baritone mike
05-06-2015, 09:10 PM
We got a 1987 Accord LXi hatchback with an automatic several months ago. When we bought it it would just randomly die. Thinking this was just a faulty main fuel relay we bought the car.
What we have replaced:
Main fuel relay
Ignition switch
Distributor
coolant temp sensor
Fuel filter
plug wires, plugs, air filter
drive belts (squealed like crazy when we bought it)
set timing
The issue with the car:
It will randomly stall. This seems to be 100% random. Sometimes it will die 10 seconds after starting it, sometimes it will run for 5 minutes then die, other times you can drive it around for 40 minutes without any issues. It will die at idle, it will die when coasting, it will die holding a constant speed. The only consistent thing is when it dies if you floor the gas pedal quick enough it will sputter back to life and cut in and out several times before returning to normal. It dies regardless of engine temp and outside weather. When it dies sometimes you can just start it back up, other times you have to turn the key to the off position then start it. We have filled the fuel tank twice since buying the car, so bad gas is not the issue. When the car is not stalling out it seems to run just fine.
I can not get the ECU to throw any codes, all you do is turn the key to the on position right? In the past I have got it to blink some codes that I did not understand by rapidly turning the key on then off. The PGM-FI light on the dash does not come on when you turn the key on, the bulb may just be burn out?
Any ideas? We have taken it to two different shops since we have owned it and neither one of them could figure it out. The first shop redid some wiring for the ecu that they thought might be bad. The second shop replaced the distributor, set the timing, and changed the coolant temp sensor. Neither shop charged us for anything except the distributor which we provided. The other stuff on the list I did in the garage. We are tired of throwing parts at it.
Car has 150k miles on it and does not smoke, the exhaust does smell a little rich though. Only thing that is not stock on the car I can find is an aftermarket radio, all of the electrical stuff in the car works fine, the only other issue I can find with the car is sometimes the seat belt light on the dash will not turn off if you start the car with the door open, if the car should have those automatic seat belts that slide along the door they do not work. Also I don't think the AC works, but that is probably normal on a 28 year old car.
What we have replaced:
Main fuel relay
Ignition switch
Distributor
coolant temp sensor
Fuel filter
plug wires, plugs, air filter
drive belts (squealed like crazy when we bought it)
set timing
The issue with the car:
It will randomly stall. This seems to be 100% random. Sometimes it will die 10 seconds after starting it, sometimes it will run for 5 minutes then die, other times you can drive it around for 40 minutes without any issues. It will die at idle, it will die when coasting, it will die holding a constant speed. The only consistent thing is when it dies if you floor the gas pedal quick enough it will sputter back to life and cut in and out several times before returning to normal. It dies regardless of engine temp and outside weather. When it dies sometimes you can just start it back up, other times you have to turn the key to the off position then start it. We have filled the fuel tank twice since buying the car, so bad gas is not the issue. When the car is not stalling out it seems to run just fine.
I can not get the ECU to throw any codes, all you do is turn the key to the on position right? In the past I have got it to blink some codes that I did not understand by rapidly turning the key on then off. The PGM-FI light on the dash does not come on when you turn the key on, the bulb may just be burn out?
Any ideas? We have taken it to two different shops since we have owned it and neither one of them could figure it out. The first shop redid some wiring for the ecu that they thought might be bad. The second shop replaced the distributor, set the timing, and changed the coolant temp sensor. Neither shop charged us for anything except the distributor which we provided. The other stuff on the list I did in the garage. We are tired of throwing parts at it.
Car has 150k miles on it and does not smoke, the exhaust does smell a little rich though. Only thing that is not stock on the car I can find is an aftermarket radio, all of the electrical stuff in the car works fine, the only other issue I can find with the car is sometimes the seat belt light on the dash will not turn off if you start the car with the door open, if the car should have those automatic seat belts that slide along the door they do not work. Also I don't think the AC works, but that is probably normal on a 28 year old car.