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Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

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Old Oct 5, 2012
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Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Hey guys.
My civic developed a wierd issue on the highway and I was forced to tow it home. When I start the car the civic sputters as it sputters the check engine light blinks on and off and a I hear one of the 4 relays under the glove box clicking , After about 1 minute the tach dies and the sputtering goes away , but it wont rev up and it feels as if I've hit a fuel cut. I also can no longer run the OBD codes because none of my 3 readers can communicate with the ECU. I have repleaced my PCM , Checked the grounds under the bumper . PLEASE HELP!
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Old Oct 5, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

I forgot to mention . The new PCM had been programmed to match my key . The swapping of the PCM made no difference
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Old Oct 5, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

See if the alternator bolts are loose.
Are you a shop? Pay for ALLDATA. The info should be there.

EDIT: The info IS there.

Last edited by ezone; Oct 5, 2012 at 09:42 PM. Reason: I love to edit!
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Old Oct 6, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Whats alldata? I was unaware a loose alt bolt could cause this I will check when im home.
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Old Oct 7, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Checked for loose alt any more suggestions?
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Old Oct 7, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Your code readers worked with this same car prior to having this problem?


You've described a 7th gen Civic that is repeatedly burning up PCMs.
I assume the description is true, no?

Monitor system voltage.
Excessive voltage burns up the PCM.
Somewhere over about 16 volts will start killing it.
Loose alternator hardware is a known and documented cause of this, there are service bulletins telling to look for this as a cause (ungrounded alternator, maybe an ungrounded block too).

A bad alternator could cause the same thing.


HTH
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Old Oct 10, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Correct I had recently replaced a dying alt. After replacing I still had a battery light. A volt meter showed 14.2 but my scanner showed 13.0 I was unable to diagnose this issue. My temp guage was also malfunctioning .The next symptom was the car dying. I am planning to get a new pcm and try to communicate with it without having the alt connected . Any suggestions?
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Old Oct 10, 2012
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Re: Engine sputtering/CEL light clicking

Originally Posted by Radianceautospa
Correct I had recently replaced a dying alt. After replacing I still had a battery light..........


Any suggestions?
Sure....Don't use discount reman alternators.

Verify the wiring isn't a problem.
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