[PlanB850]

The story behind the car is long and is detailed here.

I parked the car many years ago. Frustrated with constant maintenance I couldnt keep up with, I financed a new vehicle. With a running engine but many failing sub systems I left it under a tree and neglected it for at least 5 years.
I built the engine myself and have a long intimate history with the car.
Totaling my mdx left me with no transportation save my 10 speed. Ive been pedaling everywhere since june. I decided nothing could be so far gone I cant revive it.

Gas tank was empty. What should I do before I try to start it? Will rust be an issue?

 

[PlanB850]

Trying to organize all the things that need to be done.
Main issue besides the tank is the fact I can't find the key. If it doesn't turn up I'm going to look into getting a dealership to cut a key. Or replacing the lock cylinder.
I do want to get the engine running to begin adressing issues.
In the mean time I removed the ignition switch from the ignition lock itself and attempted to bump the starter by turning the switch with a screwdriver. The dash lights come on but the starter didnt react. There was a feint tick when I turn the switch all the way to the start position. It definitely wasn't the starter. Possibly a relay?
Thoughts?

Topped up antifreeze after taking a sample ofnthe coolant from the radiator drain plug. what was sitting and it was still green. No rust or oil or anything unusual. Its getting a new radiator soon so a flush is happening then.

The dipstick looks good. Only clean oil.

The rubber stopper that depressed the neutral safety switch in the clutch pedal assembly has crumbled. Inspecting that revealed an empty clutch fluid reservoir. The pedal goes to the floor. It wanst empty when I parked it so I need to fill and bleed the line and check for leak.

 

[tony4311]

check out this thread for a similar situation.

danteisme's 1996 DB8-Found and Rebuild Thread

 

[PlanB850]

So tomorrow I'm going to attempt to swap out the ignition lock cylinder, without the key. I looked everywhere. I really need to start the car to move forward.

I have a few ideas. Watched a few vids. But many advice would be helpful. As long as I'm within guide lines to discuss.

 

[PlanB850]

Still fighting with this ignition lock.

Anyone heard of depressing the lock pin using a magnet to retract the tamper proof clip thing?

Trying to damage anything.

Also neutral safety switch is siezed going to pop that off and see if i can revive it.

Also today fuel up for first time in at least 5 years. Tank is clean. So should be able to start it today.
Fingers crossed

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

I haven't posted on here in a while but your thread made the "trending posts" email that I get every so often and I fully support the resurrection! My 2 cents would be get your Acura dealer to cut you a key before things get too cut up. You may be able to give the parts department a call and briefly explain your situation. I had to do this once when I locked my keys in my car with no spare. You might need to take your title/proof of ownership (just in case, to prove its your car). However you'll need to know if you have an immobilizer active or not. If you have an active immobilizer you wont be starting the car without the key being programmed to the ecu. I believe the immobilizers were put into Integra's between '00-'01 but I could be wrong. If you have a green flashing key light in the cluster you've got an active immobilizer. Hope this helps, just my input. Good luck!

 

[PlanB850]

Thanks for jumping in with that great advice. Ill give them a call right away.
Alternatively: I found a locksmith who can come to me and cut a key for it 275$ ouch.

Also dropped a few gallons of ethanol free gas in the tank to do a test fire.
New plugs as well. Ngk v power.

Car turned over with the screw driver and my finger jammed into the clutch pedal assembly depressing the neutral safety switch.

Sadly I dont hear my fuel pump. Also attempted to start it on the old plugs for a chance to inspect if she wouldnt run. Totally dry. Also gas guage isnt registering the fuel in the tank.

Trouble shooting the fuel delivery now.

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

Good choice on plugs, NGK is basically the best plug (imo) especially for our cars. Those plugs were ready for replacement. As far as that switch goes, I've used wd-40 or a spray lube and actuate the switch by hand several times. Usually that's all they need. The rubber stoppers can be found online but Dorman offers them as well so you might be able to get them at NAPA or elsewhere. Try Dorman part number 74015. I had a box laying around here. Dealer might have them as well. Thankfully fuel pump is easy access behind rear seats. Speaking of fuel, a fuel filter replacement would be a good idea especially if the pump and tank are contaminated. Worth a check due to the time that it sat. You can also check to see if its getting power/ground to the pump while your back there using your test light. I'd lube up the cylinders with a tiny bit (couple drops) of ATF before you start it to help lube the cylinders. Once you have fuel pressure it might start after a few cranks or use a little starting fluid. Yeah locksmith isn't cheap but if you don't have that immobilizer active my bet is that the dealership would be lower cost. BTW: I love those wheels, are they TSW brand? I've had a couple buddies in the past that used to rock them back in the day, very nostalgic!

