HELP FELLAS, to the experience..I got alot accomplished but having starting troubles!

[blaze-0]

The history:
I swapped a 87 LXI A20A3 into a 89 LXI (this LXI also had A20A3), I used the harness and intake manifold from 89 LXI. I have dropped the engine back in reconnected everything, vaccum lines are in. It has trouble starting, at first nothing and I found ground was off. Now it cranks from ignition (was only positive to starter before), but it rarely turns over. It has a couple of times turned over for a bit and rpms fluctuate between 2k and 3.5k then stalls. Since it then would not start again when cranking, I checked plugs (firing order is 4321 correct?) and tested plug on far left by grounding, had spark. Put back in and it started everytime for like an hour but still fluctuated rpms. Now I am back to just cranking (distributor was swapped to 89 model.) Now battery is also dieing, left on over night and died. No light were left on.

What are yalls suggestions? I have the manual and have learned most of the part locations? But please provide me with idea of where part is with your testing suggestions. I hope I am not really shit out of luck. Tell me this swap was ok, can I be facing a wiring harness mismatch problem, or vacuum lines or something.

Let me know thanks!!!!

[3G Jester]

hows the power cable from the battery? do you have a short any where? charge the battery and give it another go. ecu good to go?

[blaze-0]

I neglected to mention by mistake that the parts engine from 87 Lxi was port & polished on intake and exhaust side per the previous owner. However, we used the intake manifold from 89 because it was different from 87 intake, we figured we needed to match up the connections from 89.

3g jester,
will need to charge or jump battery, but it was new when it started. How and where should I check for shorts? ECU was not changed out, it is the original 89 ECU. Could this possibly be a vacuum leak problem, if so how and where do I test it. Thanks for quick response!!

[Mars]

i thought it was a different order than 4321.... might check a manual on that.

[blaze-0]

well we had distributor labeled 1,3,4,2 for firing order and we ran cables in that order for cap side and engine side we used 4,3,2,1. So 1 was longest cable and 4 the shortest.

[blaze-0]

late night, checked again 4,2,1,3 on cap wired to corresponding plugs in a 4,3,2,1 order. Someone please tell me this is right, anyone second this?

[B16KILLA]

i'm 90 percent sure it's 1,3,4,2 let me check and ill get back to you.

EDIT: yep thats it ^^^^

[blaze-0]

any other ideas, I cabled it like you said

[Blkblurr]

What was wrong with the original engine? Why did you swap it out?

[B16KILLA]

any other ideas, I cabled it like you said

Double maybe triple check all connections and wires, only thing I cant think of is you forgot some thing . Are you using an 89 ecu? Do you have all the ground connected? Charge the battery,

[B16KILLA]

double post!

[Hondaisok]

Firing order on all Accords is 1-3-4-2. The cylinders are 4-3-2-1 as you first stated.(left to right, from front) The dist. cap is usually marked-4-2-1-3 from the coil lead.(clockwise)

[CruzenNC]

Post was originally started by my nephew, so you will see either of us respond to your questions.
We will double check the ground connections and stuff suggested.
B16Killa,
It is the 89 ECU, with 89 intake manifold on the 87 A20A3 block/head yada yada. Distributors have been switched back and forth between 87 and 89. We have pulled plugs twice and checked for spark, they are getting spark.
How do I test that I am getting the fuel to the right place in the combustion equation. Where is fuel filter located, I see fuel comes in from the line on passenger side of engine bay, by fuel pressure service bolt. I am forgetting now, not in front of it, how does the fuel go down the system in it entirety?
AIR, FUEL, SPARK= VROOM VROOM??? Right
And once I return to steady starts how do I solve my previous problem of RPM hunting between 2000 and 3500.
Do I test vaccum lines for leak, if so how?
The fast idle control has been changed to the 87 model. And we have kept the coolant at radiator full.
I know I am full of questions and done ideas. Thanks to all for the support and advice, this is a great site. I am searching for my second 3gee.

