2000 Si doing some weird electrical black magic. Please HELP!

[donovan772]

So, my Si is doing some weird stuff. At first it was overheating. Thermostat changed, switch changed, system flushed. Well it ran fine for a month or so. NOW it's overheating again and the fan is not coming on. Also my car does not want to start when the shifter is near 1st gear. But, when pushed over to 5th the speedo goes up and comes back down. Also, it will start while over there.
Here's a video:

http://youtu.be/sh4jrU0ISh0

 

[RonJ]

Auto to manual conversion or bone stock USDM Si?

Overheating - have you bled the cooling system?

 

[donovan772]

Auto to manual conversion or bone stock USDM Si?

Overheating - have you bled the cooling system?

Original USDM Si

Bled system.

 

[AlaskaB16]

Fuses good? Check to make sure your fan switch connectors are hooked up and in good condition? Any work being done to the car when you first noticed the problem? Rad cap check good? Hopefully your head gasket is still good. Check your oil for coolant?

 

[donovan772]

Fuses good? Check to make sure your fan switch connectors are hooked up and in good condition? Any work being done to the car when you first noticed the problem? Rad cap check good? Hopefully your head gasket is still good. Check your oil for coolant?

Haven't checked fuses. Maybe the relay but would that have anything to do with starting issue?
Connectors are good.
No work was being done to the car.
Cap looks good.
Headgasket is OEM Honda less than a year old. No coolant in oil.

I'm thinking it's a short somewhere but I can't tell.

 

[TokyoSkies]

Kinda sounds like there's a ground issue or something (pertaining to it not wanting to start in first gear etc.). Ensure your grounds are good, make sure alternator is good, and your next step will be to trace the wiring harness for a spike in voltage.

 

[RonJ]

How did you bleed it?

Are you the first and only owner? Did a previous owner do some rewiring? Is an aftermarket alarm system installed?

If you remove the shifter console, do you see any pinched wires or any wires at all?

 

[donovan772]

Kinda sounds like there's a ground issue or something (pertaining to it not wanting to start in first gear etc.). Ensure your grounds are good, make sure alternator is good, and your next step will be to trace the wiring harness for a spike in voltage.

I checked all my grounds and they seem to be solid. I believe the alternator is good because I can drive the car, it doesn't want to die. I checked for wires around the shift linkage but I'm not seeing anything.
I'm sure this will be ridiculously simple.

How did you bleed it?

Are you the first and only owner? Did a previous owner do some rewiring? Is an aftermarket alarm system installed?

If you remove the shifter console, do you see any pinched wires or any wires at all?

4th owner. No security was installed, but they did have a sound system. I've removed it a few times before and have not noticed any wires. But, I will go check again.

 

[RonJ]

And how did you bleed the cooling system?

If you see no wires under the shifter console, then also check for wires under the car around the shift assembly.

 

[donovan772]

And how did you bleed the cooling system?

And if you see no wires under the shifter console, also check for wires under the car around the shift assembly.

Just checked for wires and did not find any under the shifter console.
Bled the system by having cap off with heater on max and car running. Read up on how to do it multiple times and performed as instructed.

 

[RonJ]

Unplug the 2-wire radiator fan switch that plugs into the thermostat housing. Use a piece of wire or paperclip to short the two terminals in the wire harness connector. When you turn the key to ON(II), does the radiator fan run continuously? If so, does this prevent the overheating?

Starting/speedo problem - Any CEL codes thrown?

 

[donovan772]

Unplug the 2-wire radiator fan switch that plugs into the thermostat housing. Use a piece of wire or paperclip to short the two terminals in the wire harness connector. When you turn the key to ON(II), does the radiator fan run continuously? If so, does this prevent the overheating?

Starting/speedo problem - Any CEL codes thrown?

I took it to a mechanic a few days ago and he looked at it. The fan would work. Also, said the relay was getting power, too. But, somewhere between the relay and the fan, the fan is not getting it's power.

I will do the above as you said if you would like.

I have had a CEL since owning the car for an O2 sensor so I am not sure if there are any new codes.

 

[RonJ]

I took it to a mechanic a few days ago and he looked at it. The fan would work. Also, said the relay was getting power, too. But, somewhere between the relay and the fan, the fan is not getting it's power.

I will do the above as you said if you would like.

Doing the test I suggested will tell you whether there's any problem in the radiator fan circuit. If the fan runs after jumping the switch plug, then the circuit is fine. In this case, the problem is either a bad fan switch or air in the cooling system. The latter is the first thing to rule out by rebleeding the cooling system for about 15 to 20 minutes with the front end raised on stands.

I have had a CEL since owning the car for an O2 sensor so I am not sure if there are any new codes.

Pull the CEL codes to see what codes are currently thrown. Post them all.

 

[donovan772]

Did the paper clip test, fan ran perfectly. It also tries to run upon attempting to start the car.

I will try to take the car to an automotive place to pull codes.

 

[RonJ]

Did the paper clip test, fan ran perfectly. It also tries to run upon attempting to start the car.

Rebleed the cooling system as I mentioned.

I will try to take the car to an automotive place to pull codes

You can pull the codes with no special tool, just a piece of wire or a paperclip.

Click the Codes link in my signature. When you have pulled and written down the codes, then reset the ECU to see whether the codes repeat after running the engine.

 

[donovan772]

Just read the codes:
-Knock Sensor
-Primary o2
-Heater Circuit Malfunction

 

[donovan772]

Will re-bleed when motor cools

 

[RonJ]

Just read the codes:
-Knock Sensor
-Primary o2
-Heater Circuit Malfunction

Post the numbers

When you have pulled and written down the codes, then reset the ECU to see whether the codes repeat after running the engine.

 

[donovan772]

Not sure of the numbers, I just drove to my Honda dealership down the road and they used their reader and told me the codes. I was standing there looking at the same reader and they are indeed the codes.

 

[RonJ]

Having the numbers provides the most information. Did they or you reset the ECU to see if the codes repeat?