CRX Engine Problems

[chaosmaker]

Hey all,


I made a post a few weeks ago about the 'engine warning light' coming on in my 1988 CRX (D16A8). I think this time i've got a bit more info which could narrow it down at least a bit anyway. I am going to take it to a mechanic in the next few days, its probabaly due for a service anyway.

But anyway, with the light, it comes on after I've been driving for about an hour, so its not a problem right from startup. If I stop the car, and wait about 20 seconds, then restart it, the light is gone. So although I dont know much, I guess its a problem that seems to happen after a bit of driving, but stops as soon as the car is restarted. But will come back on again later if I drive the car for long enough.

I know this stuff is very general, and I wouldnt expect you guys to be able to pinpoint problems, but if the info I have there could give you some clue at all, it would be great if you could at least think of a few 'common' problems that come in the same kind sequence as I described.

Thanks alot.

[panda[cRx]]

check your ecu for error codes, that should help you.

any noticable difference in the car performance wise?

a similar thing happened when my mate put too much oil in his civic, once it warmed up the engine light game on (i guess coz the oil expanded with the heat?)

it would be impossible for someone to tell you from that info what ur prob could be, so yeah i'd say check ur ecu before you take it to a mechanic

[chaosmaker]

Yep, any tips on helping me find the ECU? cause I read the post about using the paper clip to get the codes. But I looked under and behind the glove box and couldnt find it.

I did put some oil in it a few weeks ago, which was like 2 weeks after I bought it, please dont abuse me if I'm stupid:

1. Its gotta be filled between the two little holes in the dipstick right?

2. There was a bit of oil already in it, which gave me a reading under the lowest hole on the dipstick, I dont know what brand was already in there, but I just filled it up to the top dot with some castrol stuff because I was going to give it a full change soon anyway.

[chaosmaker]

Oh, and also, I have not noticed a difference in performance since the day I got it, even after this light comes on.

[panda[cRx]]

yeah oil between the 2 holes is fine.

to find ur ecu pull up your carpet on the passenger side under the glove box. you will see a lil box with a window for the light to flash

[chaosmaker]

Ok, that was so damn simple, even at 11:16, for a fella who knows jack about that stuff.

It was just a constant period flash. There was no combination of shorts and longs, so it was either constant long flashes or consant short flashes. Which gives me a 1 or a 10. Which according to sources is:

1 Oxygen Sensor "A" (Primary) defective circuit or unplugged / defective sensor

or

10 IAT Sensor (Intake Air Temperature) defective circuit or unplugged / defective sensor

[chaosmaker]

thanks for the help by the way, and is there anyway I can see easily if any of those sensors are 'unplugged'?

[chaosmaker]

If they are whats causing the light, why is it the light only comes on after a while of driving and then goes off once i restart? (I'm talking the engine check light here, not the ECU light)

[mr crex]

does the light go off at all ? or is it just on ?

if its just ON then your ecu might be stuffed ?

[chaosmaker]

Hey sorry, I havent written my messages well enough. The ECU light flashed to give me code 1 or 10, i cant tell if they were long or short flashes since I have nothing else to compare them too, but I'm fairly sure its code 1, which is:

1 Oxygen Sensor "A" (Primary) defective circuit or unplugged / defective sensor

The other light I was talkign about was the engine check light. If you re-read the last post, I've edited it to make clear what light I was talking about. The engine check light comes on after a while of driving 45mins-1hour, but if I restart the car, the engine check light is gone.

So my questions now are:

1. If it is the Oxygen Sensor, is there anyway to just see if its come unplugged or something, without having to play around electrical stuff?

2. If the problem causing the engine check light was the Oxygen sensor, why does it only come on after a while of driving, and why does the engine check light go once i restart?

Thanks.

[mr crex]

a 1 single flash would only last <1second ...a 10 flash should last about approx 2seconds

if its O2sensor you might just have to replace the sensor ... I've heard of the problem of it just stuffing up.

if your o2sensor is stuffed, you can either replace with a new one (from Honda Aus) or if you like I just pulled the o2sensor off my old d16a8 headers and can send it to you if you wish to pay postage ?

[panda[cRx]]

hmmm i dont really have any experience with sensors so cant help u much there bud.

as far as i know the oxygen sensor is on the header (can someone else help here?)

[bumography]

i reckon its your o2 sensor
because this is what happens to me.
Sometimes it doesnt happen..

[chaosmaker]

How hard would it be to install a new/used Oxygen sensor? Is it just plug job? Or will I need to solder stuff? Will I need to reset the ECU or anything?

I would do it myself if its simple enough, and as long as theres no chance I can stuff up any of the electrical stuff.

[chaosmaker]

Can anyone give me a picture of the oxygen sensor so I know exactly what it is, I can see the little black wire connecting to the exhaust manifold. Is the sensor actually on the manifold, or does that wire connect to it and the sensor sits somewhere else?

[mr crex]

the wire you see is the wire for the sensor ... the sensor is screwed to the 4-2 section (the cast piece) of your exhaust manifold... you will need a size 22 spanner to remove it ... you may also find it hard to get to with the headers still installed in the car.

email me at steve@proecu.com and I can email you a pic... I dont have any server space to host anymore pics sorry.

[SINISTR]

im putting down for the o2 sensor as well. Used to have that problem on my GENONE, it actually made the car run BAD, over fueling etc.. but once ignition was reset it was fine for a while.

Since you dont to any of this stuff yourself, i'd recommending taking it to someone who knows how to do it... although it would be good to learn, I just think that first time you should go elsewhere and if you can stand close enough to the man doing the job just observe... you will then know in the future how to do it yourself.

but yeah - im putting my 'money' on the o2 sensor (5c) LOL

[chaosmaker]

ok thank you all very much for the help, i know exactly where the O2 sensor is now.

If it is the O2 sensor, why is it i get no engine check light sometimes, but then other times i get the engine check light?

Also, just wondering, its ok to use BP Ultimate in my car isnt it? Or should I be using regular? Or do I need to get stuff adjusted for the better fuel?

Thanks.

[n/a]

just about the use of high octane petrol, there isn't any reason why you can't.

but if your car has travelled a fair bit on regular unleaded then i think it'd be better if you stuck with it.

besides, i don't really think it'll be much different. depending on how you drive that is.

[panda[cRx]]

doesnt matter if you have been using regular unleaded. just replace the sensor, reset the ECU and keep filling up with BP ultimate

btw what state u located? also check out the crxaus forums at http://crxaustralia.hondata.com.au/crx-forums/index.php?act=idx
the main page is down atm but hopefully soon that will be fixed, anyway u can access the forums from that link.

[ECU-MAN]

your O2 sensor should be mounted on the exhaust manifold, you need a special tool to remove it, but there are other ways of getting it out with out the tool. the reson the MIL comes on after you have driven for a while is because PGMFI system donsnt refeer to the O2 while the engine is cold, also the single wire O2 sensor only works once the exhaust gasses have heated the sensor to operational temp, newer O2 sensors have a heater built in to help warm the sensor up to operating temperature quicker.

sounds like to me your code is code 1. if you want to see what code 10 looks like unplug your IAT ( Intake Air Temp ) and start your engine, then you will generate code 10 in your ecu, tuen your engine off plug back in your IAT and unplug your battery for 10 to 15 seconds to reset the ECU.