Dear Friends:
My Honda Accord 1996, EX, 4 cyl. 2.2L, F22B2 bought in Canada is having thisproblem:
it has to be cranked 3 to 4 times until it starts. If thekey is returned to the “off” position during these “crankings”, it does notstart ever. By adding Starting Fluid at the BT the engine starts immediately. Measuringthe injector pulse with a noid light shows just one weak pulse and thennothing.
After the engine starts the car runs fine, most of the time perfectly,in other occasions it turns it off as with an idle problem, the revs goes verylow until the engine stops. When started again it runs fine or has the samefailure again, eventually it runs fine.
I pulled the blue connector in front of the passenger seat,bridged it and got these ECU Codes:
9, 12, 17 and41.
The EGR valve,I guess this is the code 12, was closed many years ago with no consequences.
Thespeedometer, I guess this is the code17, has been not working again for years.
The code 41,I guess is referring to the heater in the Oxygen sensor.
I believe themeaningful code here is the 9, CKP and TDC sensors.

A friend connected a scanner and this is what we got:
09-2: CMP SENSOR A INTERMITTENTINTERRUPTION
12-3: EGR VALVE LIFT INSUFFICIENTDETECTED
17-2: VSS NO PULSE OR NOISE
41-2: HO2S (S1) HEATER FAILURE
This scanner does not show the PXXX codes.
I AM GUESSING THAT THE “CMP” SENSOR REFERS TO THE CKP ANDTDC SENSORS LOCATED IN THE SAME HARNESS CLOSE TO THE TIMMING BELT… or would itbe the sensor located in the distributor ? Which I think is the CYP sensor ?
I measured the sensor resistance at their connectors and also at the ECU terminals.
CKP and TDC measure the same 2210 ohms. No grounding in anyof the pins. (C2-C12 and C3-C13)
CYP located in the distributor measure 385 ohms. (C4-C14).My distributor is the one with two connectors (2 pins and 4 pins).
My questions:
Are these resistances values OK ? Should I change theCKP-TDC sensors ? The ECU was checkedand according to the shop everything was fine… I am not sure this shop is areliable one.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for my terribleEnglish.
Thank you

 

The CYP sensor is located in the distributor and is not serviceable. Based on your code and your symptoms, I'd have to guess the distributor is due for replacement. The CKP and TDC sensor are a possibility, but your code is for the CYP sensor.

 

With all codes that point to a "sensor problem" the real problem can be the sensor, the wiring, or the engine computer. You always want to diagnose before just assuming the sensor is bad, wasting money, and still have a problem.

The cylinder position sensor is in the distributor. You can do a resistance check on the 4-pin connector to the distributor between the yellow and black wire. The resistance should be 0.8-1.5 kohms. Also inspect the pins and wiring nearby for possible damage.

EDIT:

The code 17 is a problem with the speed sensor. The cruise control wouldn't work and maybe cause mistimed shifts if you have an automatic.

Code 12 is for EGR. Sounds like it is blocked off. The only issue that would cause is higher NOx emissions and almost a miss between 1800-2200 rpm.

Code 41 is and issue with the primary O2 sensor heater circuit. There is a resistance test between the two wires away from the tab to release the electrical connector. The resistance should be 10-40 ohms.

 

[QUOTE=PAhonda;367314]With all codes that point to a "sensor problem" the real problem can be the sensor, the wiring, or the engine computer. You always want to diagnose before just assuming the sensor is bad, wasting money, and still have a problem.

The cylinder position sensor is in the distributor. You can do a resistance check on the 4-pin connector to the distributor between the yellow and black wire. The resistance should be 0.8-1.5 kohms. Also inspect the pins and wiring nearby for possible damage.


Thank you APhonda,
I meassured 385 ohms between the black and yellow wire pins and also between C4 and C14 in the ECU terminals, also no grounding in any of them. May I assume that the sensor is not causing the problem ?
I also borrowed a used but apparently working distributor, it was installed with no luck, the failure was still there. Could a bad ECU give the code 9 ?

Thank you

 

Thank you, I meassured 385 ohms between the sensor terminals, is it okey ? Could be the sensor resistance okey and still not work fine ?

thank you

 

You should recheck the resistance. The number should be between 0.8 and 1.5 kohms (800-1500 ohms). If you have access to the other distributor repeat this test on the distributor connector.

 

Thank you APhonda, I checked the resistance in a brand new distributor, it was around 390 ohm. I have checked and I believe there are at least 3 different types of distributors for this Accord model, mine is the one with 2 connectors (2 pins + 4 pins).
Thank you again.

Just to double-check, I am going again to an Honda dealer to check on a brand new distribuitor this resistance. Would it be other distributors for this car with different sensor's resistance ?

 

Looks like my 96 shop manual has an error The other manual I has shows the spec for the LX/DX distributor as 300-700 ohms. Since swapping out the distributor didn't work, and the resistance is the same at the distributor connector and ECU, then I would lean towards a bad ECU.

I remember TexasHonda had a bad ECU that I am pretty sure was giving him a ECU code 9.

 

Thank you, I guess the problem is the ECU. I appreciate your help.