Gas and Check Engine Lights are lighting up.

[D0kt3r]

Hi all,

I have recently change my clutch. My car was standing with low gas with the front in a higher level for about 2 weeks waiting for my clutch kit to arive.

I did remove some sensors plugs according to get the tranny out of the engine bay. After installing my new clutch, assembling everything back to place, I ended up with my low gas light staying on with the check engine light.
When I put the switch on, I can hear the click where the check engine supose to go off, at that point the light deams, but remains led.

I did bridge the plug under the passenger side for code diagnostic, and when I put the switch on, and I hear the click, the check engine light do not gives any code. It remains a bright steady led.

I went for test drive and has to say the car drives like it has no problem at all. VTEC kick in normally, the car performs as it has to perform. I filled my tank, and the gauge measure full while the low gas light and check engine light remains on.

I went under my rear seat, and I did unplug my fuel meter unit and the gauge shows empty and the low gas light turns off.

By d0kt3r at 2011-02-18


But the check engine light remains ON. I plug it back in, and the gauge measure normally and the low gas light comes back on.

I did unplug all sensors I previously removed when taking the tranny out, clean them and plug them back. Gas/check engine lights remains ON.

I did use a other ecu, GAS/Check engine light remains ON
I did swap my cluster with a friend, my cluster works normal in his car. With his cluster attached to my dash, the GAS/CHECK ENGINE lights remains ON whenever I put the switch ON.

Anyone knows what could be the problem here?
My brains got blocked at this point
Any input will be hightly appreciated.

 

[D0kt3r]

No one can help me out with this?
Should I maybe take out my sending unit from my gas tank and check it out?

 

[tama666]

Fuel Level Sending Unit

 

[D0kt3r]

@ Tama666

Thanks Bro!

You have allways been helpfull on ek9.org
The reading of the floater works. It is reading normally between the B and C as discribed on the diagram. What about the 3th point (maybe "A") that is not mentioned? Should I get some reading from it at sertain level?

As I mentioned above, my gauge is reading, but the low gas light in my cluster is staying ON.
Samething with the check engine light.

Whit the sending unit plug disconnected, the low gas light in the cluster go's OFF but the check engine light remains ON.

 

[tama666]

@ Tama666

Thanks Bro!

You have allways been helpfull on ek9.org
The reading of the floater works. It is reading normally between the B and C as discribed on the diagram. What about the 3th point (maybe "A") that is not mentioned? Should I get some reading from it at sertain level?

As I mentioned above, my gauge is reading, but the low gas light in my cluster is staying ON.
Samething with the check engine light.

Whit the sending unit plug disconnected, the low gas light in the cluster go's OFF but the check engine light remains ON.

...you can not get the code being thrown with the check engine light?

 

[oscarsayco]

try reseting the ecu. unplug the battery for 5 minutes and see what happens

 

[tama666]

I think its the sending unit, it must be bad...

 

[tama666]

The below is a bit more detail to locating the issue:
Be sure to read step 5, 6 and 7.

 

[tama666]

If your light is ON at the dash, I think your sending unit has gone bad, replacement may be in your future.

 

[oscarsayco]

I think its the sending unit, it must be bad...

would the sending unit cause the check engine light to stay on ?

 

[tama666]

would the sending unit cause the check engine light to stay on ?

no, faulty ground may tho...hummmm Hope he did not bother the ground when replacing the clutch.

 

[D0kt3r]

...you can not get the code being thrown with the check engine light?

When I started the thread I did explain that I am not getting any faulty codes with the check engine light. It remains a BRIGHT light when I jump the ecu for faulty codes.

try reseting the ecu. unplug the battery for 5 minutes and see what happens

I did unplug the battery for even more then an hour, so many times, and it remains the same thing.

I think its the sending unit, it must be bad...

I think if the sending unit is bad, maybe the gauge won't function at all.
But could be as now I see it has 2 functions, 1 for the gauge level and 1 for the low gas

The below is a bit more detail to locating the issue:
Be sure to read step 5, 6 and 7.

Very interesting tip. I will try it tommorow, as it is dark over here. 9:06PM in the knight.

would the sending unit cause the check engine light to stay on ?

no, faulty ground may tho...hummmm Hope he did not bother the ground when replacing the clutch.

I think the problem will be with a ground issue. Replacing the clutch, where as in your experience could I have troubled the ground?? I feel like getting close to this headache!

I also replaced my cluster bulbs when I was waiting for my new clutch. I did try my cluster in other car and it works perfect, maybe I have to check the wires that connect to the plug which attaches to the cluster on my right hand. What color wire is the ground???

 

[tama666]

I think if the sending unit is bad, maybe the gauge won't function at all.
But could be as now I see it has 2 functions, 1 for the gauge level and 1 for the low gas.

"Redundant" system I guess; leveling unit for the gauge, and sensor for the fuel light.

