98 CRV unstable voltage

The voltage on my Honda has been jumping back and forth between 11 and

14 volts. This does not happen smoothly. It jumps instantaneously. This goes on at about a 5 second period.

My battery does not run down and it always starts. I had the generator replaced a year ago, but this did not fix it.

I wonder if anyone has any thoughts about this?

Michael

Reply to
Michael
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Michael wrote in news:dHOrn.264549$vr1.213032@en- nntp-07.dc1.easynews.com:

Does the "D" or "D4" gear indicator dim when accelerating? Do the dash lights or the headlights flicker?

Is the Check Engine light on?

Reply to
Tegger

There is no check engine light on. The headlights and all other lights dim and get bright each time this voltage fluctuation occurs. This is not related to accelerating, at least not much. The voltage is more likely to drop suddenly when I take my foot off the gas. It appears that lower engine rpm is more likely to produce higher voltages.

Michael

Reply to
Michael

Michael wrote in news:WXosn.128486$ snipped-for-privacy@en-nntp-09.dc.easynews.com:

It's the Electrical Load Detector (ELD). Common fail point.

The ELD is either under the engine-bay fuse box, or is a plug-in module inside of it. If it's under the fuse box, it's part of the fuse box and the whole box needs to be replaced. If it's a plug-in, just buy a new one at the dealer and swap them.

Reply to
Tegger

Thank you very much for that information Tegger. You have been very helpful.

Thanks

Michael

Reply to
Michael

Michael wrote in news:chLsn.297586$ snipped-for-privacy@en-nntp-04.dc.easynews.com:

"Trying to find this part"? What does THAT mean? Techline doesn't know?

I think your car is old enough that the ELD is part of the fuse box, but Techline should be able to confirm that to your dealership's tech.

That fuse box, new, is $200. Yikes! Get thee hence to a wreckers!

This is a non-binary group, so you shouldn't be posting images here. Use one of the many free image-hosting Websites to post your images, then post the URL here.

Reply to
Tegger

I called a Honda dealership in a town about 40 miles away. They had never heard of an ELD. They could not even figure out what to do with the picture I sent them. They sent it to Honda. Honda refused to sell the ELD. They will only sell the fuse box for 233 bucks. I have wrecking yard within 100 miles.

At that price however, it might be worth it to drive the 100 miles if they actually have that fuse box.

Michael

Reply to
Michael

Michael wrote in news:1Sbtn.190241$ snipped-for-privacy@en-nntp-05.dc.easynews.com:

Dumbheads.

That's because American Honda can only sell what the Honda home office in Japan sells them. And the Honda home office only sells the ELD as part of the fuse box for your year.

Have you tried NAPA or other aftermarket place? They may sell a separate ELD.

Call first. Then bring tools so that you can install the box on-the-spot. That way if it doesn't work, you can try another one from another wrecked CR-V, or get your money back then and there.

I do believe the ELD is the same for the Civic, and I'm sure there's a way of transferring the ELD from one box to another, but I've never tried that. Time for some creativity on your part!

Reply to
Tegger

Thanks Tegger,

I am working on it. There is a chain autoparts in town. They informed me that they could not get the part.

I will try to get creative. If I knew what was in that brown little box, I could probably make one. I am a retired electronics engineer. I just don't know what it is. If someone had ever made a schematic of what was inside it, I would simply make one. But I sincerely doubt anyone has ever done that.

Thanks again

Michael

Reply to
Michael

Tegger,

I hate to admit it, but I think my problem was just me. I started looking at the fuse box and how all the loads for the car went through the ELD. I had some driving lights hooked directly to the battery with a relay to turn them on.

I removed the extra wires from the battery. I hooked them up inside the fuse box on the load side of the ELD. The varying voltage went away.

My bad,

Michael

Reply to
Michael

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