98 Honda Civic EX Stalls out

[gporziella]

Hello. The other day while driving my CElLcame on and shortly after my car stalled out randomly while driving down the road. It started back up but the stalled out again shortly after. Got towed home. Did some research and saw it might be main relay. Replace and did not help. Still have CEl and car staRTED and stalled shortly after. I brought to my mechanic and he thinks it the Ignition switch or CPU. He wanted to start with ignition and go from there. I also brought to dealer ship and they tried telling me that it's the main relay. Even though I just replace 1 day prior. I got the main relay from Autozone. Dealership told me that the one I got was bad and that an OEM would fix the problem. I had them order it(only $60) but i wanted to see if anybody has any advice. THe car cranks but doesnt' start. I think somewhere there is an electrical issuge that causing fuel not to stop going to engine. After the car stalls, if I wait 10-15 min it will start, but will only stay started for short tiime. Any help would be awesome. I want to keep this car. Har it for 7 years. Thanks

 

[James315]

sounds like ignition switch problem to me not key switch but the eletrical part on the back of it inside the colum

 

[TokyoSkies]

sounds like ignition switch problem to me not key switch but the eletrical part on the back of it inside the colum

If it's stalling while driving and throwing a CEL, it's unlikely an ignition issue, isn't it? I would assume more fuel cut off or something.

 

[Paul-R]

This something you dont guess and throw parts at. I diagnose a ton of these issues a day. here are a few tests you should do to pinpoint the problem

1. Test the Black/Yellow (BLK/YEL) wire at the igniter; it should have battery voltage with the Key On Engine Off (KOEO). The coil negative wire should also have battery voltage.

2. The Yellow/Green (YEL/GRN) wire should have 9 to 12 volts produced by the igniter. If the YEL/GRN wire has the correct voltage, the Engine Control Module (ECM) should pulse the voltage to ground, to create spark. This signal can be checked on a scope or a dwell meter. Normal dwell is 10 to 14 degrees on a 4-cylinder scale. Also, the signal would be a square wave on a lab scope.

3. If the signal is good, look for a trigger signal on coil negative. Also, the dwell on coil negative should be close to the same at the YEL/GRN wire. If the dwell on coil negative is OK or there is a trigger signal, replace the ignition coil first.

which will always lead to a faulty ignition coil .

good luck

 

[Paul-R]

there was one time the computer was bad thats something that doesnt happen offten .

 

[gporziella]

Thanks for all the help. I got the ignition switch replaced and it fixed the problem. I guess it when one of the wires heated up it caused the ignition to shut power off to the fuel delivery. Honda had a recall On this issue but dealership said it was already replaced. It's sounds suspect, but my baby's running good again.