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-   -   99 Honda Civic Wires? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=140525)

  • Nov 18, 2007, 05:01 PM
    vacanteyes
    I truly appreciate your patience with my issue but it seems the more I do the worse the car gets. I finally was able to replace the main relay and it seems to make no difference. I took apart the old and it seemed fine. I took the distributor cap off and everything looked fine in there and my neighbor tightened my idle throttle. It was saggy {I don't know if that's even normal} but the only thing keeping the car running is driving with 2 feet {keeping idle up} so I thought increasing the idle a bit would help until it stalled. Then wouldn't start. The starting problem is less often and when I pop the hood and squish all connectors it will usually restart. I have bought a electrical tester to perform all the tests purposed on the FAQ but I honestly don't understand them. I have a little fuse checker that I used on fuses, so that's all I know is good. So far replaced plugs, wires, distributor, oil, main relay and had those 25 point checks 3 times, and fuel system checked, yet occasionally now won't start and often at stops idle drops to stall. I figure I need to take it in but I'd rather try, I feel so close yet clueless.
  • Nov 18, 2007, 07:15 PM
    TxGreaseMonkey
    Consider taking the car to Honda, or a shop specializing in servicing Hondas, and have them set the idle rpm and timing to specs. You have already replaced most of the problematic components--the only concern I have is the non-Honda distributor housing. If anything is wrong at this point, they should be able to quickly identify it.
  • Nov 24, 2007, 11:17 AM
    vacanteyes
    So, I was driving to work the next morning and the car just kind of stopped accelerating. I was pushing the gas but it wasn't going anymore, it was just coasting. I put it in neutral and floored it but nothing happened. Then the cel, battery, oil etc lights went on and I was able to steer it off to shoulder. Towed it to repair shop no. 3, who a few hours later said it was the wires that come off the distributor; the big group, that one of those was cockeyed and not plugged in all the way. That's why I was able to start the car occasionally by tightening connections. Yeah, a one dollar part. Driving the car home that night a SIGNIFICANT improvement in performance until the CEL turned on. Next day returned to shop, guy said because running crappy for so long the catalytic converter may have been kinked but it would not effect performance. It may resolve itself, if not it would only affect a smog check and reset cel. Later that day CEL came back on, though car still running well. My question is if I put the performance additives in the gas etc, would that facilitate the 'repair' of catalytic converter? Or any other suggestions on that?
  • Nov 24, 2007, 02:20 PM
    TxGreaseMonkey
    Not likely.
  • Nov 24, 2007, 09:26 PM
    Duane in Japan
    Get the code pulled for free at AutoZone, let us know what it is in case its different than before.

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