How To Test The Fuel Injectors (1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V)

Testing the fuel injectors on the 1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V might seem quite the challenge, especially since the intake manifold chamber obstructs access to three of them. But if you've got some wrenching experience, it's definitely doable.

In this tutorial, I'll walk you through my tried-and-true method for diagnosing fuel injectors —a technique I've refined over time.

This testing method will help you rule out other possible issues before committing to a full injector test, saving you the hassle of removing the intake manifold chamber unnecessarily.

APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

• 2.0L Honda CR-V: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001.

Wiring Diagrams: The following fuel injector circuit wiring diagrams are available:

• Fuel Injectors Circuit Diagram (1997 2.0L Honda CR-V).
• Fuel Injectors Circuit Diagram (1998-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V).

Symptoms Of A Bad Fuel Injector

The fuel injectors on your Honda CR-V usually run into one of two issues:

• Internal short or open circuit: Here, there's an electrical issue in the fuel injector's internal wiring, stopping it from injecting fuel altogether.
• Clogged fuel injector: In this case, the injector still sprays fuel, but it fails to atomize it properly. Instead of spraying fuel in a fine mist, it ends up sputtering, which makes the cylinder misfire since non-atomized fuel can't combust as it should.

No matter if the problem is electrical or a clog, the outcome is the same: the cylinder fed by that injector will misfire.

Here are some more specific symptoms when a fuel injector fails or gets clogged:

• Rough idle.
• Lack of power.
• Hesitation when you accelerate your CR-V down the road.
• Since the 2.0L Honda CR-V is OBD II equipped, you'll see a misfire diagnostic trouble code (DTC):
  • P0300: Random Cylinder Misfire.
  • P0301: Cylinder #1 Misfire.
  • P0302: Cylinder #2 Misfire.
  • P0303: Cylinder #3 Misfire.
  • P0304: Cylinder #4 Misfire.

Whether the fuel injector is fried internally or clogged, this tutorial will offer you some specific suggestions to help you narrow down the possible solution.

What Tools Do I Need To Test The Fuel Injectors?

To perform a fuel injector resistance test, you don't need a lot of stuff. Here's a basic list of tools you'll need:

1. A multimeter.
   • The multimeter will help you check the internal resistance (Ohms) of the fuel injector(s).
   • If you need to upgrade or buy a multimeter, check out my recommendation: Buying A Digital Multimeter For Automotive Diagnostic Testing.
2. Hand-held DIY fuel injector cleaning tool kit.
   • This tool allows you to pulse (activate) the fuel injector while connected to a spray can of brake cleaner, making it super easy to visually check the injector's spray pattern and see if it's clogged.
   • You can learn more about this tool and where to buy it in this section: PART 2: Checking The Fuel Injector Spray Pattern.
3. OBD II scan tool or code reader.
   • To actually test the fuel injectors, you don't need a scan tool (since a scan tool can't dynamically test the fuel injectors). But, having one makes the whole process easier since you're able to retrieve any diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) stored in the PCM memory.
4. Hand Tools.
   • Since half of the fuel injectors are underneath the intake manifold chamber, you'll need hand tools like: socket wrench, extensions, sockets, etc. to remove it.
5. Pen and Paper to write down your fuel injector resistance test results.

Start Here: Diagnostic Strategy

To test the fuel injectors on your 1997-2001 2.0L Honda CR-V —you'll need to remove the intake manifold chamber (which isn't difficult to do) to get to them for testing.

Now, fuel injector failures aren't exactly common. Often, other issues can trigger a cylinder misfire, leading you to suspect the injector when it's really something else.

To save you from pulling off the intake manifold chamber unnecessarily, I'm going to explain the diagnostic process I use to determine if a fuel injector is truly at fault for a misfire, whether it's clogged or just not working right.