 

[PlanB850]

Going through ill the fuses and relays and found this.

Remains of a very large ant colony. Wish I had taken a pic but this whole box was full to the lid with a queens brood chamber. Larva and soldiers etc. This is the feces left over.

 

[PlanB850]

Spent the afternoon cleaning rhe underhood fuse panel.

Got this far with isopropyl. Tomorrow I'm gonna get a bottle of legit switch cleaner.

All three fuses for the FI were tested or replaced and still no prime on the FP. Popped the back seat out and probed the power line. No Voltage there or any other pin for that matter.

So all I know to do is check every fuse for voltage all the way back to the battery.

Also intending to jump the pump off to verify itll prime up once I sort the lack off power from the harness.

I have the hanes manual but any other advice is always appreciated.

To answer 01turbo from above:
Freed up the NSS and found an aftermarket pedal "stud" in the glove box. I apparently was already trying to sort that.

The wheels are "ADS" ...I think. 17s. Always hated them honestly tires scrub, are expensive and blow way to easily. All the while providing a very hard ride. Hoping to sell or trade for a set of oem alloys.

till tomorrow

 

[PlanB850]

Original build thread 2010

For anyone interested in the epic history between this car and I check out my build thread from 2010.

Recent development: after replacing an ecm related fuse the little green light came on the dash to let me know I wasnt gonna get fuel or spark without the key.
Memories were jogged and a hunt outdoors with a magnet quickly uncovered the original key.

However. Reconecting everything and optimistically turning the key yeilded no power to the fuel pump, no reading on the gas gauge, so troubleshooting on fuel delivery continues.

Upside: obd2 port is now active.

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

My comments:
Really really good read on the original build thread. You had me reminiscing on my build done in 2013-2014 (which I am now rebuilding engine) I wish I had done a build thread but heres a youtube I did on my baby:

The father and son Integra build is awesome. My Dad taught me how to change oil but I'm mostly self taught, I actually showed my Dad how to do an engine swap a Del Sol. Yeah the 17's on Integra's can have a tendency to ride hard and wear funky, just reminds me of how different things were in the late 2000's and 2010's. Glad you got the ant queen! I hate ants, they always end up taking over sitting vehicles. I've battled them many times as well as interior mold. Pretty cool on how you found the key. So did it sit after the suspected head gasket issue?

Possibly helpful:
I noticed the corrosion on the pins you probably know that corrosion can cause high resistance preventing power from reaching the load (fuel pump). Or maybe check the main relay under the drivers side dash, could be corroded inside. Might want to check the hanes manual for wiring diagram for the fuel pump and start checking those circuits for a loss of power or ground. Also I think you should attempt to jump the pump to see if it actually runs, even if it does you might want to pull it for inspection.

 

[PlanB850]

My comments:
Really really good read on the original build thread. You had me reminiscing on my build done in 2013-2014 (which I am now rebuilding engine) I wish I had done a build thread but heres a youtube I did on my baby:

The father and son Integra build is awesome. My Dad taught me how to change oil but I'm mostly self taught, I actually showed my Dad how to do an engine swap a Del Sol. Yeah the 17's on Integra's can have a tendency to ride hard and wear funky, just reminds me of how different things were in the late 2000's and 2010's. Glad you got the ant queen! I hate ants, they always end up taking over sitting vehicles. I've battled them many times as well as interior mold. Pretty cool on how you found the key. So did it sit after the suspected head gasket issue?

Possibly helpful:
I noticed the corrosion on the pins you probably know that corrosion can cause high resistance preventing power from reaching the load (fuel pump). Or maybe check the main relay under the drivers side dash, could be corroded inside. Might want to check the hanes manual for wiring diagram for the fuel pump and start checking those circuits for a loss of power or ground. Also I think you should attempt to jump the pump to see if it actually runs, even if it does you might want to pull it for inspection.

I actually went through a couple head gaskets and yeah besides that I was having cooling issues after hitting a deer. Lost my radiator fan. So it was one thing after the other. But I have that and about a grand worth of parts and upgrades bookmarked for when I get it to run.

Yeah the corrosion int the connector prompted a hault in the process.
Finally got some switch cleaner and dielectric grease.
At this very moment I'm combing the harness from engine bay to back seat, spraying out and packing all connectors and fuses with grease and testing continuity back to the previous opening.

