hmmmm.......weird problem

[3rdGenHatchBack]

ok heres my deal, i was hading to the bank about 2 months ago and my car just died.....the first thing that came to mind was the ecu, as i have had problems with that ecu in the past, i tried to start the car over, and over, and over again, but to no avail. the dash shows the pgm-fi light on, which means that it is throwing a code, but the light on the ecu wasnt doing anything, not on, and not blinking.......i have replaced the distributer, and the coil, then i checked for spark and fuel, and i am getting both....but it wont start.....if i spray a bunch of starter fluid in there it will run for like 3 seconds but sound like it is running on only two or three cylinders.......i have gotten a couple ecu's from the junkyard but none of them were exactly alike, one was from an 87 lxi with a auto trans, the other was from a 88 lxi with a manual, but was significantly smaller.....they all plugged in but i couldnt get anything out of them.....do i need the exact ecu as the one i had stock or does it matter??

any insight would be hella helpful as i have been without a ride for 2 months now and it really sucks!

[3rdGenHatchBack]

oh, and my car is an 89 lx-i hatchback with a manual trans

[Oldblueaccord]

ok heres my deal, i was hading to the bank about 2 months ago and my car just died.....the first thing that came to mind was the ecu, as i have had problems with that ecu in the past, i tried to start the car over, and over, and over again, but to no avail. the dash shows the pgm-fi light on, which means that it is throwing a code, but the light on the ecu wasnt doing anything, not on, and not blinking.......i have replaced the distributer, and the coil, then i checked for spark and fuel, and i am getting both....but it wont start.....if i spray a bunch of starter fluid in there it will run for like 3 seconds but sound like it is running on only two or three cylinders.......i have gotten a couple ecu's from the junkyard but none of them were exactly alike, one was from an 87 lxi with a auto trans, the other was from a 88 lxi with a manual, but was significantly smaller.....they all plugged in but i couldnt get anything out of them.....do i need the exact ecu as the one i had stock or does it matter??
any insight would be hella helpful as i have been without a ride for 2 months now and it really sucks!

Well if it runs off starting fluid then you have spark so you need fuel.


wp

[3rdGenHatchBack]

with starter fluid it runs like shit....for like 3 seconds.....and i have fuel, already checked.
thanks for your input though!

[Blkblurr]

But you don't have fuel getting into the intake or it would run like it did when you put starting fluid in it. Your injectors my not be firing or the fuel pressure regulator may be bad and not getting enough fuel pressure to the injectors.

[Kabuki]

No, no... He means that you are not getting any fuel pressure. This sounds like a main relay to me. Part number 39400-SE3-003, and it lists for $61.35. It's located up under the dash to the left side of the steering wheel. It'll be a handfull sized box of black plastic with a (large) seven wire harness. Sometimes they can be repaired, because the most common problem is that the solder joints on the little circuit board inside break. So just heat up the old soldering iro and re-whet the joints. That usually takes care of it. You'll want to pull it out and look at it first though. If you need a new unit, let me know. I can ship that on out for $55 including freight.

[3rdGenHatchBack]

not main relay, i have had main relay woes in the past with my EF civics, and i didnt get power to anything at all......

but i guess it is worth a shot, and thanks but no thanks on the offer, i have a full parts car in my back yard

[3rdGenHatchBack]

c'mon guys.....any ideas?

[lostforawhile]

you said no light at all on the ecu? thats supposed to indicate a bad one,or no power to it,but the dash light is on. let me look at my book tomorrow and see what it says. it gives specifics. there should be one light on with the ignition key on. you have a multimeter right? i'm going to look up some specifics on that, someone on here had the same problem before,and it was one terminal bad on the ignition key. it has two ignition terminals. actually three on the lxi i believe. his wouldn't start sometimes,and other times it would,was the key switch burned out. if it's that it's really easy to replace,you just replace the electrical part,not the cylinder part.

[Kabuki]

Have you actually tested to see if there is fuel pressure?

[lostforawhile]

if the ecu is throwing a code i don't believe the system has a fuel pressure sensor this is exactly what the other car was doing, i wish i could remember where that was at

[Honda-Master]

do not condemn the ecu or anything for that matter until u diagnose it properly or you would be only pissing money away ,,chk to see if u are getting fuel and or spark,, sounds like it is lack of fuel if it starts with starting fluid which by the way is SHIT ,, use carb cleaner if u have to,,,,,,If it is lack of fuel, chk to see if you are getting power at fuel pump. if you are u need a fuelpump.. if u are not chk the fuse if ok, remove the main relay, pry it open and resoder the cracked soderings that i guarantee you will find ,i have seen a shit load of relays go bad ,,, you dont need to buy a new relay ...

[lostforawhile]

check the yellow wire going into the ecu for power with the ignition on. according to the book if the ecu is throwing a code 0 which is what it's doing,it has gone bad or it isn't getting power or ground. a code 0 is when it says check engine,but the led on the ecu isn't blinking anything

[Blkblurr]

How does the engine run if the ecu is dead?

[lostforawhile]

it's running on the starting fluid,the ignition works if the ecu is dead or not. starting fluid is ether,it's flammable. when it runs out of starting fluid it dies,the startingfluid is taking the place of the air fuel mixture in the cyls.

[3rdGenHatchBack]

thank you for all of your help guys!

i will test the ecu for power, and check my main relay tomorrow.

i finally got my stupid hoopty shadow on the road so i have transportation for the moment....

[jbartholomew]

you might want to check the O2 sensor, i had mine go on a 87 accord lx. it was doing the same thing, just dieing for no apparent reason. i also had a problem with the ignition switch arcing and not making contact, thus shutting down the fuel pump spuratically whenever it wanted to, even driving home on the hwy.