Hi,

I got a 88 Civic hatch.
I just swapped out the DX engine for the D16 Si engine.
I got everthing mounted and connected.
So I go to turn the ignition on and there is absoluetly no power.

I tried a new battery and main battery fuse and it made a normal spark, but once i tightened it on it stopped the sparks like usual.
Anyways, I went to go try the ignition and still no pwoer whatspever. No hazards, lights, dash, anything

The postive has one cable goin to the fuse panel and one cable going to the starter.
when i bought the car, the guy had to neagative cables. One cable went from one of the tranny bolts and the other was the regular ground cable from the clutch cable. I dont know why he had that extra ground cable but I didnt use it this time.

Please help, i really need this car running by monday.
Thanks alot.

 

Alright,

This is what I have concluded so far.
It is not the battery causing the problem because I put a brand new fully charged battery in.

It is not the positve battery cables because they are secure and tight.

It is also not the negative because I put a whole new ground wire in.

I also cleaned the terminals to get a good connection.

It is not the main battery fuse because I jus bought a new one and replaced it.

I thought it was the starter cable but it wouldnt make a difference because I would still get some power.

Im starting to think maybe I should get a new engine fuse panel. Maybe it got messed up in there somehow.

Also, I am gonna go to a junkyard and get the positve and negative cables from another car.
So I can use the stock cables the way they where supposed to be.

Other then that Im clueless on how to fix this problem. I am not gettin any power at all.
Anyone got any idea on whats causing this?
Thanks

 

its your ground on the wiring harness most likely check all grounds

 

about 2 months ago i got the chance to work on a Pinto, lol, go figure, the dude died out near my front yard, any way it was his ground wire, was doing the same as yours, on his it went from the battery to right below the valve cover on the passenger side, i put in a new distrib, and plugs/wires, then i asked him to try it, it sparked from there, i cleaned it off and tightened the hell out of it, and it started the first try,

sounds like your prob, maybe he had 2 grounds for a reason?...

 

check the wire on the altenator the same thing happen to me in a crx i was doing the little lip that goes down on that ring might be touch and grounding out let me know if this works!

 

Try a new fuse box itself.

 

Yep, took the fuse box off and tried putting it in my 4th gen 4 door.
Which is basically the same, car, engine excapt it a sedan.
I put it on and no power, put the orignal one on and got power.
So now I know its the fuse box im gonna go buy anew one and hopefully it solves my problem.

Thing is what could cause it to blow?
replacing the main battery fuse did nothing.

Thanks

 

never heard of that one must be one of those "old" honda problems

 

It was not the the fuse box.
Because I used the same one I got and we got some pwoer out of it.
So far I have installed a brand new main battery fuse, new fuse box, new battery, and new negative and postive battery cables also.
But I still do not get power.
The battery is fully charged also.
However, if you dissconnect the starter cable and jus leave the positve cable from the fuse panel and turn the ignition you will get a timny bit of power. Not enough to power lights, or even windshield wipers.
But just a faint light of the dash. (battery, oil, seat-belt indicator)

Someone told me the starter on our civics are directly connected with the electrical system. And that I would have to replace the whole starter. What does that little wire do that goes to the starter?

I am basically clueless now because of all the stuff I have replaced.
ANyone got any idea?
Only left to do is get a new starter. I really dont have the funds as of right now to buy one so Im basically screwed till I do.

Thanks