electrical

[jdragon]

Hey need a little help...when i push the breaks on my car my idle drops and engine shakes..or when i turn on the radio...i have new spark plugs and wires but my car idles bad...also when i press the gas my car vibreates under me...please help...1989 accord se-i

[Magny]

souns like a fuel problem, you may be starving the engine for it to shudder like that during acceleration. As for the braking and turning your radio on, it may be the distribution block (fuse panel) having a bad connection, I could be wrong on this.

[jdragon]

ok thanks....another question...if my cat was going out would it shudder like it does..i mean i just bought the car like a week ago and it looks like new injectors or all the bells and wistles like filter and all...i only paid $2g's for it...and agin thanks for the help

[Magny]

if you can get your front end of the car in the air, you can actually remove the cat yourself and inspect it. once you take the cat off the exhaust pipe, take a flash light and look inside to see if the honeycomb lookin thing is mostly plugged and/or damaged. if it is, then you are in need of a new cat.

*EDIT* by the way get ready to have a whole can of WD-40 at your disposal, because the nuts may be a little hard to get off. I used rustblaster, some off brand solution where I live.

[jdragon]

Ok....thanks For The Help....

[Magny]

no problem

[smufguy]

Hey need a little help...when i push the breaks on my car my idle drops and engine shakes..or when i turn on the radio...i have new spark plugs and wires but my car idles bad...also when i press the gas my car vibreates under me...please help...1989 accord se-i

When does it do that? In park/neutral or in gear? I dont know if you drive an auto or a 5spd.

You can also check on your brake booster and the vaccuum lines to see if they are going bad and u might have a vaccuum leak. If it does that while ur slowing down, then most likely its ur answer.

Also, how is your ignition system besides the plugs? are ur wires and ur cap and rotor good? check on ur ignition coil with a spare one if u can.

A bad engine or tranny ground can also make you do this. how much voltage do you put out when engine is idling under no load and with full load?

[jdragon]

well all the wires, dist and all is new..its a 5 speed...i bought a thick ground wire cause the one it had before was kinda rusted ..so i sanded the area and put a thicker wire on it...nothing changed....i have to get a volt meter and check it out...it idles a little rough but i think im going to get the timming checked out....all the vac lines are new and numbered...maybe the altanator..i dont know...but i will check that out...thanks for the suggestions....

[Blkblurr]

Do you have the stock SEi radio and amp? Sounds like you have several problems. Using your brakes or turning on the radio causes a load to be put on the alt which in turn requires more torque to spin. This would be noticable if you are having other problems with your engine. Any codes on the ECU? Could be a vacuum leak, bad fuel pressure regulator, bad injector or clogged injector screen. Does it idle rough when warm and cold?

[johnwc723]

yeah that sounds like it really could be an alternator problem to me, if the load sensor thing on it is messed up it could cause your idle to drop alot when a radio turns on etc. i would also get that checked out, alot of places will do free alternator tests, get a load test done. does the idle drop dramatically whenever you turn on anything?

the fact that your break lights turn on when you push the brakes on could also support my bad altenator idea, i would say get it tested

[Vinny]

Check your idle control solenoid valve. Its vacuum operated and controled by the the ecu and actuated when electrical loads are turned on. Could cause you to have a VERY rough idle when you turn power accesories on.

[jdragon]

Do you have the stock SEi radio and amp? Sounds like you have several problems. Using your brakes or turning on the radio causes a load to be put on the alt which in turn requires more torque to spin. This would be noticable if you are having other problems with your engine. Any codes on the ECU? Could be a vacuum leak, bad fuel pressure regulator, bad injector or clogged injector screen. Does it idle rough when warm and cold?

yes i have every thing stock..and it does drop when i turn on the radio....and the heater or air....i will get the alternator chr=ecked ,,,is ther another altenator i could use....i plan on getting a beter system..but speed first...thanks for the help...

[jdragon]

yeah that sounds like it really could be an alternator problem to me, if the load sensor thing on it is messed up it could cause your idle to drop alot when a radio turns on etc. i would also get that checked out, alot of places will do free alternator tests, get a load test done. does the idle drop dramatically whenever you turn on anything?

the fact that your break lights turn on when you push the brakes on could also support my bad altenator idea, i would say get it tested

thanks ill check that out....

[jdragon]

Check your idle control solenoid valve. Its vacuum operated and controled by the the ecu and actuated when electrical loads are turned on. Could cause you to have a VERY rough idle when you turn power accesories on.

2 questions..1 how do i get the ecu codes..i mean how does that work...will a light blink or is it with the paper clip under the dash thing...and 2 where is the idle control solenoid...thanks for the help....

[Mac]

On most accords (not positive about 89 SEi) there is the ECU under the driver's seat. If you look under the driver's seat from the back you will see a plastic box. You will also notice a small door type panel that will open. Open it up turn the key on and a light will blink the code.

[jdragon]

On most accords (not positive about 89 SEi) there is the ECU under the driver's seat. If you look under the driver's seat from the back you will see a plastic box. You will also notice a small door type panel that will open. Open it up turn the key on and a light will blink the code.

thanks for the info.......

[Blkblurr]

I think your alt is fine. I think you have a problem that shows up more when you put a load on your alt. The amp in your SEi requires a lot of power and therefore places a load on the alt. You can get a heavier current alt if you plan to upsize the power of your system. The point I was trying to make is that it's normal for your rpm's to drop when you place an electrical load on the engine but it shouldn't drop too much. I would look at the fuel delivery system ie; injectors, fuel rail pressure regulator, fuel filter, distributor cap and distributor. It sounds like based on your description that one of your cylinders is not firing. I would suspect an injector or distributor problem. maybe bad fuel.

[JohnnyFonz]

I have the same issue, with my carbed LX.
If I turn on the heater, CD player and headlights, I can drag down the RPM's by 500 or more.
Never thought it was right, but I have no idea what could be wrong.
I'm about to do the vacuum line removal in hopes that it will help.
-Chad

[skull1441]

yep i have same problem, it happens when i turn on my lights and/or when i step on the brake ..... sometimes in the morning, i hit the brake, the RPM goes soo low that my engine cuts off (rarely tho) .....

[catalin]

I think you may all be missing the fact that the alternator has to have a strong grounding point.

Jdragon is the engine block grounded to the chassis well?? I know you said you bought a thick ground, but where did you connect it to?? Make sure you're getting a good strong complete circuit from the alternator to the battery and chassis....

[skull1441]

o and this started happenning after my car was sitting for about 6 months without being driven cus my Autozone clutch shattered !!! ( i let the engine run for 15-20 mins once a while tho )