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help with a 1984 honda prelude


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pigsdotoofly
New User

Dec 28, 2006, 12:10 AM

Post #1 of 4 (1831 views)
help with a 1984 honda prelude Sign In

Yesterday a bunch of the electrical on my 1984 Honda Prelude died. The dash clock, speedometer, tachometer, gas gauge, temperature gauge, turn signals, and reverse lights don't work; the headlights (and the motors controlling the flip-up headlight covers), brake lights and stereo still work.

The reverse lights went out before everything else, and one of them has been out for a long time, so that might be an unrelated problem. I replaced them both but they still don't work.

I checked all of the harnesses I could find under the dash, under the hood, and adjacent to the various lights, and they all look fine as far as I can tell. The main (65amp) fuse, which is an actual piece of metal between two contacts rather than a plastic housing with a wire inside, has a black stripe in the middle of it that looks burnt, but I have no idea if that is how it's supposed to look or if that means it's blown. (I know that's stupid but I really don't know anything about these things at all...)

An unrelated question: The car is also hard to start (you have to pump the gas a lot, then keep it revved at 2000rpm for several minutes before it will idle, and doesn't idle in gear well until completely warmed up). Is there anything that can be easily fixed that could help that, or is it just a function of having a really old and well-used engine (it has about 230k miles on it)?

I hope somebody can shed some light on this for me.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 28, 2006, 2:03 AM

Post #2 of 4 (1824 views)
Re: help with a 1984 honda prelude Sign In

Get youself a regular 12v test light and test that main fuse for power on both sides. Probably is blown.

I think I'd just replace it anyway and if it blows again right away we will need to hunt down where there is a direct short Might be just that fuse if you are lucky, T



pigsdotoofly
New User

Dec 29, 2006, 1:40 AM

Post #3 of 4 (1811 views)
Re: help with a 1984 honda prelude Sign In

I replaced the fuse today, to absolutely no effect, so I guess it's not that. I assume there's a harness coming out of the back of the instrument panel, but is there a way to test it without completely tearing apart the dash?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 29, 2006, 3:38 AM

Post #4 of 4 (1809 views)
Re: help with a 1984 honda prelude Sign In

So far you have ruled out the fuse itself that didn't look good but you still need to know if it has power to it. There's no sense looking any further until you know that.

Do you understand a test light? If you still haven't determined where the power is or isn't so you need one!

If cost is a factor they have been available at WallyWorld for $4.88 for years and a mutimeter for under $10.00 but you get what you pay for. I don't think you need that yet.

The new fuse may have blown right away by your description was tough to tell. If you just leave that fuse out does anything change? If not -- Voila that's the one to chase down.

In short you must know where power is or isn't, T







 
 
 






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