1. First, identify the 'dead' cylinder.
   • Pinpointing which cylinder is misfiring is the most important step. This step alone can save you a lot of troubleshooting time and prevent the frustration of swapping out parts that won't solve the issue, as plenty of things besides a faulty or clogged injector can lead to a misfire.
   • Often, a cylinder diagnostic misfire code (DTC) will point you to the dead cylinder. You'll need a code reader or a scan tool to access the misfire code.
   • Once you've identified the misfiring cylinder, the next step is to rule out the ignition system as the cause.
2. Test the ignition system and make sure it's delivering spark to the 'dead' cylinder.
   • To check for spark, you'll need to:
     1. Use a spark tester on the spark plug wire to check for spark.
     2. Inspect the spark plug wire for any damage or excessive wear and tear.
     3. Remove and inspect the spark plug for any signs of damage.
     4. Make sure the that the spark plug tube isn't fill with oil (from a leaking valve cover tube seal).
   • The ignition system (whether it's the distributor cap, spark plug wire, or the spark plug) is responsible for 90% of misfires, so it's best to eliminate it as a cause from the start.
   • You can find the ignition system tests here:
     
     Distributor Cap And Spark Plug Wires Misfire Tests (2.0L Honda CR-V).
   • If the cylinder is getting spark, the spark plug wire is OK, and the spark plug doesn't show any signs of damage, the next step would be to test that cylinder's compression. If you find that the cylinder isn't getting spark, then you've found the issue causing the cylinder misfire.
3. Compression test the 'dead' cylinder.
   • You don't have to test all 4 cylinders. Simply testing the misfiring cylinder along with one or two others for comparison will give you enough insight into its internal condition.
   • You can find the test explained here:
     • How To Test Engine Compression (1997-2001 2.0L Honda).
   • If the 'dead' cylinder has good compression, the next step is to test the fuel injector's resistance. If it doesn't have compression, then you've found the cause of the cylinder misfire issue.
4. Test the fuel injector.
   • The first step is testing the internal resistance of the fuel injector of the 'dead' cylinder.
   • If the injector's resistance is within spec, the next step is to remove it and use a brake cleaner spray with an adapter tool to check if it's spraying fuel correctly.

I've used the above diagnostic strategy with a ton of success and I think it'll help you too.

Where To Buy The Fuel Injector And Save

The following links will help you comparison shop for the fuel injector on your 2.0L Honda CR-V:

1997-1998 2.0L Honda CR-V:

Not sure if the above fuel injectors fit your particular 2.0L Honda CR-V? Don't worry, once you click on the links and arrive on the site, they'll make sure it fits! If it doesn't, they'll find you the right one.

PART 1: Checking The Injector's Internal Resistance

Alright, getting to the fuel injectors means removing the upper intake manifold chamber (see image 2 of 2 in the image viewer above). While I don't give detailed R&R instructions, I've put together some useful tips to guide you. Please check them out here:

• Precautions To Take When Removing The Intake Manifold Chamber.

Once you've removed the intake manifold chamber, you'll check the resistance of each fuel injector with your multimeter in Ohms mode.

It's important to test all four injectors, not just the one from the 'dead' cylinder, because Honda doesn't provide a specific resistance spec for the injectors.

This is no big deal (not having the resistance spec), since we can determine if the 'dead' cylinder's injector is internally bad by comparing its resistance to the other three 'live' injectors.

NOTE: Don't have a multimeter or need to upgrade yours? Check out my recommendation: Buying A Digital Multimeter For Automotive Diagnostic Testing.

Alright, here are the steps:

1. 1

   Remove the intake manifold chamber.

2. 2

   Disconnect the dead cylinder's fuel injector from its electrical connector.
   
   NOTE: The illustration above will help you identify the cylinder the fuel injector belongs to.

3. 3

   Place your multimeter in Ohms (Ω) mode.

4. 4

   Measure the resistance of the dead cylinder's fuel injector with the multimeter test leads (see the illustration above).
   
   Measure the resistance of the same fuel injectors several times so that you can be sure of your multimeter's Ohms result.

5. 5

   Write down the resistance value that your multimeter records for the specific fuel injector you're testing.

6. 6

   Repeat steps 2 through 5 on the remaining 3 fuel injectors.
   
   NOTE: Testing the resistance of the other fuel injectors will help for comparison purposes.

Let's find out what your specific multimeter test results mean:

CASE 1: The resistance of the 'dead' cylinder's fuel injector matches the resistance of the other injectors. This indicates that the 'dead' cylinder’s fuel injector likely doesn’t have an internal short or open-circuit issue.

Your next step is to check that the dead cylinder's fuel injector isn't clogged. Go to: PART 2: Checking The Fuel Injector Spray Pattern.

CASE 2: The resistance of the 'dead' cylinder's fuel injector is significantly different from the other injectors. This confirms that the fuel injector is faulty and should be replaced.