Car surges, dies. Requires kick-start to start.

conor97hx

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Hey yall, I have a 97 HX I'm having some electrical issues with. It's got 150xxx and most all maintenance is up to date.

My original battery was from 2003, replaced it since it was dead and still didn't start after a kick-start. All grounds are clean and tight. Had the parts store check the charging system and it all turned good.

Any ideas? Sucks having to kick-start it every other time.


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nd4sped

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Kick starting your Civic? Haha Im just you mean jump-starting.
 


XpL0d3r

I had a Civic once.
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I kick my car and rust just falls off :what:

Are you sure the new battery is charged / good?
 

conor97hx

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Kick start with the clutch, lol.

Yes bought a new battery since my old one was completely dead.
 


conor97hx

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Well now it's throwing 4 codes but they're all related to the egr system. That wouldn't kill the car would it?


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nd4sped

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What codes?
 

conor97hx

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p0171, p0170 and p0401.

My alternator was bad so I replaced that and ended up getting a new battery, but the dash lights and headlights are still dim and it's somewhat sluggish. I'm stumped now. Obviously it starts so the starter isnt bad. Can't think of anything really. I aleady cleaned the egr and the passages and what not to.
 

Krzysztof Kucab

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Does the car perform slugish? Kinda feels like a spark plug isn't working...? I've had similar issues like you explained and it ended up being the ignition distributor...Idk why but it worked. 45$ on ebay
 

nd4sped

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If your lights are all dim and you have a new alternator and battery, it sounds like bad grounds. What people don't realize is these cars are getting OLD. Mine for example is a 2000 Si so its 15 years old. Crud, corrosion, etc, builds up and all creates a lot of resistance. Get some electronic parts cleaner and spray down the connections in the plugs then use some electric grease to prevent further corrosion.

To test your alternator in the car, crank up the car and let it idle. Turn on all our accessories, EVERYTHING, to their highest settings. Then disconnect the GROUND on the battery. If the alternator and connections are good it will continue to run. The RPM will go up due to the IACV opening to accommodate the load on the Alternator.

If the RPM starts jumping, get a vacuum gauge and put it on the manifold (T into a vacuum line). Do this test after you turn all your accessories off and follow the steps that typical come with the gauge or just google it.


http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2012/02/01/hmn_tips1.html
Here are a few fundamental vacuum readings that you might encounter while testing your engine:
  • A steady reading between 15 and 22 inHg is normal for most engines. By snapping the throttle open and closed, the needle should drop to 5 inHg or lower before stabilizing at 15 and 22 again.
  • A low reading that stays steady (perhaps around 5 inHg) indicates a vacuum leak at the intake manifold or carburetor. It might also be something as simple as a disconnected or leaking vacuum hose.
  • A reading of between 8 and 14 inHg could be telling you that the ignition timing is incorrectly set or that piston rings are leaking. It might be advisable to break out the timing light and the compression tester at this point.
  • If the needle is vibrating rapidly between the 14-19 inHg marks, it could be a sign that worn valve guides are allowing the valves to move around.
  • A bad head gasket will usually result in a reading that fluctuates between 5 inHg and a lower than normal reading.
  • A higher than normal reading that holds steady could mean a restricted intake. This could be a clogged air filter or a stuck choke on a carbureted engine.
  • When the gauge's needle swings across a 4-5 inHg range around the normal reading, it could be a sign of incorrect carburetor adjustment (which should manifest itself in other ways, too).
 

conor97hx

New Member
It ended up being a bad alternator ground, I had bought the NRG grounding kit a couple weeks ago and put it on a couple of days ago and discovered the alternator ground was bad so I replaced it and so far so good. I just need to replace the egr valve now.
 


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