Got a decent digital multimeter. So after the clean up I'm going to go ahead and verify spark and re check the fuel pump. Going to clean and grease the pgm-fi relay while I'm working on the under dash fuse panel.

Im hoping this due process will see the car running.

 

[PlanB850]

So following a fairly thourough clensing of the harness from the pump through the interior fuse panel into the the engine bay all the way to the underhood fuse panel, and up to the battery terminals. Also pulled and brushed all my grounds ( I think ). Put it all back together. Still no prime.
Did a quick ignition test, passed. Sprayed a bit of starting fluid for s and grins, to verify compression and firing order.
It did sputter to life for a brief moment. Which was a much needed morale boost.

Rolled through the hanes trouble tree for the pump.
-remove rear seat
-remove access hatch to pump
-pull 2p connection from pump
-jump female wire side of pgm-fi relay 7p harness connection pins 4 and 5
-turn ignition on
-check voltage at 2p connection (failed for 12v)
-checked ground anyway which was fine

Best I could get was 2volts. So back into the harness for relay testing.

 

[PlanB850]

Combing the harness again. Found this. I know grn/ylw goes to the fuel pump. But is this chewed up wire blk/wht or blk/ylw?

Edit: c305
The wire is blk/ylw
Looking through hanes diagrams now. I know I have to fix this but wondering if its the culprit behind my low voltage at the fuel pump.

 

[PlanB850]

Repaired the wire.
Bench tested relay (passed).
Checked voltage from battery at the 7p connector that plugs into the relay and only found 3 volts.
Any ideas where I might be losing power?

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

So following a fairly thourough clensing of the harness from the pump through the interior fuse panel into the the engine bay all the way to the underhood fuse panel, and up to the battery terminals. Also pulled and brushed all my grounds ( I think ). Put it all back together. Still no prime.
Did a quick ignition test, passed. Sprayed a bit of starting fluid for s and grins, to verify compression and firing order.
It did sputter to life for a brief moment. Which was a much needed morale boost.

Rolled through the hanes trouble tree for the pump.
-remove rear seat
-remove access hatch to pump
-pull 2p connection from pump
-jump female wire side of pgm-fi relay 7p harness connection pins 4 and 5
-turn ignition on
-check voltage at 2p connection (failed for 12v)
-checked ground anyway which was fine

Best I could get was 2volts. So back into the harness for relay testing.

I'm not in front of my hanes manual at the moment but this is from Mitchell's service manual at work for oem testing procedure (in case you want to test further)

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

I'm guessing that at the pgm-fi relay connector you are getting that 3 volt reading at pin #7 yel/wht wire? This wire should be hot at all times so it should reading battery voltage. This wire is supplied voltage from fuse #44 (15a) in the under hood fuse panel. Maybe check the voltage at that fuse using your multi-meter? If you find low voltage at the fuse, consider removing the under hood fuse panel and check underneath it for corrosion/chewed up wires. If everything at the under hood fuse panel is good then there may be an issue somewhere else in the harness between fuse #44 and the pgm-fi relay. I'll upload what I'm looking at.

 

[PlanB850]

Yeah I replaced 44
12v available there and 31 under the dash

My next mission is pulling all the connectors behind both fuse panels and sweeping for corrosion.

Banking on finding my issue there. If not, its starting to point to ecm.

Is it possible for the ignition system to work if the ecm is failing?

 

[01turbojdmgsr]

Yeah I replaced 44
12v available there and 31 under the dash

My next mission is pulling all the connectors behind both fuse panels and sweeping for corrosion.

Banking on finding my issue there. If not, its starting to point to ecm.

Is it possible for the ignition system to work if the ecm is failing?

I would 1st check the ecm connectors and definitely inside of the ecm for corrosion just based on how long the car sat. The ecm is spliced in to the blu/wht circuit coming from fuse 31 (diagram attached, hopefully you can see it) so if there is corrosion inside of the ecm it could possibly be eating up voltage that the pgm-fi relay needs to power the fuel pump. I would say it is possible for the ignition system to function and other systems not to. If you have 12v when starting is attempted at fuse #31 (under dash panel, 7.5a) and #44 then I would start looking for a loss of power/high resistance (chewed wire or corrosion maybe?) between those fuses and the 7 pin pgm-fi connector. In other words, you may have to trace the circuits. Another method would be to run an overlay for a suspected circuit (run a new wire or a jumper wire for testing but you'll want to disconnect the original circuit that you are testing). If you get power to the pump after you run an overlay, you then know you have a wiring problem.