[TxGreaseMonkey]

Determine which 15 amp fuse controls power to the main relay. Remove it and make sure there is no corrosion. If you don't have an air bag, it could be fuse no. 12. See if this checks out.

Again, the problem is an "open" from the ignition switch harness to the main relay. I would remove the ignition switch and harness and see what you find. My experience with Hondas is that it is some component that fails, not the wiring harness itself.

[CoB_hatecrew]

Well I tested the blue and white wire from the switch to the relay and its fine... it's a green wire with a black stripe that goes from the relay, all the way around the engine bay to the ECM and its bad... I really don't want to re wire this car but it looks like I'm going to have to do it

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Are you saying it's the wiring harness from the ECM to the main relay that's bad? What did you see?

[CoB_hatecrew]

I did the test with the body ground and all the terminals on the main relay plug... I think its teminal two... its either terminal one or two and it's a green wire with a black stripe... from the fuse box to the plug there is no current through the wire at all... I haven't been able to test the rest of the wire because my meter doesn't have long wires for that...

[smoke69]

Hey TX, I got my civic to run for about one week now, but just today I let it warm up outside for about 20 minutes because of the cold Minnesota weather and suddenly my rpm's was going crazzy from 0 striaght to 2 rpms rapidly. I remember yesterday when I was leaving work that when I started the car it went straight to 2 rm and not the regular 1- 1 1/2. As of right now the rpm just died and won't move? The car also feels like It lost tons of power and barely wants to start up. When starting the car I also hear a high pitch sound and Im thinking that might be the starter? The weird thing is usually it starts up with just one click and has the hihg pitch sound. Can the starter stop the RPM? Conclusion is getting hard start, RPM DEAD, high pitch start.

Another thing to add is I have switched diz cap, rotor, coil, main relay. Plus whne I got it to work last week It took a lot of tries and maybe that hurt the starter?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

With rpm fluctuating like that, I would test or replace your igniter.

[CoB_hatecrew]

Tx it was the alternator silinoid valve fuse the was bad.. and now the main relay clicks all the times and the check engine light only comes on for like two to three seconds... but I'm still not getting spark... when you let go of the key a small orange spark will jump from the wire to a ground source if its not in the spark plug chamber... so I think I still need a new distributor what do you think?

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Sounds like you ended up replacing the fuse we talked about; i.e. the ACG (S) (ALT). ALT stands for alternator.

Does your CEL come on and go off after 2 seconds? If you can answer "Yes" to the 3 basic diagnostic questions, then the reason the car is not sparking is likely distributor-related; e.g. bad igniter or coil.

[CoB_hatecrew]

Yep only two seconds and its not the igniter because we get power through it... I am pretty sure it's the magnetic pickup that's bad and you can't swap those out

[TxGreaseMonkey]

First, I'd recommend having the igniter and coil tested at Autozone for free. Yes, it could be a bad pickup, but it's not a common problem.

All of this is somewhat strange, since you told me you put in a new distributor. Right?

[gtbikerISgarrett]

ok i recently bought a 1990 honda civic hb 5speed non v-tec... it wont start and if it does it doesnt stay running long at all. replaced the distributor and put a brand new computer in it... still wont run.. im getting spark into the distributor but none out... any ideas? thnx in advance

HI I have a 90 honda civic and had the same problem it is your main full rely that dose it I had no help to figure it out it is kind of hard to get to but it is under the dash on the driver side right next to the little cup or chang holder it is right behind it it got mine at the junk yard for $5 but if you buy a new one they are like 100 buck and that fix it for me I had replaced a lot of stuff to find it

[CoB_hatecrew]

No the main relay is fine I broke my lower dash getting to it, but it is the distributor I know for a fact now, thanks anyway

[CoB_hatecrew]

Tx I thought it was new but the guy had rebuilt it and he didn't know anything about cars at all, so I have to spend 180 bucks on a new distributor, and the people at auto zone are morons who don't know how to use the equipment, so we are just going to buy a new distributor. Thank you for all your help

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Check out EBay. One other guy on this site just bought a new distributor, with coil, igniter, etc. for $109. It was an incredible deal.

[CoB_hatecrew]

Yea but e-bay is unreliable... could end up getting a junk one that's missing parts... id rather buy it from hondazone.com, but again thanks for all of your help tx, if I have a problem again ill come to you

[CoB_hatecrew]

Hey tx, I got my distributor and put it in... I had to charge my battery and it is blistering cold here in Ohio right now, but I went to start it up after putting the battery back in and my gauge lights were dim and my main relay was buzzing... like it kept clicking rappidly, any ideas?

[CoB_hatecrew]

Also there is no power to anything in my car... not even headlights...
Not even the cd player

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Sounds like a bad ECM (clicking main relay)--run the K-Test. Also, check all under-hood and under-dash fuses.

[CoB_hatecrew]

The ecm is brand new... what is the k-test?? And I checked the fuses before n e of them... and all of them this time were fine

[TxGreaseMonkey]

Section A describes the K-Test:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/cars-t...tml#post219451

Other than that, I don't know what to suggest other than running through all of the crank but won't start tests again (Sections A and B).