03 civic lx won't start, ground problems
 

Please help, I recently bought a 2003 civic lx with no engine. And just took the engine out of my 01 civic lx, and I have it all hooked up using the harness from the 01. The engine was cranking over but wouldn't start, because I used the wrong key without the chip (pretty sure that's why). But when I tried the right key, it wouldn't crank anymore and the dash lights are flickering and shaking. The original owner of the 03 car had put some different grounds in the car for the battery. The battery to chassis is still there, the chassis to transmission is broken off, and there is a ground from the battery to chassis by the radiator with the engine to chassis ground. I messed with them trying to get the car to start and couldn't get it figured out, crossed the starter over and it spun but didn't engage go the flywheel. So even if the starter is bad, the gauges still flicker and its suppose to be my daily driver so I'm in a hurry! Please help it'd be greatly appreciated!! Thanks

Re: 03 civic lx won't start, ground problems
 

Voltmeter? Test powers and ground at the starter, trace out the problem?

Did you get the smaller ground wires bolted down on top of the upper radiator hose outlet? Those are G101, grounds for the computer and much of the engine electronics.

You could use jumper cables to connect the battery negative post to the engine/trans AND battery negative post to the body/chassis/frame area just to see if a broken ground cable or bad ground connection is preventing to from cranking correctly or corrects the dash flickering problem.

Do you have a spare ground cable from another car you can swap in?

Do you have a spare starter to try?

Is the battery actually good and fully charged up?

Re: 03 civic lx won't start, ground problems
 

I ripped all the old grounds out, cleaned all the surfaces up nice and good, charged battery up and used the right key and it fired right up! Thanks!