turn the key to on and it clicks, when the check engine light goes out it clicks, and then when you turn it to crank it clicks).
So, I'm thinking that the FI is giving it a rich enough mixture, because it is so cold and once it warms a bit, it leans out and won't run.
I'll check it for trouble codes tomorrow. I just found my manual. Also, the thread below was posted in August. It died on my daughter about 12/10-15, and in between it ran like a champ.
What does yuh think is wrong w/the beast?
08-13-10 09:32 AM - Post#1960433
ON my '90 Civic, at times it doesn't start. So far, it has done it 3X in about 6 months.
The first time, I drove it for 30 minutes, it sat for about 2 hours, and wouldn't start, we popped the hood, messed w/stuff, not really doing anything and 20 miuntes later it ran for a month.
It did it to my daughter when she went into the gorcery store, and shortly afterwards, it ran for a month.
It died on my wife in an intersection, shortly afterwards, it ran for a month.
My kids left the lights on the other day...and I jumped it and then it wouldn't hardly start. Then, I shut it off, and went to re-start it, and it woulnd't hardly start...I mean I cranked it for 10 seconds, several times before it started. I shut it off, same thing, wouldn't hardly start. I drove it out of town, 400 miles, and it got 36 mpg.
So, I'm thinking, that there was something wrong w/the spark when I jumped it (weak).