[CruzenNC]

Blkburr,

Well it was a sad case of newbies purchasing a vehicle and it overheating and knocking on the way home from the purchase. We had a mechanic, take a look at it and he basically said it was a goner, not worth the work as it likely had bottom end engine problem. Along with rusted muffler and such. So we came across what we thought then and hopefully still is, a great deal on a parts car for 3 bills. It started and sounded good in that car, but it was a parts car because of front end collision damage. Along with other sloppy interior details and rust on rear panels. We since then pulled and swapped engines, and are using the pacesetter header we now have heard bad things about, but the exhaust sounds alot better and muffler is nice shape. All pipes and such on this exhaust was light surface rust, since then sanded cleaned and painted silver. The cat was only thing used from 89 car because 87 was gutted. We changed gauge cluster, radio antenna, gear shift knob (auto acura legend type), speakers, after market wheels and rear bumper skin.

So we got our money worth in parts, we just trying to get r done, get vrooming. If all turns well we will send the 89 for paint.

[voiceinurhead05]

The firing order in the pistons is 1,4,2,3 the distributer cap should be marked to show you which wire leads where.

[CruzenNC]

bump!!! Don't quit on me now fellas, here is an update, still looking for ideas- this is driving me nutz. We changed out the fuel filter, just trying numerous things we read. Old filter fuel was real dirty. We also tried ignition coil and computer from 87 Accord LXI. Still will not turnover consistently only once in awhile. When it does it shuts right off. Can anyone answer my previous questions on vaccum, and main relay stuff. Someone please play Doctor and tell me whats is ailing my engine, why don't she want to purr?

[B16KILLA]

You may not have enough fuel pressure check the fuel pump , see if you have fuel pressure, make sure the engine is cold put a loosen the bolt that goes to the fuel rail and see if gas comes out, put a rag around/under first. Are you sure you have all your vacuum line numbers matched exactly? Did you make sure to hook up that little wire that goes to the fuse box in the engine bay? Get a compression tester make sure you have compression. Check your ecu plug and harness. If I think of anything else I'll post.

[CruzenNC]

I was thinking the same I loosend the bolt on fuel rail and it sprayed gas out. I checked vac lines like 4 times I believe they are correct, is there something I can match them up with to make sure(shop manual I have confuses me 86 base manual)

What little wire are you talking about, that goes to fuse box?????

I tried 87 ecu, does the light always suppose to come on with the ignition switch turned to on? it is not turning on at all.

[CruzenNC]

where and how much is a compression tester? And after all of that I do I use it???

[86-accord-lxi]

You can get a compression tester at wall mart for like 30 bucks, But I would get one at harbor freight, or autozone or something. To use,
disconnect the ignition coil, label and remove all spark plug wires, and spark plugs, disable fuel by removing fuse for injectors (in the fuse box in the engine bay) starting from right to left, screw the tester into the spark plug hole, have someone crank the engine over 7 times, write down the reading, and repeat like 3 times on each cylinder. The readings should all be within
10% of each other, 20% is acceptable, But 10 is tradition. 140psi is the service limit, But the main thing your looking for is that they are all even, or at least close (10% of each other) 105psi is acceptable as long as each cylinder is within 10% of each other. If you have a cylinder that is not within 10%, or is extremely low, pour a teaspoon of engine oil down the spark plug hole for that cylinder, Then check compression again, If it raises compression, your rings are proabably not sealing right, and need replacement.

[blaze-0]

hey guys i need some more help. im still having problems, i now switched computers so it will match the engine but the computer isnt sending any codes no blinking light anybody have any suggestions. also the air temp sensor is damaged it broke in half can that be the reason why the car is not starting. please let me know thanks anyone.

[blaze-0]

hey guys i have some more questions. i put the 87 computer in to the 89 so it would match the engine the promblem is theres no blinking light the computer isnot sending any codes does anybody no wyhat can that be. also i broke the temp sensor can that be the problem why the car is not starting help plese im out of ideas.

[B16KILLA]

change the air temp sensor, see what happens.

[blaze-0]

can use a 89 honda civic temp sensor or does it have to bo accord

[CruzenNC]

UPDATE!!!! All is well, so far. The bad starting was because of loose ground from fuel rail to engine block. Start everytime now, my high and jumpy idle is from the first bad and then non existent AIT sensor. That was solved with a replacement thanks to B16KILLA.

New issues now are I think minor but important, I need to find out why my battery drains so quickly after a charge, I started it and now the battery light stays on, I pull the positive connector from battery thinking it would run from alternator (is that valid test??) and it shuts right off. How and should I test alternator ( could I be missing a connection there? )

2nd - What is the noise I am getting from intake hole of throttle body, or intake manifold area, its like ta ta ta ta, like suction (I don't know).