Is the low fuel light "off" when you disconnect the fuel pump wiring? If it does turn off the issue is either the leveling unit or the low fuel sensor...they are not expensive to replace.

The below is from clubcivic.com:
Here is a couple of facts about the 1996-2000 fuel light indicator:
- All Civics above 1996 have a fuel light
- The light does not blink when you start your car, unlike other lights (Check Engine, SRS,...) it is not connected to a computer
-There is no chime or audible noise, only a light will appear
-The light is connected to a thermistor (a sensor that measures temperature), the sensor is at a low part of your tank, when you have fuel in there is cools the thermistor, when the fuel gets below this sensor the light will slowly fade on (since the sensor is slowly warming up)
-A way you can tell your light is working is when you are almost on E, get on an on ramp that banks to the right, the fuel will rush to the left of the tank and the thermistor will light the bulb, when I am on the interstate the light will turn back off.

The below is from honda-tech.com:
The thermistor is part of the low fuel warning light circut. It is attached near the end of the fuel level sender support arm about maybe about an inch off the bottom of the tank when installed. It is the small metal cylinder that is connected with the yellow wire. When it is sumerged in fuel, it is supposed to have a very high resistance therefore the low fuel warning light will not light. However, when the fuel level drops and the thermistor is in the air, the resistance drops and allows current to flow and light the low fuel warning light.

On the 1999 honda civic DX, the fuel gauge is operated by the float driven rheostat, but for the warning light, there is a thermistor and not a contact-closure. On other cars, there might be a contact closure but im not sure.

At the bottom of this image below, if you follow the yellow wire, it leads to the thermistor, near the float.

 

[D0kt3r]

Is the low fuel light "off" when you disconnect the fuel pump wiring? If it does turn off the issue is either the leveling unit or the low fuel sensor...they are not expensive to replace.

As I see there is no other way to test if it is for sure the thermistor that is going bad, than replacing the fuel sending unit.

It is not easy to get a 92-95 hatch fuel sending unit for replacement. I see on ebay the have 96> secondhand like this: 96-98 Honda Civic fuel tank leval sending unit - eBay (item 190500334571 end time Mar-11-11 09:27:08 PST)

Can I just replace the thermistor on the sending unit, and use my own sending unit? Or where else can I get a new or used good working sending unit for my EG6?

And what about the check engine light that I have, which is not throwing any code???

 

[tama666]

As I see there is no other way to test if it is for sure the thermistor that is going bad, than replacing the fuel sending unit.

It is not easy to get a 92-95 hatch fuel sending unit for replacement. I see on ebay the have 96> secondhand like this: 96-98 Honda Civic fuel tank leval sending unit - eBay (item 190500334571 end time Mar-11-11 09:27:08 PST)

Can I just replace the thermistor on the sending unit, and use my own sending unit? Or where else can I get a new or used good working sending unit for my EG6?

And what about the check engine light that I have, which is not throwing any code???

Just replace the whole thing. Look around, there are many out there.

Lets get the low fuel light off first.

 

[tama666]

As I see there is no other way to test if it is for sure the thermistor that is going bad, than replacing the fuel sending unit.

It is not easy to get a 92-95 hatch fuel sending unit for replacement. I see on ebay the have 96> secondhand like this: 96-98 Honda Civic fuel tank leval sending unit - eBay (item 190500334571 end time Mar-11-11 09:27:08 PST)

Can I just replace the thermistor on the sending unit, and use my own sending unit? Or where else can I get a new or used good working sending unit for my EG6?

And what about the check engine light that I have, which is not throwing any code???

All Civics above 1996 have a fuel light
...and your check engine light is on too ey?

 

[D0kt3r]

All Civics above 1996 have a fuel light
...and your check engine light is on too ey?

My Civic is below 1996, and has a fuel light also.

I have a 93 civic Hatch JDM.
I see lot off sending units for 96+ and as I see the connections where it attaches to the tank, they do not look same as mines

I will be searching for the whole thing. I will lett you know when one reaches my hand and I have it installed.

 

[D0kt3r]

I see a guy here in okt 2010 collecting 92-95 owners interesting in a brand new jdm fuel sending unit, as he was going to order them.

Any interest in new JDM fuel sending unit to get JDM EG cluster fuel light to work? - Honda-Tech

I will contact him to see if he can get 1 for me.

 

[tama666]

I see a guy here in okt 2010 collecting 92-95 owners interesting in a brand new jdm fuel sending unit, as he was going to order them.

Any interest in new JDM fuel sending unit to get JDM EG cluster fuel light to work? - Honda-Tech

I will contact him to see if he can get 1 for me.

That sounds like a plan. but that is an old post. 10-21-2010

 

[olly ek9]

Did you rember to plug the VSS back in after reinstalling the gearbox, this is the most common reason for a CEL after a clutch change...