Hi everybody, My name is Leeboy! I am building or finished building a 1989 Honda civic entry level stock car for my girlfriend. I took all interior parts out( I left all the original wiring and harness for at this level we have to have lights and keep everything in original order) and installed a basic roll cage. Painted the car and numbered it and went to drive it on the trailer and found the parking brake cables were welded stuck(from the heat) as well as the fuel sensor wires were also burnt. So we shut it off and we rocked it and I played with the cables and finally undid the locked brake cable. Started the car up and it was still ocked brake. So I took a cut off saw and sawed through the right brake cable( since we don't use them in racing anyways) Spun the tire, it was free and ready to drive on the trailer. I asked my girlfriend to start the car and lets load it up, but from the time I cut that cable and freed up the tire, it never started again. I have read all these threads... but I have no fuel pump sound, no spark no codes are flashing. I hot wired the fuel pump and it has a ton of power. I am flabbergasted!! The car turns over like brand new but it doesn't even come close to firing... Any help would be so much appreciated, cause the last race of the year is this Saturday and she would like to try one race and have fun. Why would it die after cutting parking brake cable? Any thing I can try? Please? Thanks a lot, Leeboy!

Check out parking brake switch--there could be an interlock.

Hi TexasGreasemonkey, Where would I find this switch? The car was running fine up until I cut through that brake cable... Could that shut down the whole system? I turned the key to the on position and the check engine light does not go off and I even put my hand on the main relay and cannot feel it click. The only click I get is when I turn the key to the start position, I get one click... But in the on position, no click, Also, I put key in the on position and pulled distributor cap off and those two wires on the (coil or rotor) (theres a + and a - ) they are live! I tried to look at the codes on the eye on the floor, but nothingh lights up there also... Any more ideas?
Thanks a lot!

Take the cover off the emergency brake and you should see it. Also, check all under-dash and under-hood fuses, if you haven't already. Pay particular attention to the ACG(S) under-dash fuse.

Hi , TXGREASEMONKEY, Which fuse would that be ? There's some 50 and 60 amp ones... I put a test light on each fuse and they all seem to work. I pulled out the main relay and the no 1 prong has no power... actually none of them have power. What fuse woukld run that harness? Thanks, Leeboy!

I think this is going to solve your problem. The under-dash fuse/relay box is to the left of the steering wheel. Remove the cover and the ACG(S) fuse should be clearly labeled. It's a 15 A fuse on the right side of the box, just to the left of the SRS fuse (which has a yellow plastic cover around it). Take one of the spare 15 A fuses in the under-dash fuse box and replace the ACG(S) fuse, if it's bad.

Hey TXGRMonkey, you are a genuis!! Thank you so much! It was one of the 15 amp fuses... under dash... I was following the fuel pump wires back and I saw that they had been damaged at one time right under the tank and were taped to gether and shorting out 2 fuses. So as soon as I changed the fuse( which I did earlier) it popped right away and I never went back to that one. ( under hood comparment) Then I swapped the 15 amper under the dash... I hear "Click" ( main relay) And fired it up and Zooooom!! Thanks again.. maybe the past owner( That's why the car was free) hit something and those wires were shorting out... but I repaired them and know more blown fuses! Im going for a ride now... Thanks a lot Forum!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Leeboy

The only click i get is when i turn the key to the start position, i get one click...But in the on position, no click.

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This was the "clincher" information you provided.

Hey TXGREASEMONKEY< Im GLad you know your cars... Shoulda see the big smile on my girlfriends face when that thing started..

Hey TXGREASEMONKEY, I have another question for you... I was doing some re-wiring and I saw one of my lines coming from the gas tank has a small leak in it. So... I looked at the lines and it is the one that has metal pressure fittings on it. It had a small plastic sleeve over it just where it joins between the insidse the car and outside the car. The pressure fitting nuts are pretty rusty and I don't want to wreck the tank any more since everything is perefect now... Except for the small pinhole in the steel line. Can I cut it and clamp on some fuel line? What should I so for a quick fix... Thanks...

Without really seeing it, it's tough to say. Could you temporarily take a piece of neoprene tubing, slice one side of it lengthwise, place it over the pin hole as a patch, and secure it with two aviation clamps?

I probably could do that... its like a pinhole rad leak... I was just wondering how pressurized these lines are... if a rubber fuel line would blow off... or blow up? And why are there 3 lines coming from the tank going towards the engine..

Are they evaporative pressure lines for emissions control?

Fuel pressure can approach 47 psi, which is why I suggested patching, rather than cutting. I've never had a problem with Honda fuel lines, so I don't have any first-hand experience with your situation. Gasoline will chemical burn your hands. It can be a throbing type pain and is carcinogenic. Make sure to disconnect the battery before working on your fuel system.

It may be worth a try--just be careful and keep a fire extinguisher handy.