Is my ECU dying?

[87LX-I]

So, ever since I got my car back in August I've had a few issues with it that until now haven't been too severe, but lately it's been doing a few things that are just plain weird.

When I first bought the car ('87 LX-I, 5-speed, fuel injected) it ran great other than a little high idle and was a little hard to start, it would crank over maybe 5 times or more before it would fire up, and it seemed like it wasn't as bad when the car was warmed up. On the drive home from where I bought the car I hit the interstate and the PGM-FI light came and would stumble a little when the cruise was on and pulling a hill (acted like a miss or running out of gas) but other than that the car ran fine. The car has continued to run fine other than the PGM-FI light coming on at higher speeds and over 3k or so once the car has warmed up; sometimes I can drive it around town for hours and it won't come on.

This problem I could live with, lately though... it's been very strange. On the way home from work the other day I was at a stop light and the car started to idle really high, like 1800rpm and then it started to rev up and down by itself between 1k and 2k rpm. I gave it a rap on the gas pedal and it didn't hel, after a minute or so it went away, but when I went to pull away it stumbled a little but (like before). That was about a week ago, it hasn't done anything like that since.

I've also had the brake light warning light come on several times and I've checked, all my lights work fine, when the light is off and when it's on too.

So what's up here? Anyone have an idea WTH I can check? I'd like to get the problem sorted out because this car is in great shape interior wise, has very little rust and doesn't burn any oil.


Thanks in advance

-Curt

[russiankid]

Check what code the ECU is giving. Also for the brake warning, do you mean the taillight indicator or the brake light that is together with the rest of the lights( i.e oil,etc..)? If so check the fluid level.

[87LX-I]

Check what code the ECU is giving. Also for the brake warning, do you mean the taillight indicator or the brake light that is together with the rest of the lights( i.e oil,etc..)? If so check the fluid level.

I checked the code at one point but I can't remember what it was, I'll try and check again soon and I'll check the brake fluid today, didn't even think of that. The tail light indicator is what I mean, at the rear of the little car on the right (may say brake lamps); not the light that comes on when the e-brake is applied.

[AccordB20A]

If that brake Lamp lights on and theres nothing wrong with your bulbs, blame the little boxes on your tail lights. They fuck out often and display the light even tho your bulbs are good.

Try replacing them with ones off another tail light.

[Oldblueaccord]

The check engine lights sounds like an EGR code while running down the road like you describe. Theres some details about here if you search some.



wp

[nfs480]

Yeah, I had the same issue with the check engine light and it was EGR. Checked the EGR system and everything was working fine, cleaned it out and drove some more. Light came back on again so I gave up and took it to Honda. Turned out the solenoid valve for the EGR is sticking which caused the check engine light for the EGR to trigger. If it's an EGR code I recommend you check that solenoid valve out as well.

[lostforawhile]

check your battery terminals and your ground,also check the ground wire to the ecu under the seat,erratic operation can often be traced to the ecu having a noisy connection,this can trigger all kinds of codes. as far as the brake lights, check the contacts for corrosion,get some bulb grease for the sockets,and try that. also check the third brake light,it will also trigger the warning. make sure the contacts are clean and the bulbs aren't loose. get someone to step on the brake and wiggle the bulbs to see if they flicker.